Y/n pov
Two days later...
The car pulled into the driveway of his parents' villa. I anxiously looked to my left and found him sitting with a calm look on his face, but I knew better. He was as anxious as I was. The only difference was that he could mask it while I couldn't.
"Ready?" he asked.
I let go of a shaky breath and nodded, tried to pull up a smile but was failing miserably. I was dreading the moment I agreed to come along. Family dinners at his parents' place had been a nightmare so far. His father hated my guts and had never shied away from showing his disapproval openly. That man didn't even care if he had an audience before passing snide remarks or giving me dirty looks.
"Y/n," my husband's husky voice called out to me, and he had my attention almost immediately.
Tae-hyung unlocked the seat belt, leaned forward, and cupped my face in his palm before he bent his head and pressed his lips against mine. I closed my eyes and gave into my yearning as I found myself kissing him back.
"Everything will be all right," he whispered against my lip. "Trust me."
"I do. That's why I'm here today," I whispered, pulling him in for one last kiss before we got out of the car and made our way inside the mansion. We were greeted by his mother and an over-enthusiastic Ji-woo.
"Thank God! You guys are on time. Ho-seok and his parents will be here any moment." Ji-woo clapped her hands together and sighed almost dreamingly. There was a cheerful smile on her beautiful face that lit her up and was infectious.
Ji-woo and Mrs. Kim led us to the living area where Kim Shin-jae was seated with an elegant woman across from him. She looked the same age as Tae-hyung and was beautiful, sophistically beautiful.
The woman saw us and rose to her feet. Her eyes lit up as she walked over to Tae-hyung to greet him. I saw green, though I had no reason to. But the admiration that shone brightly in the other woman's eyes was hard to miss.
"That's Lisa, Dad's best friend's daughter," Ji-woo told me, sensing my questioning gaze.
"But why is she looking at my husband like he's the last slice of chocolate cake on the planet earth?"
Ji-woo giggled. "She was supposed to marry him before my brother decided to sweep you off your feet. Lisa still has a not-so-tiny mini-crush on him."
My eyes went wide in shock. I stared at Ji-woo before stealing a glance at the woman who was now conversing with my husband. "What?"
"Don't be so dramatic. It was just Dad's wishful thinking to see them both married. Tae-hyung didn't agree, of course."
I was about to say something, but my husband interrupted. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to his side.
"Lisa, meet my beautiful wife, Y/n. And Y/n, this is Lisa, a family friend," Tae-hyung introduced.
"Hello, Lisa. It's nice to meet you." I smiled politely at her.
"I can say the same." Lisa returned the smile which eased some of my uneasiness. That woman was gorgeous. No wonder Tae-hyung's father hated me. I was nothing like Lisa. It was hard to believe Tae-hyung rejected her. Was it because she was his father's choice? Would he have married her if she weren't?
Stop it! I chide myself for assuming things, but I couldn't help but wonder. I looked at Lisa, then at Tae-hyung, who was now busy talking to his mother.
Then there was his father who was glaring at me with that stony, cold look in his eyes that said 'you don't belong here.' I know that, old man.
I wasn't the only one who noticed the looks he was shooting my way-my husband did as well. "Ignore him, wife. It's just a matter of a couple of hours."
Sighing, I walked over and took a seat beside my husband on the couch, knowing it was going to be a long night.
The dinner was a peaceful affair for which I was thankful. Though Kim Shin-jae was displeased with my presence, he refrained from voicing it out in front of Ho-seok and his parents. Thank God for small miracles.
"I'll be back," I told Tae-hyung as I made my way toward the guest room to use the bathroom.
On my way, I spotted Lisa talking to Mr. Kim , but I chose to ignore them both.
"Y/n," Mr. Kim called out to me.
Damn! When had things gone according to plan for me?
"I want to talk to you about something important. It's about Tae-hyung. Come with me," he commanded before walking away from there, expecting me to follow him. I rolled my eyes at his high-headedness. The only fact that he was my father-in-law stopped me from putting him in his place.
Letting out a sigh, I followed him to his study on the same floor. I wouldn't have if it weren't about Tae-hyung. Something about his tone made me curious.
"What it is, Mr. Kim ?" I asked as we got inside the room.
"Did my son tell you what's happening in his professional life?" Mr. Kim asked with a cruel smirk.
My insides clenched in despair, not liking where his conversation would head.
"He didn't tell me, but I have an idea." From what I knew, Tae-hyung was facing problems with his new project.
"Expected. He always had a problem opening up to people he doesn't consider his own," he said mockingly, satisfied that he could throw that in my face to hurt me. And I hated that he was successful to some extent. Tae-hyung's aloofness at times hurt deeper than I expected. Maybe because now he held more control over my emotions. Not that I'd ever let him know, but still, that didn't change the fact that I'd fallen for him. It wasn't hard not to.
"Since you're unaware of things, let me elaborate. He's facing losses because of his stubbornness," Tae-hyung's father sneered.
