The golden glow of the chandeliers had long faded in my memory, but the echo of that night still clung to me like a shadow. The night my sister vanished. The night I was forced into a marriage I never wanted.
Whispers of guests, the sting of my mother's trembling grip, the hard pull of Ji-hoon's hand on mine it all swirled inside me as if the ballroom had turned into a nightmare stage. I remembered his words, carved deep into my mind like a curse:
"You're mine now, whether you like it or not."
I didn't sleep that night. How could I? The ceremony had been rushed, a mockery of love and union. No flowers, no smiles, no blessings. Just whispers, cold signatures, and a man whose eyes burned with fury and something darker obsession.
Now, hours later, I sat stiffly on the edge of a lavish bed in the bridal suite of the Imperial Hotel. The room was beautiful red roses, silk sheets, soft lighting but to me it was a cage. A golden, suffocating cage.
I clutched the edge of my gown, my heart pounding so loudly I thought it might echo through the room. My mind screamed to run, to fight, to claw my way out. But where could I go? My family's honor had been chained to Ji-hoon's will. My parents' desperate, tear-stained faces haunted me—helpless, terrified of losing everything.
The door clicked shut.
I froze.
Ji-hoon walked in, tall and broad, his tuxedo jacket gone, his shirt sleeves rolled up. His movements were precise, controlled, as if every step was calculated. He poured himself a glass of whiskey, the ice clinking sharply, before finally turning his gaze to me.
Those eyes. Cold. Piercing. Unrelenting.
He took a sip, then set the glass down with deliberate calm."You're quieter than I expected."
I swallowed hard, forcing my voice past the lump in my throat."What do you want from me?"
A faint smirk tugged at his lips."What every husband wants from his wife."
My hands tightened on my dress. "Don't—don't call me that. I'm not your wife. This—this isn't real."
His smirk vanished, replaced by a steely expression. He walked closer, each step echoing like a countdown."Not real? Ha-eun, the ink on our marriage certificate is still drying. The entire city now knows you are Mrs. Kang Ji-hoon. There is no turning back."
"I didn't agree to this," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I was forced."
His eyes softened for the briefest second—so fleeting I wondered if I imagined it—before hardening again."Your sister forced my hand when she ran away. You were simply… the replacement."
The word cut deeper than a knife. Replacement. That's all I was. A substitute bride.
Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "You should have called off the wedding. Found someone else. Anyone else. Why me?"
Ji-hoon leaned closer, his presence overwhelming. His voice was low, deadly calm."Because you were there. Because the world was watching. Because your family owes me, and I don't forgive betrayal."
His words twisted like poison in my veins. "You're punishing me for something I didn't do."
"You're part of your family, aren't you?" His jaw tightened. "Then you'll bear their consequences."
I pushed up from the bed, fury momentarily replacing fear. "I'm not a pawn in your revenge game!"
He caught my wrist before I could move away, his grip firm but not painful. His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unreadable."You think this is revenge? No, Ha-eun. This is control. And control is the only way to survive in this world."
I yanked my hand free, my chest heaving. "You can't control me. I won't let you."
He chuckled darkly, stepping back, giving me space but never loosening the invisible chains of his presence."We'll see."
Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.
Finally, I broke it, my voice trembling. "Do you even hear yourself? You ruined my life tonight. You took away my choice, my freedom. And for what? To save your pride?"
Ji-hoon's gaze flickered, something raw flashing in his eyes. For a moment, the mask of the ruthless businessman slipped, revealing a shadow of the man beneath.
"My pride was never the problem," he said quietly. "It's trust. And once it's broken, nothing else matters."
I stared at him, my confusion battling my anger. What did he mean? What had broken him so badly that he believed control was the only answer?
But before I could ask, he turned away, picking up his glass again. "Rest, Ha-eun. Tomorrow, the world will expect us to play the perfect couple."
I laughed bitterly. "Perfect couple? You mean your perfect lie."
He didn't respond.
That night, I curled up on the farthest edge of the bed, wide awake, while Ji-hoon sat by the window, a dark silhouette against the city lights, sipping his whiskey in silence.
Ji-hoon's POV
I should have been furious. I should have been broken with humiliation, with betrayal. But as I watched Ha-eun's trembling form on the bed, something twisted in my chest.
She wasn't supposed to be here.
It was supposed to be Han-mi. The deal, the alliance, the power—it was all planned. But when she ran, when she abandoned me in front of the entire city, I had two choices: let my empire crumble… or take the one thing no one expected.
Her sister.
Ha-eun.
The one who had always stood in the background. Quiet. Unnoticed. Untouched.
And yet, tonight, when her eyes met mine, filled with fear and defiance, I knew—She wasn't Han-mi's shadow. She was something else. Something more dangerous.
Because she made me feel.
And feelings were a weakness I couldn't afford.
Ha-eun's POV
Morning came too quickly. The sunlight streamed through the curtains, mocking me with its warmth. I hadn't slept. My eyes burned from crying silently into the pillow all night.
When I turned, Ji-hoon was gone. The glass of whiskey still sat by the window, half empty.
A knock at the door startled me. A maid entered, bowing politely."Good morning, Mrs. Kang. Breakfast has been prepared."
I flinched at the title. Mrs. Kang. How easily the world accepted this nightmare.
"I'm not hungry," I whispered.
"The master insisted you eat," the maid said softly, placing the tray on the table before leaving.
I stared at the food, untouched. I wanted to scream, to break every delicate porcelain plate, to shatter this facade. But instead, I sat frozen, trapped between fear and fury.
My phone buzzed. It was a message from my sister.
"I'm sorry."
Two words. That's all. No explanation. No apology worthy of the destruction she left behind.
Rage surged through me. She had run away from responsibility and left me to drown.
I typed back with trembling fingers."Sorry isn't enough. You ruined everything."
But I never pressed send. What was the point? Nothing could undo what had been done.
The door opened again. Ji-hoon entered, crisp in a tailored suit, his expression unreadable.
"Eat," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"I told you, I'm not hungry," I muttered.
His eyes narrowed. "You'll need your strength. Today, we face the press."
I looked up, horrified. "The press?"
He nodded. "They're already circling like vultures after last night's drama. We'll show them what they want to see—a perfect, loving couple. You'll smile. You'll hold my hand. And you'll convince the world this marriage was always meant to be."
My stomach churned. "You're asking me to lie."
"I'm telling you to survive."
I stood abruptly, anger burning through my fear. "Why do you get to decide everything? My life, my choices, my future—why do you think you own me?"
His eyes locked on mine, intense and unyielding. "Because now you wear my name. And I don't share what's mine."
The possessiveness in his voice sent shivers down my spine.
I hated him.I feared him.And yet, a small, terrifying part of me wondered—Was I strong enough to defy him?