Just Queued Chapter 3 Of Wos Things Are Starting To Heat Up

just queued chapter 3 of wos🤭 things are starting to heat up 🙂‍↕️

world of sinners vi | sim jaeyun

⟶ 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: your parents are the head of one of the nation’s most lucrative syndicates and your older brother is heir to the throne which leaves you free to leave this world of evil behind. you’ve been waiting for this day for twenty years of your life, you can practically taste the freedom. what will you do, however, when your parents arrange a marriage for you to bind together their empire with the lee’s to stop a full on gang war?

❥ 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: sim jaeyun x f!reader ft brother sungchan and heesung

❥ 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: mafia!au, arranged marriage!au

❥ 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 8.4k

⟶ 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: dark themes, mentions of violence, vulgar language, mentions of death, forced marriage, corruption, consumption of alcohol, possessiveness, mentions of pregnancy, slight talk about childhood trauma. pls let me know if i missed anything !

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“Send me in.”

Jake’s eyes widen, his voice hardening. “No way. Absolutely not. I’m not sending you in there.”

You take a step closer, your resolve unshaken. “Jake, listen to me. I know how to corner Yerin and get her to show her cards.”

Jake shakes his head vehemently. “You don’t understand how dangerous this is. Yerin’s ruthless. If she even suspects something—”

“That’s exactly why I need to do this,” you interrupt, your voice firm. “Think about it, Jake. Why would Yerin want me out of the picture? It’s because with me gone, Heeseung gets the ‘throne’. The only thing standing in the way of Heeseung taking over now is if we had a baby. Yerin is banking on us not having a child to take us out and give the position to Heeseung.”

Jake’s face tightens with realization. “But we don’t have a kid. Nor are you pregnant. And everyone knows that.”

You smirk, a determined glint in your eye. “I have a plan. Just trust me on this.”

Jake’s skepticism is palpable. “What plan? How can I trust you if I don’t know what you’re planning?”

You shake your head. “The less you know, the better for now. Trust me, Jake. I can do this. I just need some time to plan it out.”

Jake’s eyes search yours, looking for any sign of doubt. Finding none, he sighs heavily, still hesitant. “Fine. But I don’t like this. Not one bit.”

You turn to Sunghoon. “Get Jungwon to tap Yerin’s phone. I want every conversation she has monitored.”

Sunghoon nods, immediately pulling out his phone to make the call.

Then you look at Jay. “I need you to keep a close eye on Yerin. Follow her, watch her every move. See if she slips up.”

Jay gives a curt nod before walking away to make the necessary phone calls.

Jake, still clearly unhappy, pulls you aside. “I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. And I hate the idea of letting you walk into the wolf’s den like this.”

You place a reassuring hand on his cheek. “I know it’s hard, but you have to trust me. We need to act like everything is normal, like we’re none the wiser.”

Jake’s pout is almost endearing. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

You smile softly, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I’ll be careful.”

Jake sighs but nods, “okay.”

With that, you both say your goodbyes and head home. You slip into Jake’s bed, maintaining the facade of normalcy, but your mind is racing with plans and contingencies. Jake pulls you close, his warmth a comforting reminder that you really are in this together, it’s no longer you versus the world but instead, you have Jake fighting not just with you but for you.

A week later, Jake is still tense, his worry evident in his every action. As you sit down for breakfast, he’s unusually quiet, his eyes flickering to you with concern.

“You need to eat,” you remind him gently, pushing a plate of French toast Rose had prepared towards him. “We have to keep up appearances.”

Jake picks at his food, his appetite clearly diminished by the stress. “I know. I just can’t shake this feeling, you know? That something’s going to go wrong.”

“Nothing will go wrong if we stick to the plan,” you reassure him. “Yerin won’t see this coming. She’s too confident in her position, too sure that she’s covered all her bases.”

Jake sighs, finally taking a bite of his food. “I hope you’re right.”

You sip your coffee, watching him carefully. “We need to act normal, Jake. If she senses anything off, she’ll bolt, and we’ll lose our chance.”

Jake nods, chewing slowly. “I just don’t like not knowing what’s going on. I’m worried about you.”

“I know you are,” you say softly, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. “But I won’t let anything happen to me.”

Jake grips your hand tightly, his eyes searching yours. “I wish I could do more. I hate feeling helpless.”

“You’re not helpless,” you assure him. “You’re doing everything you can by supporting me and keeping an eye on Yerin.”

He sighs again, but some of the tension in his shoulders seems to ease. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Always,” you promise, giving him a small smile.

The two of you continue breakfast in relative silence, the only sound being the clinking of silverware against plates. Despite the tension, you try to enjoy the moment, savoring the familiar comfort of your home and the presence of Jake.

After breakfast, you check in with Sunghoon and Jay. Sunghoon informs you that Jungwon has successfully tapped Yerin’s phone and they’re already gathering data. Jay reports that Yerin has been acting normally, which in itself is suspicious.

“Everything’s set,” Sunghoon confirms. “We’re monitoring her every move. If she makes a call, we’ll know about it.”

Jay nods. “I’ll keep a close eye on her today. If she slips up, we’ll be ready.”

You thank them, feeling a bit more reassured knowing they’re on top of things. You end the FaceTime call and head to your room to start getting ready, sitting down at your vanity to do your makeup. As you focus on the task, trying to keep your mind clear, Jake enters the room, watching you for a moment before speaking.

“Am I allowed to know the plan now?” he asks, his voice a mix of curiosity and concern.

You meet his gaze in the mirror, pausing your makeup routine. “Alright. I’ll fill you in. The plan is to trick Yerin and your father into believing that I’m pregnant. It’ll force Yerin’s hand. She’s been banking on the fact that we don’t have a child to take us out and give the position to Heeseung. But if she thinks we’re expecting, she’ll have to make a move.”

Jake’s eyes widen slightly. “How are you going to pull that off?”

“I have a plan for that too,” you explain. “I’ll be subtle about it at first, drop hints. Then, when I’m with them, I’ll have a doctor’s note confirming the pregnancy. It’ll be enough to make them believe it. Yerin will start making calls to ensure everything goes her way, and that’s when we’ll find out her plans and end her.”

Jake runs a hand through his hair, looking both impressed and worried. “That’s a smart plan, but you’re willingly putting yourself in danger.”

“I know,” you admit, resuming your makeup. “But it’s the best way to get Yerin to reveal herself and figure out who else she might be working with. Once we have that information, we can deal with them.”

Jake watches you carefully, his concern evident. “I hate this. But I can see how it could work. Just... promise me again you’ll be careful.”

“I will,” you promise, finishing up your makeup. As you stand up, Jake wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you close.

“Why are we still using separate bedrooms?” he asks softly, his breath warm against your ear.

You blush, realizing you don’t have a good answer. “I don’t know,” you admit. “We probably shouldn’t be.”

Jake smiles, pressing a kiss to your temple. “While you’re off with Yerin, I’ll have some of the maids move my things into your room. You have the master bedroom, after all.”

You nod, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. “I’d like that.”

You kiss him goodbye, a lingering kiss filled with unspoken promises and reassurances. Then you head outside, where Niki is waiting by the car. He gives you a nod as you slide into the backseat.

“Ready?” he asks, his eyes meeting yours through the rearview mirror.

“Ready,” you confirm, steeling yourself for what’s to come.

As Niki drives you to your in-laws’ home, you take a deep breath, focusing on the plan and the roles everyone is playing. Before you enter the compound, the car rolls to a stop and Niki hands you a Manila colored envelope.

“Jay-hyung left this with me, he said it has what you asked for.”

You smile curtly and thank him before placing the envelope in your Rive Gauche tote. “Thank you for taking good care of this.”

Niki nods before proceeding to drive. The car pulls up to the grand estate, and you step out, smoothing down your dress. With one last glance at Niki, you turn and walk towards the house, ready to put your plan into action.

Inside, the house is as opulent and imposing as ever. The staff greets you with polite smiles, but there’s a tension in the air, an undercurrent of unease that matches your own. You make your way to the sitting room where Yerin and your father-in-law are waiting.

Yerin looks up as you enter, her expression unreadable. "Good morning," she says, her voice sweet but laced with something sharper.

"Good morning," you reply, forcing a smile. "I hope I'm not too early."

"Not at all," your father-in-law says, rising to kiss your cheek. "We're glad to see you. How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired, but otherwise fine," you say, subtly placing a hand on your stomach. It's a small gesture, but you see Yerin's eyes flicker to it for a split second before she masks her reaction.

As you sit down, you notice Yerin's gaze lingering on you, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. You force yourself to relax, to play your part convincingly.

"So, how have things been here?" you ask, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Busy as always," Yerin says smoothly. "There’s always something to take care of."

You nod, pretending to be interested in the mundane details of their lives, while your mind races with the next steps of your plan. Yerin may be sharp, but you have the advantage of knowing her endgame. And you're determined to turn the tables on her, no matter the cost.

Jake’s father stands, gesturing towards the dining room. “Why don’t we move into the dining room for brunch? I have a new wine imported that I’d love to try.”

You force a polite smile, shaking your head gently. “I’ll pass on the wine, thank you. Could I have some tea instead?”

Yerin’s eyes narrow slightly, but she says nothing, while Jake’s father looks a bit disappointed. “Alright, I’ll save it for when Jake comes around. The three of us can enjoy it together.”

You nod, pretending to be flustered. “That sounds wonderful.”

As you take your seat in the dining room, the maids bring out a charcuterie board. The sight of the pepperoni makes your stomach churn, and you place a hand over your mouth, mimicking a gesture as if you’re about to vomit.

Yerin’s grip on the table tightens, her eyes sharp. “What’s wrong?”

You give her a bashful smile. “I’ve been having an upset stomach for some time now. It’s nothing serious, just something that comes and goes.”

Jake’s father, concerned, signals the maid. “Take that away and bring something else. What would you like, dear?”

You apologize, looking genuinely sorry for the inconvenience. “I’m so sorry for being a bother. Some cut-up fruit would be lovely.”

Once the maid brings the fruit and everyone has been served, Jake’s father clears his throat, looking at you intently. “You know, we talked about grandchildren at our last family brunch. Any improvement on that front?”

