Min-jae entered their penthouse after a long day at the office. His suit jacket was discarded over the back of the couch, his tie loose around his neck as he walked toward the living room where Seo-jin sat, her eyes lighting up when she saw him. The moment their gazes met, she rose from her seat, her pulse quickening with anticipation, her body seemingly drawn to him like a magnet.
Without a word, Min-jae closed the distance between them, his hands moving to her waist, pulling her close as if she were the very air he breathed. He wrapped his arms around her, and before she could say anything, he leaned down and kissed her lips—softly, then deeply, as if to claim her once again. The kiss was filled with years of longing, passion, and a deep sense of ownership.
Seo-jin melted into him, her body trembling at the intensity of the moment. She wanted him more than anything, but a strange feeling lingered at the back of her mind—one of fear. Fear that, despite the warmth of his embrace, she could still lose him if she faltered. His love was no longer just affection; it was an unspoken command, and she was bound by it, shackled by the contract that tethered her to him in ways no one could understand.
Min-jae's hands moved gently over her body, caressing her with a tenderness that contrasted with the power he wielded over her. He pulled back slightly, gazing down at her with a smile that made her heart race.
"You've been waiting for me, haven't you?" he murmured, his voice low and intoxicating.
Seo-jin nodded, her eyes filled with a desperate longing. "I've missed you... so much."
He chuckled softly, his lips brushing against her forehead. "Good girl," he whispered, almost as though praising a well-trained pet. The words were laced with affection, but the power they held was undeniable.
She closed her eyes, trying to bask in the warmth of his love, but a nagging thought kept creeping into her mind. What if this was all an illusion? What if, at any moment, he would withdraw his love if she made a mistake? The fear of losing him—of him slipping away from her once again—had become a constant, ever-present weight on her heart.
She couldn't afford to make a mistake. Not when he held all the power, when he was the one who could decide whether she stayed or was cast aside. The contract between them loomed over every moment, a constant reminder of the control he had over her. It was suffocating, but at the same time, it was everything she had ever wanted.
Min-jae noticed the brief hesitation in her eyes. He cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing over her cheek as he looked into her eyes with an unreadable expression.
"What's on your mind?" he asked softly, though there was an edge to his voice. "You seem distant. I want you to trust me, Seo-jin. I'm not going anywhere."
Her heart skipped a beat at his words. The vulnerability in his eyes, the tenderness in his touch, was enough to make her question everything. But she couldn't forget the truth—the contract, the way he had shaped her world to fit his needs. Despite the love he gave her, she couldn't shake the fear that she was still nothing more than a pawn in his grand plan.
"I... I trust you," she said, her voice trembling with both longing and fear. "But I'm scared, Min-jae. I'm scared of losing you again. I don't want to make a mistake."
Min-jae's lips curled into a smile, a dark glint in his eyes. "You won't lose me. I won't let you. As long as you remain loyal to me, as long as you don't break my trust, I'll always be here. But remember this, Seo-jin... if you ever think of leaving, if you ever let me down, you'll find that my love will turn into something much colder. You don't want to see that side of me."
She shivered at his words, the chilling promise hanging in the air like a shadow. Despite his assurances, the fear never fully dissipated. He was in control, and she was dependent on him, perhaps more than she had ever realized. Every time he kissed her, every time he held her, it felt like both a gift and a chain. The love he gave her was intoxicating, but it came with an underlying threat—a constant reminder that her place in his life could be taken away at any moment.
"I'll never leave you," she whispered, her voice steady despite the anxiety swirling inside her. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you by my side."
Min-jae's smile softened, but the intensity in his eyes never wavered. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere, either. And I'll make sure you know just how much you mean to me. No one will ever take my place in your heart."
As they kissed again, the line between love and possession blurred, and Seo-jin couldn't help but wonder if she was truly loved or simply being held captive by the man she had once rejected. But in that moment, all she could feel was his warmth, his touch, and the crushing certainty that no matter how much she longed for freedom, she would never be able to escape him.