My heart skipped a beat. "What?"
"I could have helped, but he refused to listen to me. All because of you." He pointed at me with those accusing eyes.
I flinched away at the raw disgust in his eyes. "Because of me? What have I done?"
What was with people holding me responsible for things I wasn't even aware of? First, it was Jungkook, now him.
"He refused to get rid of the trash he brought home in the form of you. Had he listened to me and married Lisa, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't be facing so many problems professionally," Kim Shin-jae bellowed, venting out the anger he'd bottled up inside of him.
I was too numb to react. His father refused to help him in time of need because of me. Why? Was his hate for me greater than the love for his own child?
I cowered back when Mr. Kim charged toward me. The man was intimidating and more so when seething with rage, rage that was directed at me, and I knew he wouldn't hesitate to hurt me. He was capable. It was visible in his eyes that were so similar to my husband's, but they didn't hold any warmth unlike my husband's. They were cold, filled with rage and disgust for me.
"I want you to leave him and go back to the place trash like you belong. You don't belong here, not as his wife, nor as the daughter-in-law of this house."
"I'm not leaving." I wouldn't unless it was Tae-hyung himself telling me to leave. And definitely, I wasn't going to allow Mr. Kim to bully me like that.
"What?" He raised an eyebrow. His facial expression darkening as he leaned forward. "What did you say?"
I swallowed. My nerves were picking up, and all I wanted to do was get away from him. "I said... I'm not leaving."
A humorless chuckle fell off his lips. "Getting settled in, are we?" I ignored his mocking tone and took a step back from him. "Low-life gold-diggers like you can never understand when asked nicely. Quote your price."
"Don't, Mr. Kim . I'll forget you're anyway related to Tae-hyung," I snapped. I looked at him in revulsion. The man and his thoughts sickened me to the core.
"I don't know what kind of magic you have over my son. That boy never had the sense to choose the right partner for himself. Before you, it was that brat, Jungkook, and now it's trash like you." Mr. Kim snarled.
"Jungkook?" I whispered to myself, confused.
Mr. Kim smiled cruelly. "So, he didn't tell you about that brat as well? What kind of wife are you when your husband doesn't even share anything about his life with you?"
I bit my lower lip, and my heart broke a little. I hated that I didn't have any reply to his comment.
"Never mind. I have something to show you," he continued when I didn't say anything. He walked over to his desk and took out an envelope from the drawer. He pulled some photographs from the envelope and held them out in front of my face.
My curious gaze zeroed in over the photographs, and a small gasp of shock left my lips. They were very intimate photographs of my husband with his best friend.
"Tae-hyung left home for Jungkook. He went against his father for this boy."
"What are these photographs doing with you?" I asked, keeping my shock aside. Those were very personal and shouldn't be with him or anyone else except for the two people involved. But by then, I knew Kim Shin-jae was a cunning man who would go to any extent to achieve something he wanted. I wouldn't be surprised if he had those photographs to accomplish his crooked plans.
"That's not your business. What matters is that you aren't as important as you think you are. You think he married you because he loves you? No. He married you to spite me. He married you so that he didn't have to marry the girl of my choice... Lisa, you met her earlier. She will be the older daughter-in-law of my family, I'll make sure of that."
"Best of luck then," I murmured. I turned around, opened the door, and moved out of the room in a daze.
Everything that happened inside was too overwhelming, too confusing, from the revelation of the problems Tae-hyung was facing in his business to his father's refusal to help, and lastly, Tae-hyung's past relationship with Jungkook. Was Mr. Kim even speaking the truth? I didn't think so. And I knew Tae-hyung was facing problems with his business, and the photographs looked real as well. But photographs were the least of my concern. I didn't care about his sexuality or the past he shared with someone.
I snapped out of my trance when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to find him standing there. "Y/n, what took you so long? You okay?"
I blinked, staring at him with hazy eyes. The man who stood before me was guarding so many secrets in his heart, making me feel lost. Suddenly, I felt I didn't know him at all.
But did I really know him to begin with?
"Y/n, why are you lost? I asked you something." Once again, Tae-hyung's voice pulled me out of the state of daze.
"Sorry, I zoned out." I smiled softly.
"You look tensed. Has someone said anything to you? Did Dad-"
"No, I'm fine. I just had too much wine. My head is throbbing," I lied, not wanting to tell him anything about my conversation with his father. I would but not just yet.
A look of concern crossed his features. "We're leaving for home."
I nodded my head in agreement, thinking it'd be better to go home and get some peace. Tae-hyung responded with a smile as he slid his hand in mine and led me to the living area where the family members sat. We said our goodbyes and left for home.
Though I tried hard, I couldn't help but think about what Mr. Kim told me throughout the night which kept me restless. Tae-hyung noticed it but didn't say anything for which I was feeling grateful as well as guilty.
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The photographs...(Don't forget to vote)
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