You act shy and embarrassed, lowering your eyes. “I’d rather not talk about that.”

Yerin, her curiosity piqued, presses further. “Oh, come on. You can share with us.”

You pause, sighing softly before reaching into your bag for the envelope Niki had given you. It contains pictures of doctored sonograms you had asked Jay to obtain for you. He handed the job down to Jungwon who was able to change the name and date for you. You hand it to your father-in-law, who takes it with a puzzled expression.

“What’s this?” he asks, opening the envelope.

“Well,” you begin, casting your eyes downward in feigned embarrassment, “Jaeyun wanted to break the news together, but now is as good a time as any. I’m pregnant.”

Yerin’s eyes flash with disbelief, her skepticism evident. “May I see the envelope?”

Jake’s father passes it over to her, and she examines the sonogram. Despite her best efforts, her face betrays her shock.

“You’re three months pregnant?” Jake’s father exclaims, his voice filled with confusion.

“Yes,” you confirm, a small, proud smile on your face. “Jaeyun and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other before the wedding. After a night of drinking, we were so hammered we forgot the condom. We were too embarrassed to say anything until I was farther along, which is why we lied about not having consummated our marriage when asked about kids.”

Yerin, her eyes narrowing to slits, asks pointedly, “If you’re so close, why do you sleep in separate rooms?”

Feigning a blush, you explain, “Jaeyuine was scared he’d hurt the baby with his constant moving in his sleep. But rest assured, we’re moving into one room now. The maids are moving his things as we speak.”

Jake’s father, convinced and ecstatic, beams at you. “You should have said something sooner! This is wonderful news!”

Yerin offers a forced smile, her words through gritted teeth. “Congratulations.”

You return her smile with one just as insincere. “Thank you.”

Patting your stomach, you stand. “I’d better go. The further along I get, the more tired I am.”

Jake’s father stands as well, concern in his eyes. “Should one of my drivers take you home?”

You shake your head, smiling. “No, thank you. I came with my own driver.”

He nods, already planning. “We should have a dinner to inform Heeseung about the news as well.”

You nod in agreement and make your way to the door. As you step outside, you feel the weight of the encounter lift slightly. Once in the car, you pull out your phone and call Jake.

“How did it go?” he asks immediately.

“Hook, line, and sinker,” you reply, a triumphant smile spreading across your face.

Jake exhales, relief evident in his voice. “That’s great news. I knew you’d pull it off.”

“I’ll be home soon,” you say. “We’ll go over the next steps then.”

Niki glances at you in the rearview mirror, giving you a small nod of approval. As the car drives away from the estate, you feel a surge of confidence. That bitch is going down.

Niki pulls into your driveway, the afternoon sun casting long shadows against the garage. As the car rolls to a stop, you notice Jake waiting near the garage, his posture tense. Niki swiftly opens the door, allowing you to step out. He stands protectively behind you as Jake approaches.

Jake greets you with a kiss, his arms wrapping around you in a comforting embrace. As you hug, he whispers in your ear, "Jungwon’s inside. He said Yerin made some phone calls once you left. I'm not sure who yet, but-"

Before he can finish, the roar of a sports car pierces the quiet afternoon. You turn to see Sungchan's car speeding towards you. He parks abruptly, nearly skidding to a stop, and frantically makes his way to your side. Jake holds you a little tighter as Niki reaches for his gun, but Jake stops him with a subtle shake of his head.

“That was quicker than I thought.” Jake mutters under his breath as Sungchan gets closer.

Your brother reaches for you, attempting to pull you away. "You're not safe," he mutters under his breath, his grip firm. "You need to leave."

You wince and pull away, acting concerned and oblivious. "Sungchan, you're hurting me. What are you doing here?"

He doesn't relent, repeating, "You need to leave with me. You're not safe."

Jake steps in, pulling you to his side and wrapping an arm around your stomach. "Stop, Sungchan, before you hurt her."

Sungchan pauses, staring at your stomach. You take a deep breath and speak up, "I'm not going anywhere, Sungchan. I'm safe here."

He tries to argue, desperation in his voice. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into. You're not safe here. You need to leave."

All the while, he keeps staring at your stomach. You hold Jake's hand and shake your head, still acting coy. "Jake will protect me from whatever it is you're talking about.” You wait a beat before adding, “especially since I'm pregnant."

You wait for his reaction, but when Sungchan doesn't respond, you follow up, "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Sungchan is taken aback, his confusion evident. "W-what? How did- how did you know that-?"

You don't back down, maintaining your gaze. "We know about you and Yerin. Talk. Now."

Sungchan sighs deeply and pulls at his hair in frustration but finally begins to speak. "It's true. I've been sleeping with Yerin, but-"

Jake cuts him off, growing impatient. "Yes, we already established that. We want to know when it started and what she's planning."

Sungchan looks down, ashamed. "It started the night of the dinner party. When Jake took you to the garden to propose, Yerin needed to use the bathroom but got lost. I was getting a new bottle of wine our dad had requested. I helped her find the bathroom, but before I could leave, she stopped me and made a move on me. We kissed and had sex in the bathroom."

You try to hide your disgust, but it’s clear as day, making Sungchan even more embarrassed. He continues, "I thought it would be a one-time thing, but it continued. It’s almost like she could tell how desperate I was to help you out of the engagement and preyed on that. During one of our pillow talks, she told me she would help me if I helped her. She wanted Heeseung to take over, so she convinced me to help sabotage Jake. That way, he wouldn’t be the eligible heir, and you could leave him. Heeseung would take over as it was meant to be."

Your anger boils over, and you take a step towards him, your voice shaking with fury. "How could you, Sungchan? Not only did you put yourself in danger by crossing our father to work with Yerin, but you also put me in danger. You’ve jeopardized everything for a woman who never had any intention of keeping her promises."

Sungchan shakes his head, desperation in his eyes. "No, we agreed nothing would ever happen to you. The plan was to get Jake out and Heeseung in. You were never supposed to be hurt."

You scoff, incredulous. "Did you forget about the attempt on my life? Yerin was only ever in this for herself. She was never going to uphold her end of the deal, and you were a fool to believe she would."

Tears well up in Sungchan's eyes, and he begins to cry, his voice breaking. "I did this for you. Please, you have to understand. I thought I was helping you."

Shaking your head, you step back, the disappointment clear in your voice. "I’m so disappointed in you, Sungchan. You’ve let her manipulate you into risking everything."

Sungchan is visibly distressed, reaching out to you, but you pull away and move closer to Jake. Jake holds you securely, kissing the top of your head. Sungchan watches in confusion, having always believed Jake to be a bad person.

Jake steps in, his tone firm but calm. "Sungchan, do you know what Yerin is planning now?"

Sungchan nods and sniffs, struggling to regain his composure. "She called to tell me that ____ showed up at her home to announce her pregnancy. She said our original deal is off. She has to kill you now. That’s why I came to get you out of the country. Yerin is going to order a hit on you."

A cold silence falls over the three of you. Jake tightens his hold on you, his expression turning steely. Sungchan continues, his voice trembling. "Before, the plan was to make Jake look unfit so his father would take him out of power and the marriage could be broken off. But now that there’s a possible heir, even if they were to kill Jake, the empire goes to you and the baby. Yerin would never allow that."

Jake’s eyes flash with anger as he nods. "I’ll take care of it."

Sungchan's frustration flares, and he takes a step towards Jake, his anger palpable. "She’s in this position because of you! How can you be so calm about this?"

Niki steps between them, ready to intervene, but Jake raises a hand to stop him. "I love her, Sungchan. I will do everything to protect her and our baby. Make no mistake though, you’re only still alive because of the love she has for you. But if you ever dare to cross me or hurt my family again, I won’t let you off so easily."

Your heart skips a beat as Jake’s words sink in. He loves you. It's the first time he's ever said it, and it catches you completely off guard. You’ve never heard those words directed at you with such genuine emotion. Sure, you’ve experienced love from your brother and friends, but this is different. This is a romantic love, a deep, all-encompassing feeling that you’ve never felt before. For a moment, the world stops. You want to say it back, to let Jake know that you’re equally in love with him, but now isn’t the time. There are more pressing matters to address. So, you tuck the words away, making a mental note to talk to him about it later. You need to let him know how you feel, how his love has become your anchor in this storm.

As you stand there, your mind drifts back to your own parents. The love you’ve witnessed between them is nothing like this. Your mother’s love for your father always eclipsed any affection she showed you. She’s so brainwashed by his power and influence that you always felt like an afterthought. It hurt, knowing she didn’t have the capacity to love you the way you deserved. And your father? He’s only ever seen you as a walking dollar sign, ready to sell you off to the highest bidder for his gain. His cold, calculating nature left no room for genuine affection.

But Jake? He’s different. He values you—not just your opinions, but you as a person. He goes out of his way to make sure you’re comfortable and safe, to protect you from the dangers that lurk in your world. The love he’s shown you is something you never thought you’d experience, and you’re certain you never want to let him go.

You stand a little taller at his words, from the knowledge that you have someone who loves you and will stand by you no matter what. It’s a new, unfamiliar feeling, but one that you cherish deeply. And as you look into Jake’s eyes, you know that despite the mess of your life, you’ve found something truly precious.

Turning back to Sungchan, you try to keep your emotions in check. "Sungchan, you need to stop sleeping with Yerin. If today has shown us anything, it’s that she’s willing to kill anyone to get what she wants. You need to get out."

Sungchan nods, tears streaming down his face. "I will. I promise."

You offer him a small, reassuring smile. "I still love you, Sungchan, but I need some time. This has been too much."

Sungchan understands, his expression filled with sorrow and regret. He weakly congratulates you on the baby before slowly walking to his car. You watch as he drives away, the tension in the air finally beginning to dissipate.

Jake gently squeezes your shoulder. “We should go inside now. Jungwon’s waiting for us.”

You nod, following Jake into the house. As you enter, you see Jungwon sitting at the dining table, his hacking setup sprawled out around him. He’s focused on his laptop, typing furiously. When he hears you both come in, he looks up and greets you with a nod.

“Hey,” Jungwon says, giving a small smile.

