Stigma Love's Algorithm [ A BTS x Reader Poly ]

Chapter 93: The Stand & the Shadow ⚠️

"Interesting. Because our records show you had multiple independent bank accounts. You could've left. You could've helped."

Mrs. Choi's face paled.

"You weren't afraid. You were complicit."

Tae stopped breathing.

Her lips trembled.

"When your husband locked Taehyung in the basement-how many days did you let him starve?"

She shook her head. "I-"

"How many?" Jin oppa asked again, firmer this time.

"Five," she whispered.

The words hit like a punch.

The gallery recoiled. Yoongi swore under his breath. Joon's hand on Tae's back stilled-but I could feel the rage simmering beneath it.

Tae's grip on me grew painful, but I didn't flinch. I held him. I needed to hold him.

He was still breathing.
Still here.
Still fighting.

"Do you regret what you did?"

Jin oppa asked softly.

Her voice cracked. "Yes."

Oppa's smile was cold.

"Good. Because after today, you'll have the rest of your life to sit with that."

She stepped down slowly, and not once did she look at her husband.

And he didn't look at her.
Because she had just destroyed him.

When Jin oppa returned to us, he didn't go straight to his seat.

He paused behind Taehyung, rested a hand on his shoulder, and leaned down-not for the court, but just for him.

"You did it," he whispered.

"We did it. You're almost free."

Tae nodded slowly, eyes still shining with unshed tears. And for the first time, I saw something shift.

The pain was still there. The fear. But beneath it-something stronger.

Determination.

Jin oppa sat beside me, his hand finding mine beneath the table.

Namjoon brushed Tae's hair back gently, tucking it behind his ear like it was second nature.

Yoongi finally unclenched his fists and exhaled through his nose.

He reached out and squeezed Taehyung's arm once-brief, but grounding.

Tae looked at each of us.
And then he looked forward.

He didn't speak.
He didn't need to.
Because I saw it in his eyes.

He has finally let go of his fear.

His fear of her.

________________________________

Words carried weight.
Stories held power.

But now?
Now it was time for proof.

Taehyung, the witnesses even Mrs. Choi's voice had told the truth-but the paper trail, the bruises, the numbers-they screamed it.

Tangible, inarguable. Years of stolen freedom inked into cold, hard facts.

And this? This was the moment Mr. Choi would lose everything he thought he owned-including the illusion of power.