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"ruling over everyone That's their motto."
I nodded but my confusion only grew.
"I met with Aura de'Mello yesterday." dad met with the captain, the head of the South Korea mob. A meeting between the Royal Empire and Agustasi hadn't taken place in a decade and the last time hadn't ended well. It was a disaster. And dad was the Boss. He was the head, who ruled over the Agustasi and with it the crime in the North.
"We agreed that for peace to be an option we had to become family." dad's eyes bored into me and suddenly I didn't want to hear what else he had to say. " D'Mello and I agreed that you would marry his youngest son Jeon Ian the future of the Royal Bangtan Empire."
I felt like I was falling. "Why me?"
"D'Mello and I have been talking on the phone several times in the last few weeks, and he wanted you for his son.
"There are so many girls out there, why me" I choked. I couldn't breathe. dad looked at me as if I was his most prized possession.
"There aren't many girls like you dear," Father said. "You are our door into the Royal Bangtan Empire."
"But, dad, I'm fifteen. I can't marry." my legs gave up, and I collapsed to the floor
dad made a dismissive gesture. "If I were to agree, you could. What do we care for laws?"
I gripped the armrests so tightly, my knuckles were turning white, but I didn't feel pain. Numbness was working its way through my body.
"But I told him that the wedding would have to wait until you turn eighteen. you are my daughter at the end of the day after all."
My own father would have thrown me into the arms of my future husband now. My husband. A wave of sickness crashed over me. I knew only one thing about Jeon Ian; he would become the head of the Asian mob once his father retired or died,. I didn't know how old he was. Ian couldn't be that old if his father hadn't retired yet. At least, that's what I hoped.
"dad," I whispered. "Please don't force me to marry that man."
his expression changed. "You will marry Jeon Ian. I shook hands on it with his father , You will be a good wife to Ian, and when you meet him for the Engagement celebrations, you'll act like an obedient lady."
"Engagement party?" My voice sounded hoarse
"Of course. It's a good way to establish bonds between our families, and it'll give Ian the chance to see what he's getting out of the deal. We don't want to disappoint him."
"When?" I cleared my throat but the lump remained. "When is the engagement party?"
"August. We haven't set a date yet."
That was in two months. I nodded numbly. I loved reading romance novels and whenever the couples in them married, I'd imagined how my wedding would be. I'd always imagined it would be filled with excitement and love. Empty dreams of a stupid girl.
"So I'm allowed to keep attending school?" What did it even matter if I graduated? I would never go to college, never work. All I'd be allowed to do was to warm my husband's bed. My throat tightened further and tears prickled in my eyes, but I willed them not to fall. dad hated it when we lost control.
"Yes. I told Jeon that you attend an all-girls school, which seemed to please him." Of course, it did. Couldn't risk that I got anywhere near boys.
"Is that all?"
"For now."
I walked out of the office as if in trance. I'd turned fifteen four months ago. My birthday had felt like a huge step toward my future, and I'd been excited. Silly me. My life was already over before it even began. Everything was decided for me.
***
I couldn't stop crying. Lia stroked my hair as my head lay in her lap. She was thirteen, only eighteen months younger than me, but today those eighteen months meant the difference between freedom and a life in a loveless prison. I tried very hard not to resent her for it. It wasn't her fault.
"You could try to talk to dad again. Maybe he'll change his mind," she said in a soft voice.
"He won't."
"Maybe Mom will be able to convince him."
"Nothing anyone could say or do will make a difference," I said miserably. I hadn't seen Mom since she'd sent me into Father's office. She probably couldn't face me, knowing what she'd condemned me to.
"But Ruh—"
I lifted my head and wiped the tears from my face. she stared at me with pitiful eyes, "He shook hands on it with Ian's father."
"They met?"
That's what I'd wondered as well. Why had he found time to meet with the head of the Asian Empire but not to tell me about his plans to sell me off like a whore? I shook off the frustration and despair trying to claw their way out of my body.
"That's what Father told me."
"There has to be something we can do," Lia said.
"There isn't."
"But you haven't even met the guy. You don't even know how he looks! He could be ugly, fat, and old."
Ugly, fat, and old. I wished that were the only features of him I had to worry about. "Let's google him. There have to be photos of him on the internet."
Lia jumped up and took my laptop from my desk, then she sat down beside me, our sides pressed against each other.
We found several photos and articles about him. He had the coldest Brown eyes I'd ever seen. I could imagine only too well how those eyes looked down at his victims before he put a bullet in their heads.
"He's tall,"she said in amazement. he was muscle. That was the nickname the articles used and they called him the heir of a businessman and club owner Aura de'Mello Businessman. Maybe on the outside. Everybody knew what Royal Bangtan Empire really was, but of course, nobody was stupid enough to write about it.
"He's with a new girl in every photo."
I stared down at his emotionless face. The newspaper called him the most Handsome bachelor in the whole Asia
, heir to hundreds of millions of dollars.
She huffed. "God, girls are throwing themselves at him. I suppose he's good-looking."
