17 year old, Y/N knelt on the floor, her fingers trembling as she arranged the blankets on the small cot. Jungkook sat cross-legged on the floor nearby, hugging his knees, his wide doe eyes fixed on her.

"Why do we always have to stay here?" The 6 year old Jungkook asked, his voice soft but laced with confusion. His tiny hands fidgeted with the hem of his worn-out sweater, one that was far too big for his small frame.

Y/N stilled for a moment, her back to him, before she turned around and forced a smile. It was a poor imitation of warmth, but she didn’t want him to worry. "It's safer this way, Jungkook," she said, kneeling in front of him. Her hands reached out to fix his unruly hair, but her gaze faltered, shifting to the floor.

"Safe from what?" he asked, tilting his head. His innocence struck her like a knife every time.

She swallowed hard. "From people who might... take you away from me." Her voice cracked ever so slightly, and she cursed herself for it.

"But why would anyone do that?" he persisted, his voice growing louder, more frustrated. "I don’t understand! You’re always hiding me, making me stay quiet. I don’t even know why we live here now.”

“Your parents are dead, so you don't have anyone except me do you?” She asked.

“No, Why can’t we go back to Taehyung hyung’s house? He wouldn’t—"

"Stop!" Y/N snapped, her voice sharp and raw. The room fell into silence. She immediately regretted raising her voice when she saw the way his bottom lip trembled.

She closed her eyes, drawing in a shaky breath, and when she opened them again, her expression had softened. "I’m sorry, Jungkook. I didn’t mean to yell."

He sniffled, his small frame trembling as he wiped at his eyes with his sleeves. "I just... I miss my parents," he mumbled, his voice breaking. "I don’t understand why they left me."

Y/N felt her chest tighten as tears threatened to spill, but she held them back. She had to be strong—for him.

Scooting closer, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He buried his face in her shoulder, his small hands clutching at her shirt.

"I know," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I know you miss them. I miss them too. But they’re... they’re not coming back, Jungkook. And I promised them I’d keep you safe, no matter what."

His sobs were muffled against her shoulder, and Y/N rested her chin on his head, closing her eyes as her own tears finally fell.

"I’m doing this for you," she murmured. "Because I can’t let anyone take you away from me. You’re my family now, Jungkook. And I’ll protect you... no matter what it takes."

He believed that. He believed when she said he was her family. He believed that she would protect him.

But he wasn't sure why suddenly just a few days after she changed.

A little boy sat on the cold floor, his tiny frame trembling. His wide eyes, wet with tears, looked up at the girl towering over him. She had been his safe place once, someone he trusted with every fiber of his being. But now, her expression was cold, her voice hollow.

Her hand was large—too large for her slender frame—and it covered his face entirely, muffling his cries.

"Please, Y/n noona" the boy whimpered, his voice barely audible. "I can't breathe."

The girl hesitated for a fraction of a second, her hand shaking slightly. Then, with a resolve that sent a chill down the boy's spine, she clamped it down again. "You can't live. Your parents are dead. You shouldn’t be alive either."

The boy's cries grew louder, a heartbreaking sound that filled the oppressive silence of the room. His tears streamed down his cheeks, soaking the girl’s hand, but she didn’t pull back.

"I trusted you!" he choked out when she finally loosened her grip for a moment. His voice was raw, trembling with despair. "Why are you doing this?"

Her expression hardened once more. "Jungkook, don't make a noise," she murmured, though her tone lacked conviction.

He stared at her eyes, which was showing nothing for him.

Suddenly, the world shifted. The room dissolved into nothingness, and with a jolt, Jungkook sat upright in his bed, gasping for air. His chest heaved as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.

He pressed a hand to his face, trying to shake the vivid nightmare. His heart pounded like a war drum in his ears.

“It was just a dream,” he whispered to himself, but the ache in his chest told him otherwise. But he knows it's not a simple dream, it was her past and the last memory he has of that evil woman.

He buried his face in his hands, trying to steady his breathing.

The clock read 6:00 AM. The weight on his chest wasn’t the ache of tired muscles but something deeper, more persistent. With a heavy sigh, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and ran a hand through his tousled hair.

“People aren’t what they seem,” he muttered, his voice low and gravelly from sleep.

Pulling on a black hoodie and sweats, Jungkook laced up his trainers and headed to the gym. As his feet pounded against the treadmill, his thoughts drifted back to her—Y/n.

Jungkook's parents died at a young age. And he lived with Y/n. He wasn't sure why.

At first he thought she was taking care of him, but later he found out that she kidnapped him for money and then tried to kill him. When she didn't get the money.

Jungkook’s jaw clenched as he increased the speed on the treadmill. Sweat dripped down his temples, but he couldn’t outrun the memories. Why? Why did she betray me?

