The tension in the large living room was palpable. It felt like suspense hung in every spare millimetre of space within the room. Whatever hope was left in my heart for my relationship suffocated with the lack of fresh oxygen.

I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to show Jennie the power she held over me. Although, my body didn't listen; my loud sob echoed throughout the room. I hunched over and grabbed my chest in the hope of easing the pain. Never had I thought I would be hearing that my boyfriend, Park Jimin, loved another woman.

Jennie began running her mouth more. I was too consumed with my grief to hear any word she said. All my negative thoughts from the past seven years came back at once to bombard me. Each tried to drag me back down to the depths of depression and loneliness, which I used to call home.

'You're not good enough.'

'No one loves you.'

'Why would he want you when he could have a woman who can give him what he wants—a child.'

'You're too fat.'

'You're not pretty.'

'You're unworthy... Of love. Of having a family of your own. Of happiness.'

'You're not even a whole woman.'/

'You're the common denominator for all the hurt you've had in your life. It's all your fault!'

As each voice reminded me of my deepest fears, I felt like the room was closing in on me. It was hard to breathe; as if there wasn't enough oxygen in the room anymore. Black spots were littering my vision and I could have sworn the room was spinning.

"Breathe, Nell. Come on, follow me. In two... three... four. Hold. And out two... three... four."

I followed the calm, soft voice's instructions. As he breathed in, so did I. We held our breaths together. And as he breathed out, I did too. It wasn't until about the fourth or fifth time that I realised who was guiding me. If I wasn't in the midst of a panic attack, I think my poor heart would have given out upon seeing my bias kneeling in front of me, a concerned look on his face with his large hands on my knees as he helped me breathe.

Jung-fucking-Hoseok was touching me. I was breathing the same air as him. And as he saw me calm down, I was graced with the most beautiful, radiant heart-shaped smile.

"There you are," he said. I felt myself get lost in his eyes which were so warm and welcoming.

"Thank you..." I trailed off, pretending not to know his name since I had not been officially introduced to the pink-haired Seed Bearer in this universe. It felt weird calling him The Ethereal One after he'd talked me down from my panic attack.

"Jung Hoseok, but please call me Hoseok."

"...fucking lying and you know it!" Jimin snarled. His voice dripped with anger and frustration. Something else was there, but my still foggy brain couldn't identify it. I was so caught up in my emotional spiral that I had forgotten about the rest of the people in the room. Seokjin and Yoongi were struggling to hold back my boyfriend. He was thrashing and kicking to get to the smug-looking Jennie, who was standing on the other side of the orange-haired Seed Bearer.

"I'm not lying. You clearly said, and I quote: 'I love you so much, Baby. I want to be your Buhbah forever'. I have to admit, I do love the pet name you've chosen for me," she said as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

There was no way that she'd know that I called Jimin 'Bubba' since I hadn't said that to him today. The only way was if...

I gasped, "You thought it was me that was with you."

Jimin spun out of the clutches of his friends, ran over and crumpled to the floor in front of me. Soft whimpers came from him as he nodded. The light caught wet tracks that streaked down his chubby cheeks and my chest clenched as I realised the position he'd been put in.

"I swear, I thought it was you, Nell. I was asleep and I thought it was you who came into my room." There was a part of me that still didn't believe what the blonde man in front of me was saying. It was too convenient; should I believe Jimin when he said he was sleeping when she came in? "I can tell you don't fully believe me. Trust me like I put my trust in you, Baby. Let me prove to you I didn't invite her, that I had no idea she was going to come into my room."

I could hear the desperation in Jimin's voice, the sound mirrored how mine was the day he found out about me coming from another universe. I knew that I had to allow him to show me he was telling the truth—like he did for me. I hoped it wouldn't come back to bite me on the bum or rip my heart out again.

"For me to show you all that I am telling the truth, I need you all to follow me if you will," he said whilst standing and turning to face the rest of the guests. "Do-Yun, could you please take Eomma, Soon-Bok, Hoseok, Jong-Soo and Namjoon to the guard's quarters? I need witnesses in both areas to see that what I am about to show is true."

With a bow, the guard led the four baffled people out of the room and towards the wing on the left. The walk up to Jimin's room was filled only with the sound of footsteps slapping along the marble tiles. I wondered how he was going to prove his claims, especially since it was impossible to show evidence of whether he was asleep or not. If we were in my universe, I could imagine him having a secret camera that recorded everything in the room or an electronic lock that kept a log of every time the bedroom door opened. However, since this universe did not have such technology, I had no idea what Jimin had up his sleeve.

"When there was the spate of break-ins and unwanted sexual advances by some women towards Seed Bearers a few years ago, my parents' advisor—your father, Jennie—helped me have a secret alarm installed on my bedroom door," Jimin spoke as he ushered us all into his bedroom. Proceeding to close the door, he continued explaining what we were doing here. "Any time I'm coming to rest or sleep, I turn it on so that the guards can be alerted whenever my door is opened."

We all watched as Jimin flicked the button on the light switch three times. It looked the same as the toggle that controlled the lights, although there was no obvious sign that he'd done anything. With how much he'd been talking the alarm up, everyone looked at each other sceptically as Jimin opened the door.

The only sound I could hear was my breathing and the faint tinnitus that was a genetic trait passed down through my mother's family. There was no loud whooping of an alarm, no flashing lights or anything else I'd associate with an alarmed door. I realized this when I saw Jimin's mother and the others who'd gone with Do-Yun enter the door. They had pleased and impressed looks, which told me that this was, in fact, a silent alarm.