Jake nods back and gestures for you to sit down. “Jungwon, give her an update on what’s happening.”

Jungwon leans back in his chair, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Okay, so after you left your in-laws, Yerin made three phone calls. One to Sungchan, one to Heeseung, and one to Byun Baekhyun.”

You feel a jolt of shock at the mention of Baekhyun. You turn to Jake, but he’s already heard this information, his expression more controlled.

“What did she discuss with Baekhyun?” you ask, trying to keep your voice steady.

Jungwon flips through his notes. “All she said was ‘green’ before hanging up.”

Jake cuts in, his face grim. “I’m assuming Baekhyun is the one who’s going to carry out the hit on you. And if not him, he’s the one who’ll find the hitman.”

Jungwon nods. “I’m trying to tap Baekhyun’s phone to see his next moves.”

You feel a new wave of frustration and fear wash over you. “How are you going to handle this, Jake?”

Jake looks at you, his eyes steady. “I have Sunghoon tailing Baekhyun until we can tap his phone. We need to know what his next step is before acting. Can’t let him know we’re on to him.”

Unable to contain your frustration, you stand up, the force knocking your chair over. “I can’t believe Sungchan could be so reckless! Now I can’t even leave my home because I have a literal target over my head.”

Jake stands and pulls you into a hug, trying to reassure you. “I’ll fix this. Sungchan was just trying to help you, even if it was a terrible plan. His intentions were never bad. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

As Jake tries to calm you down, Jungwon’s voice cuts through. “Uh, guys.”

You and Jake turn to look at him as he beckons you over. “Yerin is making another phone call.”

The room falls silent as Jungwon listens in on the conversation through his headphones. The call is quick, and Jungwon’s face goes pale as he removes the headphones.

Jake asks, his voice edged with urgency, “What’s wrong?”

Jungwon swallows hard. “She ordered another hit.”

Jake scoffs. “Is it for me?”

Jungwon shakes his head. The worry gnaws at you, and you step closer. “Is it for Sungchan?”

Jungwon’s face is tense as he shakes his head again. Jake’s patience snaps. “Just say it, Jungwon! The suspense is making it worse.”

Jungwon takes a deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper. “The hit is for your father.”

The air seems to freeze around you. Jake’s father is the head of the biggest syndicate in Seoul, the one with the power to decide anyone’s fate. The implications of this hit are enormous.

Jake’s jaw tightens, and he clenches his fists. "She’s trying to destabilize everything. If my father is taken out, it throws everything into chaos. Yerin and Heeseung are making their move."

You shake your head. “No, there’s no way she would be that reckless? Does she know we’re on to her?”

Jungwon looks up from his screen, his expression serious. “My system is legit and undetectable. I wouldn’t have brought this to you if I wasn’t sure.”

Jake paces the floor, his frustration evident. “What’s her angle? Why would she want to take out both my father and you?”

You place a hand on your chin as you try to wrack your brain for any reason as to why Yerin would compromise her entire operation by placing a hit on her husband.

“It doesn’t make sense. Everyone would know Yerin killed her husband. He doesn’t have any competitors, and if this goes according to her plan, both ‘the baby’ and I will be dead. There’s no way anyone would think it’s all a coincidence. She’s getting sloppy.”

Jake pauses at the mention of sloppiness, muttering under his breath. “Loose ends.”

You and Jungwon both focus on Jake, your concern growing. “What?”

Jake’s eyes widen with realization. “This is Yerin tying up any loose ends. My father will be dead, you’ll be dead, I’ll be stripped of my power, and she might even kill me too. The only person left who would come after her would be Sungchan! Yerin is going to frame Sungchan for my father’s death. That way, she gets what she wants, and no one besides Heeseung will ever know what really happened.”

You feel physically ill, unable to believe the depths of Yerin’s evil. Jungwon curses in shock, but you’re left gobsmacked by how good Yerin is at being a mafioso.

Jake starts barking out orders. “Get Niki to keep an eye on Sungchan. Wherever he goes, Niki follows. Have Jay set up an extra security detail around the family home, and make sure they’re discreet. Go do a check around the perimeter to ensure no one suspicious is on the property. Take one of the guards with you.”

Jungwon nods, already moving to comply with Jake’s commands. He taps furiously on his laptop, sending out the necessary messages. Within moments, he’s coordinating with the team, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

You watch Jake, his anger palpable. He stops pacing and pulls you into a tight embrace, his voice steady and reassuring. “I just need to hold you.”

As you melt into his arms, you’re struck by how Jake, despite everything, remains vulnerable and open with you. He’s not the cold, calculating mafioso the world sees; he’s a man fighting to protect the people he loves. Your heart aches for him, for the weight he carries and the danger that constantly surrounds you both. His embrace feels like a sanctuary, a moment of peace amidst the storm.

You pull back slightly, looking into his eyes, and then you lean in, capturing his lips in a kiss. The kiss starts slow, tender, but quickly escalates. You pour all your fear into it, desperate to feel close to him. Jake responds with equal fervor, his hands gripping your waist, pulling you closer. The world fades away as the kiss deepens, becoming more urgent and passionate. You lose yourself in the sensation, in the warmth of his touch and the intensity of his love.

Just as you begin to forget the chaos outside, Jake’s phone rings, shattering the bubble of intimacy. He groans but pulls away anyway, looking at the screen. It’s Stella.

“Stella, what’s up?” Jake answers, placing the call on speaker.

Stella’s voice crackles through the speaker, her tone chipper and bubbly. “Hey there, you two lovebirds! Guess what? I’ve got some juicy updates for you! So, I managed to get the morgue to release the chief’s body—don’t ask me how, it involved a lot of charm and maybe a bribe or two—and my buddy at the NFS is going to do an official autopsy. We think the original results might have been tampered with. Scandalous, right?”

“What does this mean for me?” you ask, your voice trembling slightly.

Stella’s tone remains upbeat. “Right now, it means the case can’t be closed, and you, my dear, will not be arraigned. Also, I received information about the witness. I’ll be sending the files over to Jake. I’m sure if you pay him a little visit—wink, wink—the witness will recant their statement. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.”

Your eyebrows shoot up. “Isn’t that... illegal?”

Stella giggles. “Well, technically, yes, but let’s just call it ‘creative problem-solving.’ Given the circumstances, we won’t split hairs, will we?”

Jake’s expression is resolute. “Thank you, Stella. That’s good news.”

Stella hums in agreement. “Once the autopsy is complete, you’ll be a free woman. And then, we’re going to go after the police department for conspiracy, civil rights violations, and malicious prosecution. Oh, and we’ll make sure they issue a public apology so your company stocks can rise again. We need to keep those investors happy, right?”

You’re shocked. “Is that necessary?”

Jake scoffs. “Of course it is. With the way they treated you and handled your arrest as a public figure, we should sue for more.”

Stella chimes in, her voice firm despite the bubbly tone. “I can throw in negligence, false arrest, defamation, and harassment for how they interrogated you. The works!”

Jake nods. “Do it. I won’t stop until the bastards who put her in cuffs and conspired with Heeseung are behind bars as well.”

Stella’s voice is filled with understanding. “Got it. I’ll take care of it. And don’t worry, I’ve got a few more tricks up my sleeve if we need them.”

Jake smiles slightly, a hint of relief in his eyes. “Thank you, Stella. We appreciate everything you’re doing.”

Stella’s voice warms even more. “Anything for you two. Now, go take care of each other, and I’ll handle the legal circus. We’ll be in touch soon.”

You, Jake, and Stella bid your goodbyes, and Jake ends the call. The room falls into a heavy silence as you process the information. It’s a small victory in the midst of a war, but it’s a step forward.

Jake pulls you close again, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “A win is a win, right?”

You nod. “Hopefully the first of many.”

Just then, Jungwon returns, his expression calm but focused. “Jay is stationed outside the family home, and the property is clear. Niki also says he has become Sungchan’s official shadow. Everything is secure.”

Jake and you both nod in gratitude. “Thanks, Jungwon,” Jake says. “You’ve been a huge help. You’re free to go home now and get some rest.”

Jungwon smiles slightly, a hint of relief in his eyes. “Take care, both of you.” With a final nod, he gathers his equipment and heads out.

Once he’s gone, you turn to Jake, a mix of anxiety and curiosity in your eyes. “What now? We still have to be cautious, you know.”

Jake gives you a reassuring smile. “It’s still light out, and I was thinking we could have a date night.”

You scoff, unable to suppress a smile. “A date night? Have you forgotten that someone is out to kill me?”

Jake chuckles, shaking his head. “I never said we had to leave the house. I’ve got a surprise planned. All you have to do is go shower and get dressed up.”

You roll your eyes playfully and give him a light shove. “Stop being weird.”

Jake catches your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours. “What? Can’t I spoil my beautiful wife?”

A giggle escapes your lips, a mix of embarrassment and delight. His words send a warm flush through you, contrasting sharply with the tension of the past few days. Jake leans in and pulls you in for a kiss. It's soft at first, but the intensity builds, the world around you fading into the background. His lips are warm and insistent, conveying a depth of emotion that makes your heart race.

Just as you're getting lost in the kiss, Jake gives your butt a light slap, causing you to gasp in surprise. "Go on, get ready," he says with a grin.

You try to slap his butt in return, causing Jake to curse and reach to tickle you. You yelp, dodging his hands, and sprint to the stairs, your laughter echoing through the house. As you reach the top, you glance back to see Jake watching you with a tender smile, his eyes filled with love and something deeper—something you're starting to recognize as home.

As you reach the top of the stairs, you dash into your room, your laughter echoing from the playful chase downstairs. You slow to a stop, breathing heavily, and push open the door. The sight that greets you makes your heart skip a beat.

Your room is still familiar, but it's now distinctly Jake's as well. His belongings are scattered around, blending seamlessly with your own. His glasses sit on the bedside table beside a well-worn book, and his multiple rings are laid out next to the book, catching the soft light. A soft smile tugs at your lips as you take in these personal touches.

You walk further into the room, each step revealing more of his presence. The closet door is ajar, and you peek inside to find his extensive shoe collection neatly arranged. His jackets hang in the closet, along with a few pairs of baggy jeans—the kind he only ever wears around the house. Seeing his items amidst your own creates a warm, comforting sense of unity.

