Chaerin sighed in relief as she saw her phone ring. After what seemed like endless missed calls, he finally responded. "Jungkook, are you all right?", she immediately asked picking up the call.

"I am fine", he curtly replied.

"Why did you not pick up my calls then ass", she scoffed. "Do you even know how worked up I was? And whats with your messenger? You couldn't even reply there?"

"Where are you right now", he asked. Chaerin was surprised as he chose not to respond to any of her words and skipped to something else. "I am home. Where else am I going to be?"

"I need to talk to you. Can you come to my apartment? I'll meet you there", he replied.

My apartment. He called it my apartment. Not ours.

"Is everything all right Jungkook? Why do you sound like you are angry and upset?"

"I am not", he said. "Just try and come asap. I will probably be on the terrace. I'll see you then. Bye"

"Bye. Love you—"

Chaerin looked at her phone as the beep noise came like the call had been already put. Something seemed really off or else why would we be this abrupt. She decided not to overthink this and instead clear it out with him.

When Chaerin arrived at Jungkook's apartment, he was standing in the terrace of the penthouse looking at the view in the distance. "Kookie", she called out to him and he turned back. He looked tired. Like he hadn't slept. "Where were you the past two days?"

"I was busy. Caught up with my family. I had some stuff I needed to take care off"

"And?", the woman shot back. "It takes a minute to ring up someone and tell this. And even less time to send a quick message. You want me to believe that you couldn't spare 5 minutes to let me know you were caught up? You know I am not that obsessive kind of girlfriend that wants a log of every minute you spend. But that doesn't mean you can make me worry by going AWOL...Come up with better excuses Jungkook"

The man sighed as he looked down. "I said what I said. You are free to believe what you want to. I was indeed caught up and no it did not even cross my mind that I should let you know"

Chaerin was stunned and hurt by his words. She just kept looking at him unable to figure what had gone wrong.

"Anyways that's not what I called you here for. We need to talk. Talk about us"

An omniscient feeling was creeping over the woman. Like she could sense the outcome of this conversation wasn't the best.

"Chaerin I think...", he began taking a deep sigh. "I think we should call it quits"

The woman's whole world came crashing down as she heard this. For a minute she couldn't even process anything that was said to her. Her mind went completely blank and numb. A few seconds she collected herself, hoping that this was probably him messing around to tease her.

"Jungkook, what? Why? Wait, are you trying to pull a prank or something?", she scoffed. "Is this Jimin's doing? I know because he was teasing me a few days ago saying you listen to everything he says and he could make you break up with me if he wanted", with that she chuckled. "If this is the prank you both are executing, then stop! And Jimin if you are around come the fuck out"

Jungkook didn't say anything but kept staring at her blankly. "This is not a prank", he said. "We need to reflect on where this relationship is going"

"Eh Jungkook, enough with the acting. We get it you are good at everything. Now come on, don't joke about things like these", she slapped his arm.

The man said nothing but sighed. All color left Chaerin's face as she realized he was dead serious. "You, you don't mean it do you?"

"I do", he curtly replied.

"But why so suddenly Kook? Did something happen? Did I do something?"

"No", he sternly said. "Its not anything anyone has done or could do. Its just that I spent a lot of time thinking what the outcome of taking this relationship further would be and it didn't fall in line with what I want"

"But everything is going so well", Chaerin's voice broke down as she said. "Till last week you were still your loving self. What happened so suddenly? Jungkook let's think this through properly. If you are facing some problems which are making you act like this, tell me. We can solve it together", she attempted to place a hand on his hand.

He pushed her hand away as he stood there, glaring at her. "It has taken me a lot of thinking to come to this decision. It is not on a whim. Let's end this. I am sick of pretending that I enjoy being in this relationship. We have no future together Chaerin. We come from different ways of life. And its hard for either of us to accept the way the other lives. My family is not on board. I cannot keep fighting with them for you anymore. Frankly I don't want to either. Its best we call it quits now while we have time. You have been a wonderful person Chaerin but we should move ahead in life by ourselves now"

All of his words felt like daggers stabbing her in the heart. Tears rolled down her eyes as she watched him helplessly. It felt like a nightmare had come to life. She often wondered what it would be like if their relationship ended one day. But the reality of it was far more daunting than what she imagined.

