Boundless

제 10 장

"Soo Young, hello," Jae greeted her with a polite smile, but the coolness in his eyes told a different story.

I folded my hands together, the sudden tension in my chest tightening. I watched as her hands fluttered across his arms, touching him in a way that made my chest tighten. My gaze flicked to Jae, waiting for his response.

"You look so handsome today," Soo Young said, her voice sweet and syrupy as she ran her fingers over his arm, almost possessively.

I forced a smile, my insides twisting as I watched her move closer to him, lingering just a little too long.

Without a word, Jae grabbed her wrists, his tone shifting. "Highly inappropriate," he muttered under his breath, but she merely smiled, unfazed, and looked at me.

"We're friends, right?" she asked, slipping out of his grip and still grinning.

Jae's face hardened slightly as he glanced at me. "Well, no. You still call me Mr. Min," he replied coolly, his voice betraying no trace of affection.

I smiled, my lips tight as I met his gaze. He was mine, and there was no mistaking that.

Soo Young, undeterred, tilted her head slightly. "Alright, Jae Eun. When are we going out for a drink? Dinner?" Her words were a clear invitation, and before I could feel anything else, I turned to Jae, excusing myself.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to the bathroom," I said, my voice steady as I leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his lips. I held it just a few seconds longer than usual, feeling a quiet satisfaction in the way his breath hitched beneath my touch. I pulled away slowly, letting the weight of my gesture hang between us before turning sharply on my heels, walking away with a bounce in my step.

Jae's POV

I stood in my father's office, the walls closing in around me, suffocating me with the weight of his disappointment. His voice, sharp and venomous, sliced through the still air like a blade.

"You have disrespected and dishonored your surname! You make me sick, do you know that? I let go of the fact that you were dating that woman, but when you blatantly ignore my wishes, and go against me, I must draw a line, Jae Eun!" My father's voice shook with fury, each word a strike against my soul.

I clenched my jaw so tightly I could hear my teeth grinding, my fists balling at my sides as my pulse thundered in my ears. The anger simmering inside me was a cauldron of bitter resentment, one I could no longer keep contained.

Without warning, he reached up and slapped me across the face, the sting of his palm reverberating through my skull. My head jerked to the side, but I didn't flinch. Instead, I glared at him, the fire in my eyes unwavering.

"Why on earth would you cancel with the Choi family? Do you know what I had to do to get their attention? Do you? You fucking bastard!" He spat, his face twisted with rage.

"Mr. Choi wanted me to date his daughter. I already have a girlfriend," I muttered, my voice low but steady.

My father slammed his fist onto the desk, the sound echoing through the room, his anger boiling over. "You should have dated her, goddammit!" he barked, his neck bulging with the force of his rage.

I squeezed my fists tighter, the bones of my hands aching with the pressure. "Business comes first! I don't give a damn about what he wanted you to do. If he wanted you to fuck his daughter, you better fuck his daughter!"

The words sliced through me, tearing away at whatever respect I'd once had for him.

"I am not your slave! I am your son!" I shouted, my voice rising with the fury I could no longer contain. "How can you be so cruel?"

Another slap—this one harder, more forceful. Blood filled my mouth, the sharp metallic taste spreading across my tongue. My nose bled freely, staining the back of my hand as I wiped it away. In a moment of unbridled rage, I spat blood at his feet.

"You are a worthless man! If I can even call you a man! I'm done with this shit!" I yelled, turning on my heel and storming out of the office, slamming the door behind me.

My father's ambition had consumed him long ago, and I was nothing but a pawn in his game. I would never let him get in the way of what I had with Athena. She was my once-in-a-lifetime, the one person who understood me completely.

When I was with her, there were no boundaries. Together, we were free. Our worlds had collided perfectly, and in her, I found a refuge I'd never thought possible. Athena and I were boundless, our love a force that nothing—no one—could break. She was my sanctuary, my home.

And I would never let anyone take that away from us.