Chapter 15: Tensions Rising

The week that followed was a whirlwind of emotions for YN. The looming prospect of meeting her potential husband cast a shadow over everything, making it hard for her to focus on her work, her thoughts constantly drifting back to the impending confrontation with her father. Seokjin did his best to be there for her, but she could see the tension in his eyes, the way his shoulders seemed perpetually tight with stress.

They had shared something so intimate, so profound, and yet here they were, forced to hide it from the world, from those who would not understand. The secrecy was beginning to weigh on YN, and she could tell it was affecting Seokjin as well. Their moments together had become stolen glances, fleeting touches, each one charged with a mix of passion and fear.

One afternoon, as YN sat in her office trying to focus on the pile of paperwork in front of her, Seokjin knocked on the door and entered with a folder in hand. His usual bright smile was missing, replaced with a serious expression that made YN’s heart sink. She knew something was wrong.

“YN,” Seokjin began, his voice carefully measured, “we need to talk.”

She looked up at him, trying to mask the anxiety bubbling up inside her. “What’s going on?”

Seokjin hesitated, his eyes darting to the door before he closed it quietly, ensuring their privacy. “It’s about the meeting with your potential husband,” he said, his tone low, as if speaking the words out loud would make them more real.

YN felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “What about it?”

“Your father… he’s not just arranged the meeting,” Seokjin explained, his jaw clenched. “He’s already made up his mind. He wants you to marry this man, and he’s being very insistent about it.”

The room seemed to tilt slightly, and YN had to grip the edge of her desk to steady herself. “But… I haven’t even met him yet. How can he decide something like that without my input?”

Seokjin’s face softened as he came closer, his hand resting on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort. “I know, YN. It’s not fair. But your father is convinced that this is the best thing for you, for your future.”

“Best for me?” YN scoffed, anger flaring in her chest. “He’s not thinking about what’s best for me. He’s thinking about what’s best for him, for his image, his legacy.”

Seokjin knelt beside her chair, his eyes full of concern. “YN, listen to me. You don’t have to do this. We’ll figure something out. You don’t have to marry this man if you don’t want to.”

YN looked down at Seokjin, her heart aching at the sight of him. He was offering her a way out, a chance to be with him instead, but she knew it wasn’t that simple. The pressure from her father was immense, and she didn’t want to disappoint him, despite their differences. But how could she give up what she had with Seokjin? How could she turn her back on the man who had become her everything?

“I don’t want to marry him, Seokjin,” YN whispered, her voice trembling. “But I don’t know how to tell my father that. He won’t listen to me.”

Seokjin’s grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, his eyes hardening with resolve. “Then we’ll make him listen. Together.”

Before YN could respond, there was another knock on the door, this one more insistent. Seokjin quickly stood up, returning to his professional demeanour as Han Beom Seok entered the office.

“Ms. YN,” Beom Seok began, his tone formal, “your father has requested your presence at the family estate this evening. It’s about the upcoming meeting.”

YN’s heart sank further. She knew this was it her father was going to lay down the law, and she would be forced to confront him, one way or another.

“Thank you, Beom Seok,” YN said, her voice as calm as she could manage. “Please inform my father that I’ll be there.”Beom Seok nodded and left the room, leaving YN and Seokjin alone once more. The moment the door closed, Seokjin turned back to her, his expression a mixture of worry and determination.

“YN, you don’t have to go through this alone,” Seokjin said softly. “I’ll be there for you, every step of the way.”

YN looked into his eyes, her own filled with unshed tears. “I know, Seokjin. I just… I’m scared.”

“Hey,” Seokjin whispered, cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away a tear that had slipped free. “You’re the strongest person I know. We’ll get through this, okay? Together.”

YN nodded, leaning into his touch, drawing strength from the warmth of his hands, the steadiness of his gaze. But as she prepared herself for the confrontation with her father, a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her that not everything could be solved with love alone.

As evening approached, YN found herself standing in front of the family estate, the imposing building seeming even more daunting than usual. Seokjin was by her side, his presence a comforting balm to her frayed nerves. She knew the night ahead would be difficult, but with Seokjin at her side, she felt a flicker of hope.

Together, they stepped into the lion’s den, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that their bond, however complicated, was worth fighting for.

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