He couldn't ask her, because he is dead for her and everyone. She left him to die and everyone just believes that he is dead. But he survived and was adopted by another family.

Most of his memory is blurry, he just remembers what she did.

An hour later, he left the gym, his body exhausted but his mind sharper than ever. A quick shower and a change into his tailored suit.

The people who adopted was rich, but that doesn't mean he got a smooth life. For more part they only gave him trauma, and weren't good parents. He doesn't even want to call them parents.

They didn't want Jungkook, they just wanted a perfect son and they tried to make Jungkook perfect and didn't allow him to even make a tiny mistake.

The conference room was buzzing with energy when Jungkook entered. But the moment his gaze fell on her, the air seemed to shift.

There she was—Y/n, seated at the far end of the table. The reason for her appearing in his dreams is because she is back in his life too.

She doesn't recognize him, Jungkook was a kid back then, but he remembers her, he can never forget her face.

Jungkook chuckled as he saw how she was wearing the skin of a rich person now.

She is 35 now, yet more beautiful. She is radiant, every detail of her appearance perfect. Her posture was regal, her smile warm, her voice honeyed as she engaged with the other attendees. To everyone in the room, she was flawless, untouchable.

But Jungkook knew better.

He settled into his seat, his dark eyes never leaving her. She wasn’t the woman everyone believed her to be. Her power built on lies and manipulation

Her thirst for money didn't stop, as even after taking everything from Jungkook. She wanted more and now she is a mistress of Taehyung.

He wonders why, as much as he remembers, she was dating Taehyung back then, and now years later except for marrying him she chose to be his mistress.

If Taehyung wasn't able to convince his parents, Does she have no self respect?

Why is she still with Taehyung? Maybe Jungkook knows why, because Taehyung is blind to her.

As the meeting progressed, their eyes locked for a brief moment. Her lips curled into a soft smile, but it wasn’t the kind that brought warmth. It was calculated, a reminder of the power she thought she still held over him.

Jungkook hates her so much, yet she lives in his head all the time. Jungkook hates Y/n so much that he didn't even go to Taehyung or his uncle and tell them the truth about what happened.

He rather lives with his new identity now.

Jungkook leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. She might fool the world, he thought, but not me. I see through you, Y/n.

The meeting ended, and the attendees began to file out. Y/n didn’t. He didn’t flinch, didn’t look away.

She smiled as she walked closer to him. Y/N stood a few steps away from Jungkook.

Y/N stepped closer, her voice breaking the comfortable silence. "Ian," she said softly, her tone holding a hint of excitement. No one knows him by his birth name, his new parents gave him a new name.  "I’m really looking forward to working with you on this project."

He turned toward her. His gaze met hers, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. She was shorter than him now, he looked at her hands. They are smaller than his, how can he be terrified of such delicate hands?

"I’m looking forward to it too," he replied, though his tone carried a certain edge of curiosity as he studied her. “I heard a lot about your business.”

"I don’t own a business, you know. I just work with charity organizations. I’m a representative for them," she explained, her voice steady and genuine.

Jungkook tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing, “It is a business as you seem to earn a lot from charity money, are you loyal to your work?" he asked, his question blunt but not unkind.

Her lips curled into a small smile, her gaze unwavering. "Of course I am," she replied confidently. "Helping others isn’t just a job for me—it’s a purpose."

For a moment, Jungkook said nothing, his thoughts hidden behind an unreadable expression. Then, she spoke again, her voice softer this time. "You remind me of someone."

His eyebrows lifted slightly, "Who?"

"No one important," she said quickly, brushing the topic aside with a wave of her hand.

As Y/N turned to leave, Jungkook's eyes followed her retreating figure, the nagging feeling in his chest growing stronger.

No one important.

Of course he is not important to her.
____

Jungkook leaned back in his chair, idly stirring his coffee. Across from him, Joshua raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing.

"Ian, Why are you so obsessed with Y/N, huh?" Joshua asked, leaning forward with a sly smirk.

Jungkook scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm not obsessed," he replied, voice calm but laced with a hint of amusement.

Joshua let out a short laugh. "Oh, come on. You can deny it all you want, but it's written all over your face. You can't stop talking about her since you start working with her. If you're not obsessed, why don't you go ahead and try to impress her?"

Jungkook chuckled, his dimple appearing as he took a sip of his coffee. "I'm not interested. Seriously, you're reading into things too much."

Joshua squinted at him, clearly unconvinced. "Not interested? She’s hot, Ian. Sure, she’s like...what? Eleven years older than you? But let’s be real, age is just a number."

Jungkook sighed, “Josh, you’re not understanding," he said, his voice steady but firm.