"If I didn't hear the noise or see the flashing lights, I would never have believed you," Namjoon said, impressed with the entire set-up. "You'll have to give me the name of who did this for you as I want one, too."

Do-Yun explained to the group what would happen anytime someone opened the bedroom door after the alarm had been set. "If this door is opened after the alarm has been activated, the electrical circuit is broken and a signal is sent to the guard room. If Jimin-ssi was the one who accidentally set off the alarm, he would set off the alarm for a second time so we know it was an accident."

"Also, because the switch for the alarm is concealed, it is unlikely that any of the maids would set it off. You have to flip the switch three times—once to bring electricity to the room, twice to trigger the alarm system, and a third time to set the alarm," Jimin added.

"But that doesn't prove that it was me who was in your room," Jennie said with a smug look on her face. "All that proves is that someone opened the door. And for all we know, it could have been her."

I rolled my eyes as she pointed her thin finger at me. She was right in the regard that it could have been anyone, but she was wrong in saying it was me.

"Actually... I was in the kitchen with Nell at the time the alarm sounded. It could not be her because she was baking those brownies we all love," Him-Chan said with a sly smile. I didn't know what stunned me more—the fact that the stoic man was smiling or the way Jennie's face contorted into a scowl as she barged through the small crowd in the bedroom.

"You've just got everyone wrapped around your evil little fingers, don't you? You're a witch who has cast her spell over the others. But you can't fool me," she sneered, poking my chest with her bony finger.

"Kim Jennie! Your Eomma and I never raised you to speak to others this way," In-Su chastised. The angry and appalled tone in his voice made my blood run cold. If it was my father who was speaking to me this way, I knew my bum would be having a private meeting with the dreaded wooden spoon; I'd only needed to be spanked twice in my life until just the threat of the wooden spoon had me instantly changing my behaviour.

"First, you're not my real father so I don't have to listen to your shit anymore. And secondly, Eomma was brainwashed by a fucking witch before she left. The same thing is happening here. Jimin-ssi is being manipulated and brainwashed but you're all too fucking stupid and ignorant to see it! So, I had to take matters into my own hands to make sure he was safe from harm and that his seed wasn't wasted on someone who's not worthy."

Shocked gasps echoed around the room upon hearing Jennie's admission. I knew she didn't like me, but to say that I was a witch and that I was trying to influence Jimin was preposterous. She was the only gaslighter here.

"You do not get to talk about the woman I love like that." Jimin's voice was low and calm. Coupled with the murderous look in his eyes, it was a scary—and insanely hot—sight to see.

"Stop talking. Dead skin cells are coming out of your mouth," Taehyung said with disgust. "You might look like a woman, but hearing the words coming from your mouth, all I see is an animal wearing clothes."

I had to stifle my laugh hearing the same infamous satoori diss V had used from when BTS were on Knowing Bros. It touched my heart to see the guys defend me and also put the glamorous girl in her place. I'd only met some of the Seed Bearers once, yet they were treating me like I was one of them instead of the outsider I was.

"From the visions I've received, I can attest that it was Kim Jennie who uninvitedly entered into Park Jimin's room. Also, I can confirm that the claim of her attempting to breed with him is true," the Oracle said. Gasps rang out as the truth was revealed. Tears streaked down the cheeks of all of us women. Soon-Bok, Jimin's mother and I were crying from the knowledge that Jimin had been sexually assaulted. Jennie was inconsolable because her plan had failed.

"Reading your mind, Jennie," Bang Si-Hyuk continued, "I have seen everything that happened. Elenor and Jimin are two of the pawns in your game. They are just two of the countless poor victims who were impacted by the hate festering in your heart. You've allowed it to consume, and manipulate, the world around you.

"Kim Jennie, because of your admission of attempting to breed with a Seed Bearer that you were not assigned to, you are hereby sentenced to death. Guards, take her away."

I couldn't feel bad for Jennie as she was dragged away kicking and screaming. Even if all the colour had drained from her face in fear, she had made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

"Nell, I'm so sorry-" Jimin started to say until I interrupted him.

"Jimin, was it true?" His head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. "What you said about me being the woman you love. Is it true?"

I leaned into his touch as soft hands cupped my cheeks. "Every word. I. Love. You," he said, punctuating each word with a soft kiss. "Elenor Bennett, I love you wholeheartedly and unconditionally."

⋆⁺₊⋆ 💜 ⋆⁺₊⋆

Anger coursed through my body; no, it was past anger and into the territory of rage. On the outside, I looked like the others in the room as my Seed Bearer told us all about the situation at the Park's palace earlier today. But inside, I didn't know if I was more furious about how Jennie had admitted to what she'd done. Or that she'd tried to have Jimin impregnate her!

'She doesn't even like men! And she's not worthy of receiving Jimin's seed!'

Kim Jennie was fucking lucky the Oracle sent her to her death because if it was me... well, no one would ever see a single fingernail of hers anymore. Sure, I'd fantasised about killing people before and what it would feel like to watch the life drain out of their eyes, but I'd never actually done it. However, I'd have made an exception today.

My assigned male and his family were happy to hear justice had been served. I was very proud of my acting abilities with how I pretended to share the same jubilation. That façade dropped as soon as I entered my bedroom. The pillows and bedding bore my silent rage-filled outburst towards both Kim-fucking-Jennie and the witch. I had come so far and yet was not close to the end. I couldn't let my cover be exposed by something as small as someone hearing my tantrum.

After all the bedding had been strewn across the room, and I'd finally calmed down a bit, I began plotting the steps I needed to take.

'I'll remove the witch from your life, Jimin. I'll make sure there's no happy ending for her. I will make sure justice is paid.'