"Jungkook please—listen to me—I know you don't mean it—", she spoke between tears. "We were supposed to get married—"

"I MEAN IT", he yelled. "STOP BEING IN FUCKING DELUSION"

He calmed down the next second as he realised how loud his voice got and how scared the woman was. "Don't make it harder than it already is. I know its tough but please let's just end it gracefully and move on. Nothing you say is going to make me change my mind. Its the best for the both of us"

"Is it someone else?", she asked quietly but her voice was shaking. "Is there somebody you love? Is that why you want to end this?"

Jungkook sighed, exhausted. "There is no one else. And it wouldn't even matter if there was. Because I don't love you anymore Chaerin and that for me is enough reason to not pursue this. I can't keep pretending I am happy when I am not. And its the best for both of us to stop here. You are better off being with someone that actually loves you. And even if we get married its going to be a soulless marriage. Is that what you want?"

A throat seem to be stuck in the woman's throat as she attempted to speak. No words came out. Both of them stood in silence after which Chaerin took a step back. She curled her fists and clenched her jaw as she met his.

"My heart feels like it is going to burst any moment. I can physically feel the pain. My body feels weak and has this sudden ache I cannot explain. My mind is in denial and it cannot accept the fact that someone who I thought was my entire world, someone that I poured my entire heart into would one day wake up and decide he didn't love me anymore. This heartache is killing me but you know what? I am glad. I am glad we are having this conversation Jungkook. I am glad you decided to show me that I carried a very wrong image if you in my mind. And don't worry, I won't ask you to marry me. Its not like you promised that we would be together for life or anything...."

With that she grabbed the necklace that Jungkook gave her three years ago as a promise for their union and pulled it hard. His eyes widened as he saw the silver chain slice the either side of her throat. The force with which she pulled damaged her skin so bad that thin streaks of blood flowed down towards her collar bone. "Chaerin—", he raised his hand as couldn't help but break character when he saw the blood.

"Have a good fucking life Jungkook. I'll remember this day forever..", she said as she threw the necklace on the ground before turning around and running out of the apartment.

The man stood there as tears rolled down his eyes. One after the other like he couldn't control it. He was in disbelief of his own actions. How easily he broke her trust completely and ruined the person he loved the most. He lost sensation in his legs as he fell to his knees before grabbing the necklace and holding it tightly in his palm. He crushed the necklace in his grip as the pointed heart pendant tore through his skin and injured him as well. He watched blood pool in his hands as it stained the accessory red.

Maybe that was the price he paid for hurting her.

He watched the space where she had been moments ago as he watched the only woman he had ever truly loved, his entire world leave right in front of him.

———•••———

"I need to talk to Jaewon. Now", Alison gritted her teeth at the guard outside the Jeon mansion.

"Ma'am, he has strictly mentioned to not disturb him. He doesn't want to see people and he asked you to leave", the guard replied. "I called his room in front of you. You heard him asking you to leave"

"I'll say this once nicely but the second time I'll throw hands", she warned. "Open the gates right now. My father is very good friends with Mr Jeon and if he knows I was treated this way, it will not end well"

"Miss please understand...."

"What is happening here?", a female voice spoke. Both Alison and the guard turned around to see Jungkook's mother standing there. "Alison?", she asked confused. "Why are you here?"

"I need to speak to Jaewon urgently and the guard won't let me in", she replied glaring at the man. "Ma'am Jaewon said not to let anyone come so I stopped her..."

"Mr Nam, let her in. And if Jae asks why, tell him aunt allowed it. Alison, go on...", she motioned with her hands. Alison bowed a little and made her way to the mansion. Once inside, she asked a helper where his room was and she followed the instructions.

She knocked on the door. A faint "go away" was heard. Alison twisted her mouth in an unpleasant curve before banging her fist with as much force as she could. "What the fuck", someone curse before stomping was heard.

Jaewon opened ready to yell at the knocker but stopped as he saw Alison. His eyes widened as be whisper yelled. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"What the heck am I doing here?", Alison gritted her teeth before pushing him inside. "You won't pick up my calls, answer my texts or see me. What did you expect me to do?"

