With trembling hands, Min-ji picked up the contract and began to read. The legal language was dense, but the terms were clear: in exchange for becoming Jeon Jungkook's wife—with all that entailed—her sister would be rescued, protected, and provided for. Min-ji herself would be granted certain freedoms and protections, though the definition of "reasonable" seemed deliberately vague in many clauses.

"How soon?" she asked without looking up from the paper.

"Tonight," Jungkook replied. "My sources tell me the Hans are growing impatient with your sister's continued insistence that she doesn't work for me. We don't have time for a proper courtship."

Min-ji looked up sharply. "Tonight? But what about my shop? My apartment? My life?"

"Your shop will be maintained, though you'll need to hire managers. Your belongings will be moved here. As for your life..." His gaze was unflinching. "This is your life now."

The finality in his voice made it real in a way nothing else had. Min-ji felt as if she stood on the edge of a precipice—one step would irrevocably change everything.

But Hae-won's face flashed in her mind—her bright smile, her impulsive nature that so often got her into trouble but never like this—and Min-ji knew there was only one choice.

"I'll need a pen," she said quietly.

Jungkook withdrew an expensive-looking fountain pen from his jacket pocket and handed it to her, their fingers brushing momentarily. Even that brief contact sent an unwelcome spark through Min-ji's body.

She signed her name on the designated line, the ink a deep crimson that looked disturbingly like blood.

Jungkook took the pen and contract from her, signing his own name with a flourish before returning the document to his desk drawer.

"It's done, then," he said, turning back to her. "The wedding will take place in three hours. My staff is already preparing."

Three hours. The reality of what she'd just agreed to crashed over Min-ji like a wave.

"I don't have a dress or—"

"Everything has been arranged," Jungkook interrupted. "The ceremony will be private—just us and the necessary witnesses. A larger celebration will be held later, once your sister is secure and you've been properly... acclimated to your new position."

The way he said "acclimated" sent another shiver through Min-ji.

"Can I at least call someone? Let people know I'm—"

"No," Jungkook cut her off sharply. "No contact with anyone until after the ceremony. Security concerns."

Min-ji swallowed hard, the full weight of her isolation settling over her. "What happens now?"

"Now," Jungkook said, pressing a button on his desk, "you'll be shown to a suite where you can prepare. My staff will provide everything you need."

The door opened, and a middle-aged woman in a simple black dress entered, bowing respectfully.

"Mrs. Kang will see to your needs," Jungkook said. "I'll see you at the ceremony."

It was a dismissal. Min-ji rose on unsteady legs, following the woman toward the door. At the threshold, something made her pause and look back.

Jungkook stood by the windows again, his silhouette outlined against the darkening sky, a glass of whiskey in hand. He looked powerful, dangerous, and utterly alone.

A thought occurred to Min-ji—perhaps there was more to this arrangement than he was saying. Perhaps the feared Jeon Jungkook had reasons beyond power dynamics for choosing a wife this way.

But then he turned, catching her gaze, and any softness she might have imagined vanished under the cold calculation in his eyes.

"Three hours, Min-ji," he reminded her. "Then you're mine."

---

The suite Mrs. Kang led her to was larger than Min-ji's entire apartment, done in shades of cream and pale blue. A four-poster bed dominated one wall, while a sitting area with plush sofas took up another corner. Doors led to what Min-ji assumed were a bathroom and closet.

"Please make yourself comfortable, Miss Park," Mrs. Kang said formally. "The stylists will arrive shortly to begin preparations. Is there anything you require in the meantime?"

Min-ji wanted to laugh at the question. What did she require? Her freedom back? A different choice? A world where her sister hadn't gotten involved with dangerous people?

"Could I have some water, please?" she asked instead.

Mrs. Kang nodded and disappeared, returning moments later with a crystal glass of water on a silver tray.

"Mr. Jeon has instructed that you are to be made comfortable, but not permitted to leave this suite or contact anyone outside the household until after the ceremony," the woman said, her tone neutral but her eyes sympathetic.

"I understand," Min-ji replied, taking the water with a grateful nod.

After Mrs. Kang left, Min-ji sank onto one of the sofas, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. How had her ordinary life led to this moment? Just this morning, she'd been arranging flowers, worrying about inventory, and planning another search for her sister. Now she was preparing to marry one of the most dangerous men in Seoul.

The irony wasn't lost on her. In trying to save Hae-won, she'd walked straight into a cage of her own.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Before she could respond, the door opened to reveal a team of four women carrying garment bags, makeup cases, and styling tools.

"Miss Park," the oldest of the group greeted her with a professional smile. "We're here to prepare you for the ceremony."

Min-ji stood, setting aside her empty water glass. "I don't suppose I have any say in how I look for my own wedding?"

The women exchanged glances.

"Mr. Jeon has provided guidelines," the woman replied diplomatically, "but within those parameters, we're happy to accommodate your preferences."

Min-ji doubted that very much, but she nodded anyway. "Then let's begin."

What followed was a blur of activity. Min-ji was bathed in a tub filled with rose petals, her skin exfoliated and moisturized with products that probably cost more than her monthly rent. Her hair was washed, dried, and styled into an elegant updo with a few soft tendrils framing her face. The makeup artist created a look that was somehow both natural and enhancing, emphasizing Min-ji's large eyes and full lips.

( I promise the paid chapter will be longer )