"They can have him," I said bitterly. In our world, handsome men no I want a good heart. The society girls saw his good looks and wealth. They thought the bad boy aura was fun. They fawned over his predator-like charisma because it radiated power. But what they didn't know was that blood and death lurked beneath that arrogant smile.
I stood abruptly. "I need to talk to Chan."
Chan was almost fifty and my dad's loyal soldier. He was also Lia's and my bodyguard. He knew everything about everyone. But if anyone knew more about Ian, it was Chan.
"He became a Killer at the time his mom died" Chan said.
"At eleven?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even. Most people didn't become fully initiated members of the Mafia until they were eighteen. "Because of his father?"
Chan grinned, revealing a gold incisor, and paused in his movements. "You think he got it easy because he's the Boss's son? He killed his first man at eleven, that's why it was decided to initiate him early."
Eunji gasped. "He's a monster."
he shrugged. "He's what he needs to be. Ruling over the whole of Asia isn't easy ." He gave an apologetic smile.
"What happened?" I wasn't sure I really wanted to know. If Ian had killed his first man at ten, then how many more had he killed in the nine years since?
"Can't say. I'm not that familiar with South Korea."
Chan scanned my face. "He's a good catch. He'll be the most powerful man in the whole world soon enough. He'll protect you."
"And who will protect me from him?" I hissed.
he didn't say anything because the answer was clear: nobody could protect me from him after our wedding. Women in our world belonged to their husbands only. They were his property to deal with however he pleased.
The last couple of months had gone by too fast no matter how much I wanted time to slow, to give me more time to prepare. Only two days until my engagement party. Mom was busy ordering the servants around, making sure the house was spotless and nothing went wrong. It wasn't even a big celebration. Only our family,Ian's family, were invited. Chan said it was for safety reasons.
I wished they'd cancel it altogether. For all I cared, I didn't have to meet him until the day of our wedding. Ryan jumped up and down on my bed, a pout on his face. He was only five and had entirely too much energy. "I want to play!"
"Mother doesn't want you to destroy everything in the house. Everything needs to be perfect for the guests."
"But they aren't even here!" Thank God. Ian and the rest of the guests would arrive tomorrow. Only one more night until I'd be meeting my captive. I closed my eyes.
"Are you crying again?" He hopped off the bed and walked up to me, slipping his hand into mine. His dark black hair was a mess. I tried to smooth it down but he jerked his head away.
"What do you mean?" I'd tried to hide my tears from him. Mostly I cried at night when I was protected by darkness.
"Bri says you cry all the time because Ian has bought you."
I froze. I'd have to tell Brian to stop saying such things. It would only get me in trouble. "He didn't buy me." Liar. Liar.
"Same thing," lia said from the doorway, startling me.
"Shhh. What if dad hears us?"
She shrugged. "He knows that I hate how he sold you without any care."
"Lia," I warned, nodding toward Ryan He peered up at me. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered
, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "But if you ever need me, I'll find a way to help you. Don't forget that."
I managed a small, grateful smile, touched by Lia's determination to stand by me.
As the engagement day approached, my anxiety grew, and the weight of the impending union pressed down on my shoulders. I couldn't escape the reality that my fate was sealed, and soon I would be bound to a man known for his ruthless nature and early involvement in the criminal world.
The engagement party arrived, a surreal gathering where smiles masked hidden agendas, and alliances were formed in the guise of celebration. I moved through the event like a ghost, exchanging pleasantries while my mind grappled with the impending chains that awaited me.
Ian, the enigmatic figure I was destined to marry, entered the room, drawing attention with his commanding presence. His cold, brown eyes scanned the room, and I couldn't escape the feeling of being under surveillance.
During the party, Ian approached me, his demeanor both confident and intimidating. I maintained a composed facade, concealing the turmoil within. His words were polite, but his eyes held a predatory gleam, as if he saw through the mask I wore.
Days turned into weeks, and the inevitable day of our wedding approached. The elaborate preparations seemed like a facade, concealing the reality of the arrangement. My reluctance grew stronger, but resistance felt futile in a world where power dictated every move.
On the wedding day, adorned in a gown that symbolized my submission, I walked down the aisle, a prisoner in a gilded cage. Ian's eyes never left mine, and the weight of his expectations hung heavy in the air.
As we stood before the altar, the priest's words were a mere backdrop to the silence that enveloped us. The exchange of vows felt like an unspoken contract, sealing my fate with each uttered promise.
The kiss that followed was not a symbol of love but a confirmation of my captivity. In that moment, I couldn't escape the realization that my life was no longer my own.
As the years passed, the facade of marital bliss crumbled, revealing the harsh reality of a union built on power and control. I navigated the challenges with a numb heart, my spirit resilient but scarred by the chains that bound me.
In the confines of our luxurious prison, I longed for freedom, for a world where choices were mine to make. Yet, the grip of the Bangtan Empire held me captive, and my only solace lay in the silent rebellion within my heart.
And so, the story unfolded—a tale of a girl named Ru, bound to a man named Ian, in a world where power dictated the course of destinies, and love remained a distant echo.