A wave of emotion washes over you as you look around. This room, once a sanctuary solely for you, is now shared with Jake. The small details—the glasses, the rings, the casual clothes—reflect a life intertwined with yours. Knowing that Jake, who grew up in a room stripped of personal comforts, has chosen to fill this space with his belongings for the sake of being close to you makes your heart swell.

You run your fingers over the familiar items now infused with his presence. It’s a poignant reminder of how different his life was before and how he’s building a new, shared life with you. This room, filled with his personal touches, signifies his commitment and love for you—a love that goes beyond mere words.

You step toward the bathroom, carrying the comforting warmth of the room with you. The gentle hum of the shower invites you in, and you let the warm water cascade over you as you prepare to unwind. As the steam envelops you, your mind drifts back to Jake and the love he has shown you.

He’s made such a significant effort to be close to you, to share his life with you in such an intimate way. His presence in your room is a testament to his dedication and affection. It’s a love that feels so genuine and different from anything you’ve experienced before. In the midst of everything happening, this gesture reminds you of the strength of your bond.

You take a deep breath, letting the soothing water clear your mind. You think about how you want to express your love to Jake, how you want him to know that you’re just as deeply in love with him. For now, you set aside that thought, ready to enjoy the surprise he has planned for you. As the water washes over you, you feel a sense of peace and anticipation for the evening ahead.

Stepping out of the shower, you wrap yourself in a plush towel, the softness a comforting contrast to the heat. You move to the mirror, wiping away the steam to reveal your reflection. You begin to apply light makeup, enhancing your features with a touch of color and glow. The act of getting ready feels almost therapeutic.

Once finished, you head to the banister and call down to Jake, “What should I wear?”

He looks up, a playful grin on his face. “Something comfy!”

You chuckle, turning back to the closet. As you browse through your options, your eyes drift to Jake’s side of the closet. You decide on a pair of comfy sweats and a hoodie from Jake’s collection. It’s one of his baggier ones, enveloping you in its soft fabric and his lingering scent. It makes you feel close to him, even when he’s not right beside you.

Dressed and feeling cozy, you head downstairs. Jake comes running to stop you at the base of the stairs, excitement in his eyes. “Wait, I’m not ready yet!”

He pauses when he sees you in his clothes, his expression softening. “You look so cute.”

He leans in to kiss you, but you gently push him away with a giggle. “I want my surprise first!”

Jake pouts, leaning in again. “Just one kiss?”

You giggle again, turning your cheek so he kisses there instead. He whines, but you can see the amusement in his eyes. “Please, just one real kiss?”

Relenting, you give him a soft kiss, feeling the warmth and love in the simple gesture. When you pull away, he sighs contentedly. “You’re the best.”

He then straightens, his expression turning serious again. “I’m not ready for you yet. You need to wait a bit longer.”

You raise an eyebrow, curious. “What could you possibly be up to?”

He smirks, guiding you toward the living room. “It’s a surprise, remember? Just sit tight.”

Reluctantly, you sit on the couch, watching him with amusement. He kisses your forehead and heads upstairs, calling over his shoulder, “I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll be right back down to join you.”

You nod, settling into the couch and trying to quell your curiosity. The house is quiet except for the faint sound of the shower running upstairs. You smile to yourself, feeling a sense of contentment and anticipation.

After a few minutes, you hear Jake’s footsteps coming down the stairs. He appears, dressed in sweats and a hoodie similar to yours. He grins, spreading his arms wide. "Look at us, a cute matching couple."

You snort, shaking your head. "You’re so corny, Jake."

He pouts, crossing his arms. "You’re such a meanie."

Laughing, you get up from the couch and take his outstretched hand. He leads you toward the kitchen, glancing back with a mischievous smile. "I dismissed all the staff for the night, so it’s just us."

You raise an eyebrow. "Who’s going to cook dinner then?"

Jake’s smirk widens. "I am."

Your eyes widen in surprise. "You can cook?"

He nods, looking quite pleased with himself. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

He ushers you to the kitchen island, where some drinks are laid out. He picks up a glass and hands it to you. "I made us some cocktails."

You smile in delight, taking the glass from him. "You really went all out, huh?"

Jake chuckles, holding up his own glass. "Only the best for you. Cheers."

You clink glasses and take a sip of your mojito. The strong taste makes you cough, and Jake grimaces apologetically. "Sorry, I think I added a bit too much liquor."

You laugh it off. "It’s a good thing I’m not really pregnant then."

Jake laughs with you, but there’s a hint of something else in his eyes. You notice the shift and ask, "What’s up?"

He shrugs, looking down at his drink. After a moment, he asks, "Do you want kids?"

The question takes you by surprise. You play with your drink, thinking carefully about your answer. "I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I want to prove to myself that I can love my child the way they deserve, to raise them surrounded by love and happiness. And if it’s with you, I know there would be so much love. But... our lifestyle... it’s dangerous. It wouldn’t be fair to bring a child into that world."

Jake takes in your words, nodding slowly. He sets his glass down and looks you in the eyes. "I want out."

You’re confused. "What do you mean?"

He takes a deep breath. "I’m giving the reigns to Heeseung. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that nothing compares to the love I have for you. I meant it earlier when I said I love you. I’m willing to do anything to make you happy, even if it means going legit. If giving Heeseung what he wants means I get to have you and maybe one day a family, then fuck it. It’s his."

Tears well up in your eyes. "Are you sure?"

Jake nods, his voice steady. "I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. You’re it for me."

You lunge at him, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him fiercely. Between kisses, you murmur, "I love you. I love you. I love you."

Both of you are crying now, the intensity of your emotions overwhelming. This type of love is new to both of you, and it feels almost surreal. You pull back slightly, looking into his eyes.

"I’ve never experienced anything like this before," you say softly. "I’m so happy that you’re the one I get to love in this lifetime. You make me feel safe, cherished, and valued in a way I never thought possible. I love you more than words can express, Jake. You’re my home, my heart, my everything."

Jake’s tears mingle with yours as he kisses you again, his arms tightening around you. "You’re my world," he whispers. "And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and happy. I love you so much."

Jake wipes away your tears with his thumbs, his touch gentle and reassuring. "No more tears," he says softly, pressing a final kiss to your forehead. "It’s time to make dinner."

You sniffle, a small smile forming on your lips. "What are we making?"

"It’s a staple from my childhood," Jake replies, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Intrigued, you watch him move around the kitchen, collecting ingredients with a practiced ease. As he starts preparing the meal, you lean against the counter, your curiosity piqued.

"So, how many kids do you want?" you ask, your tone playful.

Jake glances at you, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I’ve always imagined having two or three. Enough to keep things lively but still manageable. What about you?"

"I think two sounds perfect," you reply. "A small, close-knit family."

Jake nods in agreement, his focus shifting back to the ingredients in front of him. "Do you have a preference for a boy or a girl?"

"Not really," you say, considering the question. "But I can see you as a great girl dad."

Jake laughs, shaking his head. "Really? I’ve always pictured myself teaching a son how to play football."

You smile, imagining the scene. "You scream girl dad, Jake. And who knows? You might end up being a ballet dad too."

Jake grins at the thought, his eyes lighting up. "I’d be honored to have a daughter who wants to dance. I’ll be there at every recital, cheering her on."

As you continue to brainstorm about your future family, Jake finishes cooking and turns to face you, presenting the plates with a flourish. You burst into laughter when you see the meal: a grilled cheese sandwich with a side of barbecue sauce.

"Is this it? A grilled cheese sandwich?" you ask, amusement clear in your voice.

Jake feigns offense, holding up a finger. "For your information, it’s a ham and cheese toastie, not just a grilled cheese sandwich."

You laugh harder, but you relent, taking your plate. "Alright, I’ll give it a try."

Jake raises his own half of the sandwich, and you clink them together like glasses. "Cheers."

You take a bite, and to your surprise, the combination of melted cheese, ham, and barbecue sauce is delicious. "Wow, this is actually really good," you say, a note of wonder in your voice.

Jake beams with pride. "Told you."

You finish your sandwich quickly, licking your fingers. "You have to make another one."

Jake laughs, shaking his head. "I have the rest of our lives to make ham and cheese toasties for you."

He steps closer, wrapping his arms around you in a warm hug. He holds you tightly, his chin resting on top of your head. "I love you," he whispers once more, his voice filled with sincerity.

You close your eyes, savoring the moment, feeling the strength of his love surrounding you. After a few moments, Jake pulls back slightly, a playful glint in his eyes. "Come on," he says, taking your hand and leading you into the living room.

He walks over to the stereo, queues up a soft, romantic playlist, and then turns to you, extending his hand. "Dance with me?"

You smile, placing your hand in his, and he gently pulls you close. You rest your head on his chest as you sway to the music, the world outside fading away. The slow dance feels like a perfect encapsulation of your love—gentle and steady.

As the music plays, you lose yourselves in each other, moving in sync, sharing soft whispers and tender glances. Jake occasionally twirls you around, making you laugh, and then pulls you back into his embrace, his arms a safe haven.

After a while, you both settle onto the couch, deciding to spend the rest of the day enjoying each other's company. You watch movies, baking cookies during intermissions and sneaking kisses as you share the warm treats. You cuddle under a cozy blanket, your bodies intertwined as you laugh at the screen, savoring the sweetness of these simple moments.

As the sun sets you turn to Jake, a contented sigh escaping your lips. "We should go to bed," you suggest, feeling the day’s happiness settle into a gentle fatigue.

Hand in hand, you walk up the stairs, entering your room together. You both go through your nightly routines, brushing your teeth side by side, sharing smiles and soft touches. Once you’re ready for bed, you slip under the covers, and Jake immediately pulls you close, his arms wrapping around you protectively.

"I'm so happy I get to hold you," he murmurs, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead.

You snuggle into his embrace, feeling completely at peace. "Goodnight, Jake," you whisper, your voice filled with love.

"Goodnight, my love," he replies, his voice gentle.