Joshua leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Not understanding what? Maybe yeah she is not right for you. She’s in a relationship with Taehyung. You know, the guy who has two kids? That tells a lot about her character. If she’s really with Taehyung for money, it shouldn’t be that hard to sway her—"

"Enough," Jungkook interrupted, his tone sharper now, his gaze locking with Joshua's.

Joshua blinked, startled by the sudden shift in Jungkook's tone. The playful atmosphere between them dissolved, replaced by a quiet tension.

Jungkook stood up, "You’re wrong about her. Maybe stop worrying about my ‘obsession’ and focus on your own business."

With that, he walked away, leaving Joshua sitting there, more curious than ever about what was really going on between him and Y/N.

Jungkook sat on the edge of his bed, his hands clasped together, staring at the floor. Joshua’s words from earlier kept playing on repeat in his mind. “If she’s really with Taehyung for money, it shouldn’t be that hard to sway her.”

The idea was absurd— he doesn't understand the reason for her being with Taehyung. Money can't be the only thing, maybe she loves him. Y/n wasn’t like that. She wasn’t shallow. Or was she?

Every time he tried to convince himself of her innocence, flashes of her with Taehyung—laughing, clinging to his arm, and basking in luxury—hit him like a wave of cold reality.

What if Joshua was right? What if it is easy to trap her?

Jungkook's jaw clenched as he pushed himself to his feet. If she could do anything for money, then trapping her shouldn’t be impossible.

If she can kill a child for money, why couldn’t he play her right back? This was his chance to take control, to show her what it felt like to be used.

He smirked to himself, his confidence growing. It was perfect. He would give her exactly what she seemed to want—attention, luxury, charm—and once she fell into his trap, he’d make her regret every choice she’d made.

For years, he had watched Taehyung flaunt his wealth and snatch away everything Jungkook ever cared about. If Y/n was another one of Taehyung’s trophies, then she deserved to know what it felt like to lose.

He grabbed his phone, scrolling through his photos until he landed on the one from the last party. Y/n was standing beside Taehyung, her smile radiant, her eyes twinkling with something he couldn’t quite place.

“Let’s see if you’re as easy to break as Joshua thinks,” he whispered before tossing the phone onto the bed.

The plan was set. And this time, Jungkook wasn’t going to lose.
___

Y/n stepped into the dimly lit house, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. She froze when she saw a pair of expensive leather shoes neatly placed by the entrance. A sigh escaped her lips as she straightened, already bracing herself.

She walked into the living room and found Taehyung sitting by the large window. A glass of wine rested casually in his hand as he swirled it lazily.

Without acknowledging him, Y/n placed her bag on the table, the sound breaking the silence between them.

"Where were you?" Taehyung’s voice was calm, but the undertone of authority sent a shiver down her spine.

Y/n turned to face him, her expression impassive. "I don’t question where you go. Why should you question me?"

Taehyung’s lips curved into a faint smirk as he took a sip of his wine. "Touché," he murmured.

She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "How’s your wife doing these days?"

At her words, his smirk deepened, but his eyes gleamed with something darker. He set the glass down on the windowsill and stood, his movements slow and deliberate.

"She’s getting old," he said, his voice laced with indifference. He stepped closer, his gaze locked on hers. "Why? Are you jealous?"

Y/n held her ground, even as his presence loomed over her. She stared up at him, her expression blank, yet her mind churned with rage and helplessness.

"Jealous?" she echoed bitterly. "Of what? I am happy that I am not that woman, because I can't imagine myself having a husband like you. Who never gives his wife any right.’

Taehyung’s smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly masked it. "Don’t act so righteous," he said, his voice lowering as he leaned closer. "You’ve had more than any other woman could dream of. I’ve made you irreplaceable."

"Irreplaceable?" Y/n laughed hollowly. Her voice cracked with suppressed emotion. "You made me your mistress, Taehyung. You took every ounce of happiness from me and chained me to this... obsession of yours."

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. She stepped back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she stared at him—the man who had stolen her freedom and her joy, yet refused to let her go.

"You defied your father to keep me, Taehyung," Y/n said softly, her voice trembling. "But not for love. It was never for love. It was for power. Control. Even my children...I can't even be with them because of you."

He took them away from her since the day they were born. She has two kids with him and he gave both of them to his wife and pretend as if they are his and his wife's.

Taehyung stepped closer again, his dark eyes narrowing. “You want another child then, that you can keep.”

He said that she can keep their second born to convince her to get pregnant but then took that child from her too.

Her breath caught in her throat, the mention of her children a dagger to her chest. "Never," she whispered fiercely.

Taehyung stared at her, his grip tightening on the glass. "We’ll see about that," he murmured under his breath. “Can I know the reason why you are being so moody today? You don't talk like this to me.”

She couldn't reply. Ever since she saw lan (Jungkook) she can't stop thinking about Jungkook. And the kid who has been missing for years now.

She wonders if he is even alive or not.