Jaewon scoffed as he heard this. "So you came here? My family is home. Do you have any idea what would happen if they hear us?"

"If you don't listen to me, I'll yell and then everyone will know what the fuck you did to me"

Jaewon had no choice but to shut up as he heard this. He held her hand as he pulled her out of the room and towards the door. The woman let herself get dragged as they made their way to the farthest end of the property. A small forest which the Jeon's had filled with the most exclusive and expensive plants and trees available around the world. A place which had a little getaway house that the boys used to play around in when they were young or come to read books when they wanted some space away from their family.

"What I did to you?", he scoffed the moment they were alone. "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"THE FUCKING baby", she yelled. "You got me pregnant and then you stopped picking up my calls"

"How do you know it is my kid", he shot back.

"What..", only one word left Alison's mouth.

"It could be any of your other hookups. We were never exclusive Alison. You could have slept around with other people while we were fucking around. How did you come to the conclusion it was me"

"You bastard", she gritted grabbing hold of the 6'0 man's collars despite the fact that she could hardly reach it. Jaewon shrugged her hands off and pushed her back. "ARE YOU IMPLYING I WAS MESSING WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE EVEN WHEN I CONFESSED TO YOU THAT I LIKED YOU?", she screamed.

"I mean come on Alison", he laughed. "We both know the kind of person you are. You don't even have track of the number of people you had sex with. Of course you can't expect me to think you weren't fooling behind my back"

Hot tears full of anger rolled down Alison's face as she heard this. "Its your child Jaewon. Its yours", she spoke, voice full of desperation and pain. "Are you going to keep denying it? Or are you so selfish and immature that you are trying to find a way out of taking responsibility?"

"Take responsibility", he chuckled. "I see what this is. It might not be my kid but you are trying to get me to raise it. Of course. Of all the crooks you hooked up with, I was probably the only decent one so you are trying to pin this kid to me"

"How can you say that", her voice broke, more tears rolling down her eyes. "Are you just going to abandon us? When it was about having fun, you were the first to jump but now that it is time to take responsibility, you don't want to be around?"

"Listen stop with this drama", he angrily spewed. "We never had sex without a condom. So don't try to make it seem like I knocked you up. And I don't care what you do with the kid. No one's asking you to raise it. But don't try to make me take the fall. I don't want anything to do with this and you anymore. Please leave from here"

"TAKE A DNA TEST", Alison screamed. "TAKE A FUCKING TEST IF YOU DONT BELIEVE ME"

"I am not taking any paternity tests", the man shot back. "Just leave me alone. This is not my kid. Leave before I call security"

"I'll tell everyone then", Alison replied, her hands curled into fists to show her anger. "Your parents, your uncle and aunt. In your social circle"

"Are you threatening me?", he took a step ahead.

"It has come to this", the woman replied. "And I won't stand back and watch you trying to slip away from responsibility"

"Fine, tell everyone. But note one thing", he bent ahead as he gritted his teeth. "My parents are fiercely protective of me. All I have to do is tell them this kid isn't mine and they will not let you even be in the same space as me let alone make me take a test. Your parents are powerful but my uncle has invested in a lot of your father's businesses. And if you know anything about him, its that he places too much weight on his family's reputation and image. So in a situation where someone like you tries to harm it, he won't hesitate to cut off relations with your dad in a split of a second. So now will you take responsibility for your family's business tanking as well?"

Alison was out of words as she heard this subtle threat wrapped in words. She kept glaring at him and Jaewon noticed he had gotten his point across well.

"And between me and you Alison, who will the masses believe? We know what your reputation is. Every person in Seoul's upper circle knows. Taehyung Kim's pretty but dumb sister that cant keep her legs closed. No one will have a hard time believing my innocence. It will be like the girl who cried wolf. So leave me alone while I am saying nicely. Don't make me take this to the point of no return. We had fun but now the party is over. So get out of my life"

With that he turned around and walked away. Alison kept watching his back, feel crushed and defeated. She broke down into a cry as she smashed her phone to the ground. What had life come to for her. She gathered herself to walk out of the mansion.

As she turned around to leave, she halted as her eyes met Jungkook's who stood there, having heard this whole conversation between the remaining two.