With your heart full and your body warm against his, you both drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

taglist: @dreamiestay @inkpot-winters @minniejenseo @faithnsstuff @sumzysworld @sunpov @laurradoesloveu @iheartjayke

sawry for not posting the kids were restless yesterday but today is their tech day so i don’t have to really keep an eye on them so chapter 4 will be posted today at 1pm est !!!

hi my lovies! the next chapter of world of sinners will be posted later on in the day instead of 12pm est because i am currently working as a camp counselor so i’ll be at work and busy taking care of my campers until 9pm est! i’ll try and post before the end of the day but if not it’ll be posted saturday morning once i’m off my shift !

world of sinners i | sim jaeyun

⟶ 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: your parents are the head of one of the nation’s most lucrative syndicates and your older brother is heir to the throne which leaves you free to leave this world of evil behind. you’ve been waiting for this day for twenty years of your life, you can practically taste the freedom. what will you do, however, when your parents arrange a marriage for you to bind together their empire with the Lee’s to stop a full on gang war?

❥ 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: sim jaeyun x f!reader ft brother!sungchan

❥ 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: mafia!au, arranged marriage!au

❥ 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 9.0k

⟶ 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: dark themes, mentions of prostitution, drugs, mentions of violence, mentions of guns, vulgar language, mentions of death, forced marriage, corruption, consumption of alcohol.

— T E R M I N O L O G Y: abeonim ; father

➵ 𝑎/𝑛: this is the revamped version of my fic! the original can be found on @vintagejaemin, this was originally meant to be for ateez but i’ve decided to turn it into an enha fic ! :)

masterlist | next

“I’m stepping down.”

The dining room is silent. You stop cutting your steak to look up from your plate into your father's eyes. He returns your gaze and waits for you to question him, but you don’t. Instead, you turn your attention to your glass of Sauvignon blanc.

You hear your older brother clear his throat before placing down his utensils and addresses your father. “If you don’t mind me asking, what brought this about?”

You pick up your wine glass and swirl it around before bringing it up to your lips to finish it off. Your father's eyes flicker to you but you’re too busy trying to get drunk to notice.

Dinner with your family is something you’ve always dreaded. The atmosphere was always stuffy: elbows off the table, sit up straight, chew with your mouth shut, take small bites, make pleasant conversation, don't talk with your mouth full, finish your plate, use your napkin, ask for permission to leave the table. It felt like a chore rather than a meal.

Often, you could get out of family dinners by giving your father some bullshit excuse but tonight he wasn’t buying any of them. He claimed he and your mother needed to discuss something important with you and your brother. You guess this is pretty important news.

Your father clears his throat and swirls the whisky in his glass, the sound of ice clinking against the glass reverberates within the room.

“Well, Sungchan, I figured it was time you took over. The transition might be a long one, I have things I need to take care of but once everything is settled, the throne is yours.”

You place your glass back onto the table and sit straighter in your seat. You look at your mother but she makes a point to avoid your eyes. You pull your gaze away from her and turn to look at Sungchan who’s sat by your side, “congratulations.”

You knew this day would come, you just didn’t think it would come so soon. To your knowledge, your father’s in perfect health and things within the Empire have been running smoothly; you don’t see the need for Sungchan to take over just yet. Sungchan spares you a smile and a small nod of his head.

“As you two know, things are getting tense with the Lee’s,” the situation your father is referring to is the gang war that’s on the verge of starting with the Lee family, another mafia that rules the other half of town. Things are starting to heat up at the border, your dealers keep roaming into the Lee’s territory and their dealers are doing the same to you.

It’s causing you both to lose money and it’s led to a rise in gun violence. Men are dropping dead left and right in the streets, you tried telling your father to redraw the borders and give some land to the Lee’s but he quickly dismissed you saying you didn’t know what you were talking about.

“Your mother and I sat down with Lee Jaehee and his wife, and after much discussion we came to an agreement.”

“What are the terms of your agreement, Father?” You ask, your interest peaked.

Your father glances at you but doesn’t answer, refusing to fully meet your eyes and so your mother does. “We’ve arranged a marriage between you and their heir.”

Your parents register the shock on your face before you can hide it. You do your best to reel in your emotions before an argument breaks out though. Sungchan, sensing your shock that’s slowly beginning to morph into anger, reaches a hand out to place it on top of yours under the table to help calm you down.

“What about our agreement, Father?” You ask, steadying your tone so he doesn’t scold you for being disrespectful. The agreement you’re referring to is the one you made with your parents months ago. Seeing as Sungchan is heir to your father’s Empire, you saw no need to stay in this world you’ve come to despise and convinced your father to allow you to walk away once you graduate college.

You’ve always ranked number one at school, never once have you gotten a mark below a 90 in any of your classes. With perseverance and determination, fueled by your desire to leave this lifestyle behind, you graduated early and began taking classes at Sungkyunkwan University your junior year.

You major in both fine arts and business administration. You’re in your final year and college life has been a dream. You’re now twenty years old and set to graduate within four months. You have plans to leave South Korea and migrate to Paris with Haru and Anton, your two best friends and college roommate, following your graduation.

“You’re allowed to continue your studies but following your graduation, you’ll be getting married.”

Every word stings, only fueling the fire that burns inside of you. Your fists begin to clench and your jaw roots. Knuckles hurting from clenching your fists too hard, and gritted teeth from an effort to remain silent, your now hunched form exudes an animosity that’s like acid.

“No.” You say, leaving no room for discussion.

Your father looks at you in surprise, you’ve never talked back before. “No?”

You stand abruptly, the force knocking over your chair. “No. I won’t be a pawn in your ridiculous scheme. You know how I feel about your line of work, I played my part for the last twenty years and paid my dues. I refuse to enter a marriage agreement and get roped back into this mess!”

“____⏤” Sungchan gives a warning call of your name only to be cut off by your father who raises a hand in his direction.

“In case you’ve forgotten who I am and your place in this family, let me remind you. I am your father and as my daughter you’re to do as I say. As long as you have my blood running through your veins, you will never be able to leave.”

That is the breaking point of your patience. At that moment, your rage is so intense that it leaves you seething and with a bitter taste in your mouth.

“The Lee family will be here on Sunday for you to meet their son. Don’t be late.”

You glare at your father, “go to hell.”

He smirks and raises his whiskey glass in your direction, “Sweetheart, I’m the king.”

“I’m sure you’re both wondering why I’ve called you here.” Jake and Heeseung take their respective seats in front of their fathers desk, anticipating his next words.

For the past year, their father and his men have been keeping a close eye on the two brothers to see who is more fit to take on the role as head of the Lee Empire. At first, Heeseung was set to take over due to being the oldest and legitimate son. Knowing this, Heeseung took advantage of his position and began abusing the power he had yet to inherit.

He became a wild child. He spent his nights in Hongdae strip clubs and would often blow all his money on prostitutes. It was pathetic really, it also wasn’t a good image for the Lee’s, so their father stepped in and declared the throne was up for grabs.

Jake was never really interested in taking over, he grew up knowing that no matter what, Heeseung would ultimately rule over the underworld. Being the bastard child born from the product of his fathers affair, he was often kept hidden in the shadows. The sudden declaration came as a total shock to him and although he hadn’t been keen on taking over before, he knew he would be a fool to pass this up.

A rivalry sparked between the two brothers as they went head to head vying for the same position. While Heeseung was out getting high and drunk off of their father’s riches, Jake was at home studying his father's tactics and memorizing the names and faces of every associate of the Lee Ring.

Because Heeseung had been unfocused for so long, it had taken him longer to submerge himself back into the game. Once he had gotten his groove back, however, it was clear he would make a ruthless and good leader. Although he had his moments where he would slip up, who their father would choose was really up in the air.

“After careful evaluation I’ve decided to hand over the empire to Jaeyun.”

Jake lets out a relieved sigh and bows his head respectfully. “Thank you, Abeonim. It’s an honor to be given this ti⏤”

“You can’t be serious?” A low growl escapes Heeseung’s parted lips as he cuts off Jake and looks at his father in shock, “I deserve that title! It’s my birthright!”

Their father sends a sharp glare his way, “you lost that right when you chose to focus your attention on booze and hookers.”

Heeseung scoffs, “I can rule better than he can and you know it! You’re choosing to punish me because your ego is in the way!”

The two brothers watch as the whites of their father's eyes turn to pure black, his icy stare lethal and piercing. In that moment, Jake feels grateful that he isn't the one on the receiving end of their father's anger.

“Watch your tone, Heeseung. And must you know, this has nothing to do with my ego. You’re simply not fit to take over.”

Although Heeseung knows this could end very badly for him, it doesn’t stop him from continuing. “Everything you’ve built will turn to ash if you hand it over to Jaeyun. Be smart for once and give me the rights to the Lee Empire!”

Jaehee slams his fist on the desk, vexed at his oldest son's actions. “Enough! I will not be made a fool by my own son. You say you would make a better leader and yet your actions fail to line up with your words. Over the past year Jaeyun has proved himself to be the better man,” he pauses to take a breath, “he’s kept up with his studies while simultaneously helping me run the empire while you were too busy being pussy whipped.”

Heeseung’s cheeks heat up in both shame and embarrassment but his father doesn’t stop just yet, “tell me Heeseung, do you know why we had to switch suppliers? Do you know what’s going on with the Feds? Most of all do you even know what’s happening at the border?”

The room falls silent as Heeseung fails to answer. When it’s obvious he won’t be giving an answer anytime soon Jaehee turns to Jake and sighs, “inform your incompetent brother of what’s been going on while he was off getting head.”

Jake clears his throat and sits up in his seat, “we had to switch suppliers because some of the men were stealing baggies and selling them for their own profit. As for the Feds, they’ve caught wind of the donation of thirty million won to the Korean government, they suspect corruption and launched an official investigation two days ago. And regarding the border, we’re on the verge of a gang war with the Jung’s.”

Taken aback by the sudden onslaught of new information, Heeseung briefly forgets why he was mad in the first place. “The Feds launched an investigation? What are we going to do?”

Jaehee scoffs, “what do you think? We’re going to comply with their requests. The president is on our payroll, we’ll be cleared of all charges in no time. Until then, I’m going to need you both to lay low.”