___

17 years ago,

She trudged through the ornate front doors of Taehyung's mansion, her heart sinking with every step. She hated coming here, hated being trapped in this gilded cage. But she had no choice. Taehyung had made sure of that.

Y/n was with Taehyung, not because she is his girlfriend, or love. She is simply his girl. He saw her and since that day he has his ways to manipulate her into being with him. If she tries to leave him he blackmails her.

As she entered the house, a tiny ball of energy came hurtling towards her, throwing his arms around her waist. "Y/n noona!" Jungkook squealed, his big brown eyes shining with excitement.

She couldn't help but smile, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. Jungkook was the only bright spot in this dark, twisted world. His innocence and joy were a balm to her battered soul.

But as she looked up, she caught Taehyung's gaze, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. Her heart skipped a beat as he raised an eyebrow, his expression a subtle warning.

He doesn't even like her interacting with a kid.

She felt a shiver run down her spine as she forced a smile onto her face, playing the role of the dutiful girlfriend. But inside, she was seething.

She noticed Taehyung's parents behavior with Jungkook. It was not obvious but they treated him differently and later she discovered.

Taehyung's parents were monsters, responsible for Jungkook's parents' death. And they were coming for him next.

When she found out about that, she could sit still.  She would protect him, no matter what. They would escape together.
___

Y/n led Jungkook through the winding streets of her grandparents' old village, the old house was opposite of the mansion they had left behind.

Jungkook's eyes sparkled with excitement as he took in the new sights and sounds.

She'd brought Jungkook here, to this humble village, with little to no money. Guilt gnawed at her for not being able to provide a better life for him.

What is she doing? This kid has grown up in wealth since his childhood.

But as Jungkook turned to her, his face alight with joy, her doubts melted away. "Y/n noona, I love it here!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around her.

Y/n smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. She might not be able to give Jungkook material comforts, but she could give him love and care.

As they settled into their new life. He'd adapted to their simple routine, helping her with chores and playing in the nearby fields. He was not a bratty kid.

One afternoon, as they sat on the porch, Jungkook looked up at Y/n with a mischievous grin. "Y/n noona, can we have a picnic?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

Y/n chuckled, They spread a blanket under a nearby tree.

As they ate, Jungkook began to giggle, his eyes shining with mirth. "Y/n noona, you're a messy eater!" he teased, pointing to a crumb on her cheek.

Y/n playfully rolled her eyes, wiping the crumb away. "You're one to talk, little mess-maker!" she retorted, ruffling his hair.

Jungkook's laughter echoed through the village, and Y/n's heart swelled with love and gratitude. She felt free to be away from Taehyung.

Y/n's heart melted, and she knew that she'd do anything to protect this little boy, to give him the love and care he deserved.
___

Y/n's heart racing, she grasped Jungkook's hand, pulling him into the shadows. They'd been living peacefully in the village for just 2 weeks, but now, they'd been found.

"Shh, Jungkook, don't make a sound," Y/n whispered urgently, her eyes scanning the surrounding area.

But Jungkook, curious as ever, looked up at her with wide eyes. "Y/n noona, what's—"

Y/n clamped her hand over his mouth, silencing him. "Not a word, Jungkook. They'll hear us."

Jungkook's eyes grew wider, fear creeping in. He struggled to free himself, but Y/n held firm.

"I...can't breathe," Jungkook whispered, his voice trembling.

Y/n's grip tightened, her heart racing. "Not another word, Jungkook. Please. You can't live. Your parents are dead. You shouldn’t be alive either.”

Jungkook was confused and terrified. He was a kid and assumed she was trying to kill him.

But it was too late. Jungkook's eyes rolled back, and he went limp in Y/n's arms. She felt a jolt of panic, lifting him into her arms.

She had to get him out of there, fast. Spotting a nearby car, Y/n rushed towards it, yanking open the door. She slid Jungkook inside, and hid him in the car. .

Y/n's eyes locked onto Jungkook's  face. “Please be safe.” She mumbled.
___

Y/n sat in the cold, dark cell, her eyes fixed on the rusty bars. She'd been caught, and now she was paying the price.

She is still glad that it's not Taehyung's bedroom that she ended up being in.

The sound of footsteps echoed outside her cell, growing louder. Y/n's heart sank as Taehyung appeared, a smirk twisting his lips.

"Well, well, well," Taehyung sneered, "Look what we have here. A rat in a trap. You really thought you could get away?"

Y/n's gaze remained steady, her jaw clenched.

Taehyung chuckled, leaning against the bars. "My parents want to know where Jungkook is. And if you tell us...you'll be alright."

Y/n's eyes narrowed, her voice firm. "I don't know."

Taehyung's smirk faltered, his eyes flashing with anger. "That will make things...messy. More painful for you.”

__

(....)