A FORCED ARRANGED MARRIAGE || KTH ✔︎

Chapter 24

Standing right beside me he said, "Let's get you to party-ready first", he said and started walking ahead of me, leaving me behind with a completely dumb expression on my face.

I had no other option left than to follow him behind. Only he knew what he was up to.

- #skiptime: an hour later: at the boutique :

"Uff, this dress is too tight", I took a deep sigh before fixing my dress and walking out of the dressing room. The moment I walked out the first person my eyes got stuck on was taehyung. He was comfortably sitting on a white leather couch with his legs crossed.

All the employees along with the boutique manager were standing on both sides of the couch. "Miss looks pretty in that outfit it looks as if that outfit was made for her", the manager complimented me as I looked back at taehyung who was busy scanning me upside down.

"Next", after a moment of silence, he just says that and the manager quickly signals two of his lady employees, and they both surge towards me and drag me back again towards the dressing room.

"Too short"

"Too long"

"It's way too revealing"

"Color is odd"

"no"

"Next"

"mhm, next"

ARGHHHHH!!! Okay, I love him but....I can't do this anymore. Why can't he just say yes to any of these dresses? Anyways, I took a deep sigh until, "Miss, try this on. Mr. Kim selected this outfit for you himself", one of the employees placed the dress beside me and walked away.

"This outfit...", I picked up the white split-line satin gown placed beside me and stared at it for a while. Tears started forming in my eyes.

This gown is similar to....the one he chose for me before. I don't know what hurts me more staying away from him or even after being this close to him, knowing that I'm nothing more than just an employee for him.

"Miss, are you done?", a voice from outside caught my attention. I quickly wiped the tears off my face and replied, "Just a few more minutes". I lost track of time and hastily started changing into the outfit.

- a few minutes later -

My high heels cackled across the marble floor as I walked out of the dressing room. The whole room went silent as I stood in front of taehyung.

Everyone had their eyes stuck on me like glue. Don't tell me I am looking that weird. I was praying to God in my mind, I had no energy left to change into something again.

I averted my gaze toward Taehyung hoping for a reaction from him. But he was in utter silence, he had his eyes on me but looking at him it felt as if I am looking at a statue.

He didn't even blink once. Now, this was not making me feel any better but stressed what's wrong? Do I look that worse in this outfit? I looked down at my fit.

"Mrs. Kim looks so unbelievably beautiful in that outfit", one of the employees blurted out loud. I quickly looked up to see where that voice came from.

"Mrs.Kim?", I was more surprised to hear someone addressing me as Mrs. Kim. I turned my gaze toward Taehyung to check if he was bothered by what he just heard.

But to my surprise, he didn't seem bothered by that at all. He got up from his seat and started taking steps in my direction. He stood a few inches away from me and whispered in a low tone, "not bad", and with just that he turned around to take his leave.

The past is repeating itself...same words, same outfit, and the same him...but just a different situation....a bittersweet smile formed on my lips as I lowered my head.

- [Taehyung's pov] :

What is this feeling that I get every time I look at this woman? She is driving me crazy...her eyes tell a lot even when her lips are tightly closed. There's something between us that I can't figure out but that keeps on attracting me towards her.

Strange kind of connection...that I can feel but can't understand why and how? "Mr. Kim, are you happy with our service?"A male voice caught my attention as I turned my head slightly to the side and noticed Manager Lee walking in my direction.

"That female employee who called her Mrs. Kim. I am sorry on her behalf she had no idea that Ms. Park is your Secretary and not your wife. Don't worry we will fire her-"

"Give her a promotion", I cut him off.

"W-What?"

"Did I speak a different language which is hard to understand?", I raised an eyebrow at him. He shook his head vigorously in a no, "I understand".

"mhm", and with that, I took my leave from there.

- at party venue : [y/n's pov] :

My eyes started wandering around as I walked into the party with Taehyung by my side. As soon as we entered almost all the eyes were now on us.

"It's my dad's birthday party. Just stay by my side and enjoy the party", Taehyung said while looking ahead.

"That means....", I mumbled to myself until, "Son", a familiar voice rang out making me go stiff.

I slowly looked up just to find Mr. Kim (Taehyung's father) moving toward us with a bright smile playing on his face. My heart thumped beneath my chest.

"You-", Mr. Kim's eyes widened a little as I caught his attention.

"She is my new Secretary", Taehyung interrupted him, making both of us look at each other for a while.

"Secretary, I see", Mr. Kim repeated as he looked at me with a straight face.

"Can I have a small talk with you, Miss?" "What if I say no to that?", Taehyung got in between us.

"Well, I asked this young Miss over here", Mr. Kim was fast to make taehyung go silent.

I could already sense the tension building up between them. Even earlier, Taehyung's relationship with his father was not that good. They were never on good terms with each other and I guess even now it's still the same.

"Sure", I responded, making both of them turn their eyes toward me. This is barely my 3rd time meeting Mr. Kim, Face-to-face.

The first was at my and Taehyung's wedding, the 2nd was when I attended his birthday party 5 years ago and today, the third time. After that incident 5 years ago, the Kim family declared to cut off all ties with the parks and refused to see me or any of my family members.

- A few minutes later :

"What kind of new trick are you and your family trying to play?", Mr. Kim asked, as I looked away from him. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?", I asked as he raised an eyebrow at me.

"After making me stay away from my husband for almost 5 years. Hiding the truth from me that he is still alive and even after that you are going to ask me what I am planning on?", a sarcastic chuckle escaped my lips.

"Are you in the place to say that?" he questioned back, making my smile fade away.

"Your father almost killed my son and you still dare to talk to me with that arrogance?"

"Uncle Kim, she won't understand", a voice from behind grabbed my attention.