The two brothers nod their head in understanding, “yes sir.”

Jaehee nods in satisfaction. “Good, now onto the last thing I would like to discuss with you. As you now know Heeseung, we’re on the verge of war. Any good leader will do everything in their power to avoid war which is why your mother and I sat down with the Jung’s to try and come to an agreement.”

“In order to secure things at the border, we came to the agreement that Jaeyun shall enter a marriage with their youngest daughter, that way we can bind together our families and show that we’re a united front to the public. Having them as allies will help us greatly, we’ll be having dinner with them on Sunday so you two can meet. Any objections?”

Jake has millions of objections, an arranged marriage? He knew if he obtained the position of head of Lee Empire this day would come but it feels too sudden. He hasn’t even fully assimilated to his new role and he’s now being thrust into a marriage with a girl he doesn’t even know.

Although he has his objections he doesn’t voice them, he knows better. With a small shake of his head he says, “no sir.”

His father smiles, looking proud of his youngest while Heeseung only glares at the hourglass sat on a glass shelf above his father's head.

“Good, you’re dismissed.”

It’s Sunday afternoon and in a last attempt to get yourself out of this outrageous marriage agreement, you’ve woken up early and dressed yourself in Jung Empire colors. Your body is adorned in an extravagant emerald green v-neck tie blouse with skin tight black jeans.

Your hair is tied up in a ponytail and your feet are encased in a pair of six inch red soled Louboutins that Sungchan had gifted you for your birthday. The Rolls Royce that you're riding in pulls up in front of your fathers warehouse for bagging, you thank the driver before exiting. You stare up at the daunting building and tuck your Bottega Veneta clutch under your arm, although your relationship with your father is rocky, you were once close and a daddy’s girl. You never had to ask twice for something, he was always willing to do anything for you. You can only pray he’s willing to do the same now. If he doesn’t budge however, begging isn’t beneath you, you’ll get on your knees if you have to.

You enter the building and find your father smoking while circling around the tables where his men are bagging a new batch of cocaine. You slide your eyes over to Sungchan who’s standing in the corner of the room talking to his security detail. You take a deep breath before marching over to your father.

“Can I steal you for a moment?”

Some workers look up to stare at you in confusion momentarily forgetting the task at hand but the man you called for doesn’t even spare you a glance. He stops to slap the side of a man’s head to pull his attention away from you, “careful. She’s an engaged woman.”

You scoff at your father's words, “Father, can we please speak?”

He continues to ignore you and moves down the row of tables filled with men weighing out the bags. “I’m listening, darling.”

You don’t want to have this conversation this way but you know that once your father is focused on his Empire, nothing else matters until he’s done. “I don’t want to marry him, please don’t do this.”

Your father slowly inhales his cigarette, still not looking at you. “I thought I was clear when I said no the first time you asked me this, ____.”

You sigh, “I won’t be happy if you make me do this!” You stop walking but he continues, your frustration builds and you stomp your foot, “will you pay attention to me for once damnit!”

He stops in his steps and takes one last drag of his cigarette before dropping it on the floor and snubbing it out with his shoe. He carefully turns to look at you and shoves his hands into the pocket of his suit pants. “Tell me, ____, how are things looking for the Empire, business wise?”

You frown, what does that have to do with dissolving your arranged marriage? “Sales are up ten percent from quarter one due to expanding on the south side and spending has decreased by fifteen percent after cutting ties with the Byun’s. I went to meet with the Chief of Police and made a settlement of two billion won, you now have complete jurisdiction over the Gwangju district. Business is running smoothly, you should expect an increase of twelve percent revenue wise by the end of the new quarter.”

Your father smiles and steps closer to you to take your face into his hands. “You’ve always been a bright girl, ____. It would be wasted potential to let you walk away from this lifestyle. While your brother makes for a great leader, you make one hell of a business woman. Such a shame I can’t keep you here to continue working for our Empire.”

You remove his hands from your face and clutch them desperately in your hands before shaking your head, “you know I hate everything about business management and this lifestyle. Whether I stay here with you or get married to the Lee heir, I will always be unhappy and you know that!”

Your father sighs and turns on his heel, “happiness is an illusion, my dear. Now, I believe you have an engagement dinner to go prepare for.”

He walks away and orders for one of his men to drive you back home to get ready for tonight. You dejectedly stare at your father’s retreating back, completely at a loss. What now? Do you go through with this unwanted marriage or do you make a run for it after you walk the stage for your graduation? You follow the buff man ordered to take you home and get in the back of the all black SUV parked out front. He drives you home in silence, leaving you to drown in your thoughts.

It doesn't take long for you to arrive, you’re home in under thirty minutes leaving you with plenty of time to get yourself ready for tonight.

You exit the vehicle and trudge up the polished steps of your two story mansion. You breeze past the kitchen, where your mother is informing the chef of tonight's menu. You head to your room and gently close your bedroom door moving on auto pilot. Sitting on your bed, you allow the news to fully sink in. Your fate has been decided and there’s no way out.

Left with no choice, you begin assembling an outfit for tonight. You skim your closet in search of your dusty blue frill hem lace dress you had gotten from Chanel. Once you find the dress you move to place it on your king sized bed and move back to your walk in closet to get your crystal open toed Jimmy Choo pumps that you gifted yourself during finals week sophomore year.

You walk leisurely to your bathroom, strip down, then step into the shower. You turn the water on high; the steam thickens and warms, rising up to your face. You bathe your skin lightly, taking care to not rub yourself raw. You make sure to wash your face and hair thoroughly before getting out of the shower. You then dry off and head back to your room to get ready.

You hydrate your body and slip into your undergarments before getting to work on your makeup. You shape and draw your brows before working on your eyeshadow—you go for a neutral eye look with an undertone of baby blue to go with your dress. Once satisfied, you go in with your mascara and apply one layer for both eyelashes.

Now that your makeup is finished, you move to your bed and pick up your outfit for the night and give it one last glance before slipping on the dress. The mini length dress has an a-line neckline, short sleeves, and a trumpet skirt. The bodice is fitted and fits your figure easily. You look stunning, if it weren’t for what awaits you downstairs, you would be excited but you know better.

There’s a light knock on your door that pulls you out of your trance. You sadly turn to look at your door just as Sungchan walks in. He offers you a smile and gently shuts the door behind him. “You look beautiful.”

You play with the lace of your dress, “thanks.”

A heavy silence soon settles over the two of you, thicker than the uneasy tension you’re sure sits in the dining room where your guests await you. You glance around your room to try to avoid catching your brother's gaze. Things have never been this tense between the two of you, the atmosphere is usually light and fun.

Sungchan has always looked out for you and made sure you’re comfortable. You have no doubt that he tried to talk your father out of signing away your freedom. It’s what Sungchan does. He always looks out for you.

“We should probably go greet our guests.”

Sungchan turns to walk away but you reach a hand out and grab onto the back of his suit jacket, “W-wait.”

He turns to look at you. He takes one good look at you and his shoulders drop. He envelopes you in a hug and soothingly rubs your back.

You bite down on your lip to prevent yourself from crying. You refuse to shed any tears over this situation, you need to be strong. “I know this isn’t what you wanted and it’s not fair that it’s happened to you but please continue to be the strong woman I know you are.” Sungchan whispers into your hair.

You sigh, “it’s not fair! I don’t want to marry him. Why do I always get the short end of the stick? Hm? Why is it always me?”

Sungchan chokes back a sob, it physically hurts him seeing you so sad, it’s a contrast from your usual behavior. You’re always a bright and bubbly person who tries to be optimistic no matter what.

“I know, don’t worry. I’ll fix things, just be patient for now. I’ll fix it.” He then whispers under his breath, “I promise,” but it’s too low for you to pick up on what he said.

You two spend a few more minutes enjoying the embrace before Sungchan reluctantly pulls back. “We should attend to our guests. I’ll head down first, you should fix your makeup before coming down.”

You nod and let him exit your room before making quick work of reapplying your mascara and fixing your eyeshadow that had smudged.

You apply a neutral tone lipstick from your fifty piece Tom Ford Boys and Girls II collection and go over it with a clear lip gloss to make your lips shine.

When you’re done you take a deep breath to calm your nerves before exiting your room. You walk down the hallway and stop at the top of the stairs to collect yourself one last time. Once you feel ready, you descend the large staircase and walk towards the dining hall where you hear chatter and laughter floating through the area.

You stop in the doorway and scan the table. Your father is sat at the head with your mother to his left and Sungchan to his right. Next to Sungchan is a red haired male with multiple piercings, from months of studying books filled with all Jung Empire’s associates, you know he’s Lee Heeseung, the eldest Lee son. A lady is seated beside him, you assume that’s his mother. At the end of the table sits Lee Jaehee and to his right sits a buff black haired male who’s engaged in a conversation with your father. The seat beside him is empty, you presume it’s meant for you. He must be your suitor, the bastard child⏤ Sim Jaeyun or Jake.

You continue to stare at the long black haired male and make an assessment. He’s a sight to behold, no doubt about that. But looks aren’t everything, what if he’s a monster? Was he the type to get violent if he didn’t get his way? Would you fear for your life once you signed the marriage license?

As if he can feel your stare, he looks up and locks eyes with you. A forced smile takes over his lips as he raises his glass in your direction, all parties present at the table turn to the doorway to stare at you as well. You fidget under their stares but you don’t cower away.

You walk over to the seat beside Jaeyun with your head held high, you greet everyone before taking a seat. “It’s about time you joined us.” Your father jokes.

You give him a forced smile and bow your head, “forgive me, I wanted to take extra care to make sure my looks were above par.”

Jaehee chuckles, “it’s alright dear,” he picks up his glass of whiskey and raises it, “shall we make a toast?”

Your father hums and raises his glass as well. Everyone soon follows. A server, noticing you don’t have any alcohol to toast with, quickly steps up and fills your flute glass with champagne.

You raise the flute and clink it against the other seven glasses, “to the engagement of Jaeyun and ____ and the binding of two powerful families!”

You mumble a small cheers under your breath before peeling back the glass and taking a small sip. It goes down easily and slightly burns your throat, there’s a bitter taste at the end that has you shivering in your seat. You take a few more sips before placing it back down. While it’s not strong enough to get you drunk, it could still give you a pleasant buzz and you need to be fully sober for tonight.

You look across the table to find Heeseung throwing back his glass of whiskey. He gulps it down and raises the empty glass in the air for a server to take and refill. You study the older male and notice there’s something off about him. By the way he’s sitting you can tell he has no interest in being here and with the way he’s throwing back alcohol without a care in the world, completely disregarding the glares his father sends his way you just know he’s the problem child.

He has a certain air about him, he almost seems angry. You cock a brow as you continue to study his actions, he swaps out his whiskey for a glass of champagne. He downs it in one go and huffs in annoyance when the server is a beat late in refilling his glass.

As he’s waiting for his fix, he looks up and sends a harsh glare in Jaeyun’s direction. You frown and follow his line of vision to find your soon to be fiancé smiling brightly at Sungchan while they converse about stocks.

You drum your fingers against your flute of champagne as you silently hum in understanding. There seems to be some sort of animosity between the two brothers. You wonder what happened.

Before you get to dwell on the situation, more servers file into the dining hall with your meals. You’re first served a bowl of soup but you only get three spoonfuls before it’s being taken away and replaced with a butternut squash ravioli topped with rosemary browned butter.

You’re able to get in a few more bites before it’s taken. You don’t mind it though, the taste of the squash was too strong for you. A kale salad with Asian grapes, candied walnuts, gorgonzola cheese, honey and vinaigrette is what’s next on the menu.

You push your food around, not at all interested in eating the salad. You would have preferred a Cesar instead. Not much is said, your parents discuss business but the four of you (Heeseung, Jaeyun, Sungchan, and you) stay silent, not bothering to get to know each other.

The main course comes soon and you’re glad it’s a bit bigger than the last three meals you’ve been served. It’s balsamic covered lamb chops drizzled with a white bean purée. Once the main course is served, conversation begins to flow between Jaeyun and you.

“Your father tells me you’re a student? What do you study?”

You finish chewing your lamb and clear your throat, “I study business management and fine arts.”

Jaeyun nods, impressed, “fine arts? Is that a passion of yours?”

You smile and nod eagerly. Talking about anything art related always fills you with joy. Art has always been your escape, you had hoped to become an art director once you had graduated and migrated to France with Haru and Anton. Your mood slightly crumples, just a week ago that dream was plausible but now it’ll remain nothing more than a dream.

“It is, art is a very beautiful form of communication and expression. It’s helped me through some dark times”

Jaeyun smiles at your words and looks at you thoughtfully. He had his own doubts coming into this dinner but you’re not as bad as he had assumed.

Dessert is soon served, it’s a pear tart with almond cream. You take your time enjoying the sweet treat but it’s gone too fast for your liking. The adults soon wrap up eating and conclude their business talk.

You think the dinners over and get ready to excuse yourself but your mother starts a new conversation. The topic being your wedding.

“Oh I can’t wait to see you in a wedding gown, ____! I just know you’ll look lovely.”

You inwardly cringe at her comment but don’t speak on it.

“Why don’t you two go for a walk in the garden? Take some time to converse and get to know each other, you barely talked during dinner and the whole point was for you two to get to know each other.” Your father suggests.

You're ready to claim you’re too tired to go walking around the garden so late at night but Jaeyun stands before you get the chance. “That sounds lovely. Care to join me, ____?”

He holds a hand out for you to take. You stare at it wearily but take his hand regardless and allow him to help you up. You both excuse yourselves and head for the back door that leads to the garden in your backyard.

The air is pungent with the fragrance of jasmine. The two of you walk along the path lined with fallen petals from the bonsai trees that line the perfect lawn in their wooden boxes. In the center of the garden sits a pond as large as a small lake with flowering lily pads and a wooden bridge that crosses the middle so you can look down at the koi. The flower beds are a riot of spring colors and under close inspection you would be able to see they’re weed-free.

“How old are you, Jaeyun?” You ask.

He crosses his arms behind him, “twenty-two. And you?”

“Twenty.”

A semi-awkward silence soon settles over the two of you as you take a stroll around the extravagant garden. “Let’s not beat around the bush, ____.” Jaeyun says as he comes to a stop. You stop walking as well and turn to face him, “I’m well aware this marriage isn’t something you want, it’s not something I wanted either but there’s no way out of it.”

You cross your arms and nod allowing him to continue. “While I may not be the man you intended to marry, I want you to know I have no ill intentions. I won’t force myself on you and I won’t stop you from pursuing other men. This is a marriage of convenience and I don’t want you to feel obliged to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“Are you mad?” You ask, he cocks his head to the side in confusion, not quite understanding your question. “Are you mad about this arrangement? You seem too calm about this, doesn’t it make you feel enraged to know your parents signed away your freedom?”

He shrugs, “it’s the price we have to pay for being their children.”

You scoff, “it’s a pretty crappy exchange.”

Jaeyun chuckles at your response, “I take it you feel wronged?”

You scowl, what type of question is that? Of course you feel wronged. “Of course I do. This isn’t the life I pictured for myself.”

“What was the life you pictured for yourself then?”

You take a deep breath and turn to continue walking. Jaeyun follows closely behind you as you both climb the bridge. “I wanted to leave Korea with my best friends and move to France, I’ve always had the dream of becoming an art director. I would probably fall in love and have a romance you only find in movies, have a lowkey beach wedding and try for kids later on down the line.”

You don’t know why you’re spilling your wants and dreams to Jaeyun, it’s not like he can give you the life you desire. Telling him this won’t change a thing but you suppose it’s nice to express your wants to another person who could possibly relate.

“I can’t give you the whirlwind romance you want but I can open a creative department and make you head of all creative art projects. I know it’s a longshot from the life you want but it’s a start.” He offers while gazing into your eyes.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” You curiously wonder out loud. Jaeyun softly chuckles at your question and comes to a halt in the middle of the bridge.

“Would you rather me be rude?”

You shake your head, “it’s not that. It’s just,” you pause to try and find the right words, “you've made it clear you don’t want to marry me either so why are you going out of your way to make sure I’m comfortable? Shouldn’t you hate me for ruining your life?”

“But you didn’t ruin my life? This marriage wasn’t your idea and I won’t take my anger out on you. You’re just as much of a victim as I am.”

You stay silent and just study Jaeyun. Your biggest fear entering this dinner was that he would be a complete jerk but he’s the absolute opposite. Conversation seems to flow easily between the two of you and he’s made it clear there’s no animosity between the two of you. You wish you could be as open to this as he is but a part of you will always despise him for taking away your freedom. He may have not done it directly and it may not be fair to him but you can’t help the way you feel.

“I understand.”

He nods and takes a few steps ahead of you and turns back to face you. “I had always hoped that when I proposed it was to a woman I knew and loved but as we both know, that isn’t the case. While this isn’t ideal, I still want to do it properly.” You watch as he gets down on one knee and pulls a ring box out of his back pocket. “Will you marry me, Jung ____?”

You try to smile at the sweet gesture but you’re sure it comes out more like a grimace. You slowly nod your head and give him your left hand. “Yes.” He smiles up at you and gingerly slips a 14k white gold engagement ring with a cushion cut diamond that illuminates the center of the sophisticated design with sparkling round diamonds in a halo motif on your ring finger. It fits snuggly, shimmering in the moonlight and mocking you as you rotate your hand.

Jaeyun gets up and dusts off his knees. “Let’s go back inside?”

Two weeks have passed since your formal engagement to Jaeyun and the press has been going crazy. The night after the dinner, your parents had the two of you go on a date for publicity and leaked the news of your engagement to the press. Pictures soon spread like wildfire and your name has been in the news ever since.

You didn’t expect anything less, while your family is notoriously known for ruling over the underworld, it’s not all you do. To avoid the law and jail time, your father owns his own conglomerate to stand as a front for the illegal acts that go on behind closed doors. Your father has done a fantastic job of separating the empire from the conglomerate. He’s thorough with his work and makes sure nothing can be traced back to the empire. To the public, Nexa-Corp has made great accomplishments within Korea and has been a global leader bringing innovation for a happier future. No one would expect that your family owns and runs its own mafia.

Because you’re the only daughter of such a prominent figure in Korean society, as well as Jaeyun who’s the youngest son of the CEO of Veridian Global, you’re sure the news of your engagement will continue to circulate for months and you have no doubt that the wedding itself will be broadcasted for all of Korea to see.

Tonight is your engagement party. You didn’t want one but it wasn’t up to you. Both your parents and Jaeyun’s claim it’s important your relationship seem as real as can be and that you show the public you’re a united front.

“____? Are you dressed?”

You pull your gaze away from the mirror to the door just as your mother walks in. She gasps and closes the door behind her. “Oh sweetheart, you look stunning!”

Your hair is slicked back and your makeup was done by a makeup artist. She went for a bold look to match your dress, your lips are painted a bright red and you have a smokey eyeshadow look. You’re dressed in a burgundy lace sweetheart ball gown that has a v-shaped bust. The dress glimmers and fits your waist tightly. The bodice is hand-beaded and also forms a sequined layer beneath the airy tulle ball gown skirt. You feel like an absolute princess, while it wasn’t the dress you had in mind you still feel beautiful.

“I’ve gotten so used to seeing you wearing green but red is a nice fit for you.” Your mother says.

You smooth out the lace of your dress and shrug, “green will always be my color.” To a normal person, it may seem as if you’re simply discussing colors with your mother but there’s a double meaning. Emerald green is the Jung Empire’s color and Burgundy is the Lee Empire’s color. While you may be marrying a Lee and will now have to rep the color red, you will forever be a Jung at heart.

Your mother gingerly smiles at you and reaches a hand out to grasp yours. “I know this isn’t what you wanted but I hope you can find the happiness you’ve always wanted with Jaeyun. He seems like a lovely boy.”

You inhale deeply and shake your head. You give your mother a small smile and pull your hands out of her grasp. “Happiness is an illusion.” You don’t give her time to refute your claim and step aside. “I believe we have guests to attend to?”

┕━━━━━━━✿━━━━━━━┙

The Ballroom is 7,600 square feet with a dramatic ceiling. It’s beautifully appointed with crystal chandeliers and decked out in silver and burgundy decor. The hall is filled with cocktail tables and waiters who are stationed around the room waiting to be called upon. You’ve made your rounds and you’re now settled in the back of the hall nursing a glass of champagne while Jaeyun is currently having a conversation with his buddies who you briefly met.

“Jung ____?”

You try to reel in your annoyance at being called upon yet again. You down your champagne in one go and place it on the tray of a waiter who skims past you before whirling around to come face to face with a man dressed in an all black suit. You try and wrack your mind to see if you can recognize him, but you come up empty handed.

“I’m sorry, have we met before?” You ask.

He shakes his head and reaches into the inside of his suit pocket to pull out a wallet, he opens it up and allows you to see the contents. He’s from the FBI. You feel your heart rate pick up but you manage to keep a poker face.

You stare into the detective's eyes, determined not to look away first. You contort your lips into a toothy saccharine smile relaxing your face. You had mastered your fake smile, right down to the wrinkles around your eyes at the young age of six. It’s key to have complete control over your facial features in your line of work. One wrong look and you could end up dead or in prison. “May I help you?”

He folds up his wallet and places it back into his pocket. “Congratulations on your engagement, Ms. Jung. While I hate to put a damper on the mood, I have a few questions regarding the ongoing case we have against your fiancé.”

You clutch your dress as the sentence leaves the male's mouth. The FBI has an ongoing case against the Lee’s? You wonder why it wasn’t mentioned to your family during the arrangement of your engagement.

You want to know the details of the charges but you know you can’t entertain this conversation. If any of your father's associates or allies of the Lee’s see you it could be disastrous. “Korean Civil Code, Article 826, The duties of Husband and Wife⏤ the confidential marital communications privilege allows a spouse to refuse to testify about, or produce documents evidencing, any confidential communication made during a marriage and allows the other spouse to prevent that testimony or document production. I have nothing to say to you, detective.”

He scoffs and picks up a champagne glass from the tray of a waiter who walks past you. “In case you’ve forgotten, you haven’t married him yet Ms. Jung. Don’t make me subpoena you.”

You cross your arms against your chest and nod, “am I a suspect, detective?” He shakes his head, “a person of interest then?”

“Not at the moment but if you continue on I will charge you with obstruction of justice.”

You scoff, “you can’t charge me for a crime I didn’t commit.”

“Don’t make this difficult. When we convict your fiancé we can have you arrested as well for aiding and abetting. You wouldn’t want to go to prison for your fiancé’s mistakes would you?”

You cluck your tongue, “article 200, South Korean Constitution⏤ I have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. I am now invoking that right.”

“You seem to be well versed with the law, I guess it’s good to know your rights if you’re running a syndicate.”

You roll your eyes, “if you have any further questions or concerns feel free to contact my lawyer.”

He chuckles, “why lawyer up if you have nothing to hide?”

You pluck the champagne glass from his hand and point it in the direction of the exit. “Please see yourself out before I have security escort you out.”

He smirks at you. “The next time we meet I’ll have a warrant for your arrest.”

You smile and raise the glass up to your lips before knocking it back and chugging down the champagne. “It was nice meeting you, detective.” You place the glass down on a cocktail table before you turn to walk away and find Jaeyun.

You spot him easily, he’s still conversing with Park Jonseong, his long time best friend. You slide up to Jaeyun and lean into his ear. “Behind me, near the back of the hall is a man in an all black suit. He’s with the FBI.”

You pull back but Jaeyun places a hand on your waist and pulls you closer into his side. People near you coo at the affection but the two of you pay no attention to them. Jaeyun picks up a flute glass and raises it in the direction of the detective, a smug look on his face. The male scowls and shakes his head before making a b-line for the exit.

Your heart has been pounding all morning.

The four months came way too soon for your liking. Following the engagement party, you chose to submerge yourself in your school work and spend as much time as possible with Anton and Haru. You absolutely refused to have a say in the wedding itself, it wasn’t something you wanted and would always send you into a panicked state just thinking about it.

A week after announcing your engagement, you went wedding dress shopping with both your mother and Jaeyun’s. Your dress was the one thing you absolutely refused to compromise on. A month before your graduation a date plus venue was picked and invitations were sent out.

An hour has passed since lunch and you feel as if you’re going to vomit all the contents of your stomach. Preparations for the wedding have already started and you’re currently getting your hair and makeup done while Haru runs around making sure your other bridesmaids are dressed and ready to go.

Your bridal court is made up of the daughters of other powerful mafia heads to show that you’re a united front. You’ve never spoken a word to the six females and yet they’re the ones who’ll be standing by you on one of the biggest days of your life. Haru was made your maid of honor due to the relationship you two have and her father being Kim Dongwook, a good associate of your father.

“I’m done with your makeup dear, let’s get you in that dress.”

You nod and stand on shaky legs. You usually pride yourself on always being confident but you seem to be lacking it today. Haru ushers the other girls into the hallway so you can get dressed in peace. You slip off your robe and slide into your hand sewn custom made fit and flare gown. You shimmy into the form fitting dress taking care to not force it on and rip it.

The skirt of your dress has geometrical lace to match the bodice. When designing your dress, you wanted something simple yet dramatic and sophisticated⏤you wanted it to represent you. The train just might be your favorite part of the dress, it’s a cathedral length train that flows behind you. Your makeup artist holds back your hair while you slip your hands into the quarter length sleeves and Haru buttons you into the dress.

Once Haru fixes the last button, your makeup artist lets your hair down and steps away. You move to stand in front of the floor length mirror and examine yourself. You’re absolutely stunning. You wish you were marrying a man you actually loved so you could feel the joy every bride describes when talking about their wedding day.

Haru brings over your veil and attempts to secure it in your hair with various pins. Once it’s situated she steps aside and lets you see the final product. You twiddle your fingers as you daze off thinking back to simpler times. A knock pulls you out of your trance however. “Come in.” You say

The door opens and in waltzes your mother and your soon to be mother-in-law. They coo at your dress and make a fuss about how Jaeyun’s going to love it but you don’t have it in you to pretend to be happy. You’re too tired and having to act as if you’re okay with what’s about to happen is too draining.

Before you know it, you’re being transported to the La Luce Myeong-dong Wedding Hall in an all white Rolls Royce with your father and Haru. Everything goes by in a blurr, your mind doesn’t even register pulling up. Just as you had predicted, your wedding is being broadcasted for all of Korea to see. There are multiple cameramen stationed outside the hall live streaming your entrance and some are taking pictures. Along with paparazzi, there's a crowd of spectators surrounding the building being held off by the police.

Your father steps out first before turning to offer you his hand. You take it and allow him to help you out of the car. Haru quickly comes to your aid to fix your train before swiftly entering the building to start the procession. Your bridesmaids follow behind Haru and gracefully walk up the steps and into the main hall where your guest and groom await.

Your father fixes your veil and allows you to hook your arm with his. You tightly grip onto your bouquet and count down the seconds. The spectators who’ve gathered for your wedding begin cheering as the doors to the hall open and the sound of canon in d arranged by the Stuttgart Orchestra wafts down into the streets of Seoul.

Your guest turn their attention to the door as you walk in and down the aisle on your father's arm. You force a smile on your face and try to play your role of the blushing bride. The aisle is lined with a white carpet and babies breath flowers fill the empty spaces on the ground with candles. Jaeyun is stood at the front of the altar with his groomsmen right behind him.

You look into his eyes and for the first time since you’ve met him you can see the fear that’s clearly in his eyes. Just like you, Jaeyun has been good at concealing his true emotions but you guess he doesn’t have it in him to pretend today either.

Walking down the aisle with your father is just as terrifying as you thought it would be. All eyes are on you, not only are you being scrutinized by the two hundred guests in the hall but you’re also being watched by the thousands tuning in live.

The remaining steps to get to the altar seem to take an eternity. When your father finally hands you over to Jaeyun and takes his seat at the table reserved for your family, Haru steps up to take your bouquet so you can give Jaeyun your hands. A cold terror washes over your body as you stare into your groom's eyes.

Before, you thought Jaeyun was put together, the more mature one out of the two of you but you now realize he’s just one hell of an actor. He’s not put together nor is he mature. He’s a small boy playing dress up. Your hands tremble under his own and despite your fear, you don’t look away, you continue to stare into his panic filled eyes and try to find comfort in the fact that you’re not in this alone. He shares your fear.

You hear words being spoken to you, the voice echoes through your eardrums but you refuse to focus your attention on anyone else. You don’t register anything in your mind beside Jaeyun’s “I do” and the feeling of him slipping your wedding band onto your ring finger. You exhale at the weight that now sits on your hand. This ring will forever bind you to Sim Jaeyun.

You hear the priest say a few words before turning to you to ask, “do you Jung ____ take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Sucking in a shaky breath you whisper the two words that seal your fate. “I do.” Your hand trembles as you reach out for Jaeyun’s ring from your ring bearer. Your throat constricts making it hard to breathe. You slide the silver band onto his fourth finger, it’s a simple band yet still eye catching.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”

A round of applause fills the hall but it falls upon deaf ears as Jaeyun lifts your veil and slowly leans in, bringing one hand up to gently caress the apple of your cheek. You feel your chest rise in panic as he comes closer to your face. His eyes sliding shut is the last thing you see before your own flutter close.

Jaeyun’s lips are soft and warm. The kiss is gentle, no malice behind it but it’s lacking in emotion and passion. All the panic that has built up within you then bursts and tears begin to roll down your cheeks. As much as you tried to hold it in, the pain came out. The beads of water start falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping. To anyone watching, it may seem like you’re crying tears of joy but in reality you’re nowhere near being happy or content with the direction your life is going.

Your life has just ended.

taglist: @dreamiestay

hi my lovies! the next chapter of world of sinners will be posted later on in the day instead of 12pm est because i am currently working as a camp counselor so i’ll be at work and busy taking care of my campers until 9pm est! i’ll try and post before the end of the day but if not it’ll be posted saturday morning once i’m off my shift !

had a job interview and forgot to que the next chapter 😭 i promise to do better ohmydays