The Deadly love

The rain drummed heavily against the grand cathedral windows, casting distorted shadows across the lavishly decorated hall. The soft murmur of the wedding guests faded into the background as Ha-Yoon stood at the altar, her hands trembling around the bouquet she gripped like a lifeline.

Her heart raced in her chest, and every breath felt like she was inhaling shards of ice. She could hardly hear the priest over the deafening sound of her own pulse. How did this happen? A week ago, she was enduring the usual cruelty of her stepmother and stepsister, but at least then she had her freedom. Now, in just a few minutes, she would become the wife of a man everyone feared-Seo-Jin, a billionaire whose name alone made people shudder.

Her stepmother had forced her into this marriage, orchestrating every detail with frightening precision. To Ha-Yoon's horror, her protests had been met with cold smiles, and when she begged to escape, her stepmother threatened her younger brother's life. So here she was, about to marry a man who was rumored to kill without hesitation, a man whose eyes bore nothing but cold disdain.

Seo-Jin stood beside her, tall and imposing in his sharp black suit. He hadn't even glanced at her since she walked down the aisle, and she couldn't decide if that was a blessing or a curse. The sharp lines of his jaw and the chilling detachment in his expression sent shivers down her spine. His reputation wasn't just whispers-he was known for running an empire built on fear, violence, and ruthless efficiency. They said he had crushed entire families without blinking, and now she was supposed to become a part of his world.

But Ha-Yoon wasn't his bride. She was his prisoner.

The priest's voice wavered as he read the vows. Even he seemed nervous, his eyes darting toward Seo-Jin as if he were afraid of making a mistake.

"Do you, Kang Seo-Jin, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health..."

Ha-Yoon's heart clenched at the words. Love? Cherish? Those were words meant for a different kind of wedding-one where the groom wasn't a rumored murderer. Here, in this opulent nightmare, they were hollow and mocking.

Seo-Jin didn't even hesitate. "I do."

His voice was low, like a knife slicing through the room. Cold, devoid of any warmth or care. To him, this was a business transaction. She wasn't a bride-she was a pawn. And the terrifying part was, Ha-Yoon wasn't sure whether her stepmother had sold her to him, or if she was being handed over as part of some sick deal.

The priest turned to her, his gaze softening slightly, perhaps out of pity. "And do you, Lee Ha-Yoon, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

She hesitated. Her hands shook so violently that she feared the bouquet would slip from her fingers. She could feel her stepmother's eyes burning into her from the front row, warning her of the consequences if she dared disobey. But beyond that, beyond the fear of her stepmother, was the suffocating presence of Seo-Jin standing next to her. The man who had promised her stepmother nothing but destruction if this marriage didn't go through.

Tears stung her eyes, but she swallowed them. She couldn't afford to cry. Not here, not in front of these people. This wasn't just a marriage-it was a trap. And now, with everyone watching, she had no choice but to walk straight into it.

"I... I do."

The words barely made it past her lips, and as soon as they left her mouth, it felt as if the walls of the cathedral were closing in around her. A suffocating silence settled over the room. Ha-Yoon couldn't bear to look up. She couldn't face the reality of what she had just done.

She had married a monster.

The priest's voice trembled as he pronounced them husband and wife, but Ha-Yoon hardly heard him. All she could focus on was the sensation of the room spinning around her. Her breath caught in her throat as the weight of her decision pressed down on her chest. She felt trapped-like a lamb being led to slaughter, but no one cared enough to save her.

Without warning, Seo-Jin grabbed her hand. His grip was ironclad, cold, and unfeeling. He didn't look at her, didn't acknowledge her at all as he led her down the aisle. The guests clapped politely, but their eyes were filled with curiosity and something darker-pity, perhaps? Or was it fear?

The grand doors of the cathedral opened to reveal the storm raging outside. The rain poured down in torrents, and Ha-Yoon could feel the cold wind on her skin, but she barely registered it. She was still in shock, her mind spinning from the nightmare that had become her reality.

As they reached the waiting limousine, Seo-Jin turned to her for the first time since the ceremony began. His dark eyes bored into her, filled with an unmistakable loathing that made her heart stop.

"You've played your role well," he said, his voice icy and cutting. "But don't think for a second that I'm fooled."

Ha-Yoon blinked, confusion washing over her. "What... what do you mean?"

Seo-Jin's lips curled into a cold, cruel smile, but there was no warmth behind it-only contempt. "You think I don't know what you are? What your stepmother is? You were placed here as an informant, weren't you? To spy on me, to gather information for your little family. Pathetic."

Ha-Yoon's blood ran cold. Informant? Spy? She hadn't wanted this marriage-she hadn't wanted any part of this, but Seo-Jin's words struck with precision, tearing through her like a blade.

"I'm not..." she started, but her voice faltered. She couldn't find the words to explain herself. How could she? He wouldn't believe her even if she tried. He had already judged her guilty.

Seo-Jin leaned in closer, his face mere inches from hers. His breath was warm against her skin, but the sensation made her feel nothing but dread. "You're nothing more than a pawn in your stepmother's twisted game, and I'll be damned if I let you think you have any power here. You mean nothing to me. You're just another tool to be discarded when I'm done with you."

Ha-Yoon's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt the tears threaten to spill over. But she refused to cry in front of him. She couldn't-she wouldn't. Showing weakness in front of a man like Seo-Jin would only give him more satisfaction.

His words cut deeper than she could have imagined. She knew this marriage wasn't built on love, but to hear him say it so cruelly, so coldly-it was unbearable. He didn't see her as a person. She was nothing more than an object to him, a piece in a game he had already won.

"You don't know anything about me," Ha-Yoon whispered, her voice shaking but defiant. "I didn't choose this."

Seo-Jin laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that sent chills down her spine. "Of course you didn't. But that doesn't matter now. You're mine, whether you like it or not. And you'll play your part, or your family will suffer for it."

The words were a warning, a threat that hung heavy in the air between them. Seo-Jin's eyes bore into her, unrelenting, as if daring her to defy him. But Ha-Yoon couldn't. She was trapped-bound to him by a contract she never wanted, and by the chains of her family's manipulation.

The rain continued to fall as Seo-Jin opened the car door and shoved her inside without a word. Ha-Yoon stumbled into the back seat, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps as she tried to compose herself. The door slammed shut behind her, and a moment later, Seo-Jin joined her in the car, the tension between them suffocating.

As the car pulled away from the cathedral, Ha-Yoon stared out the window, watching the rain blur the world outside. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of everything that had happened, but the truth was painfully clear-this wasn't a marriage. It was a prison. And the man she had just married wasn't her husband. He was her captor.

The silence in the car was oppressive, but Ha-Yoon dared not speak. Every breath felt heavy, every second stretched unbearably long. She could feel Seo-Jin's presence beside her, cold and distant, but radiating an unmistakable sense of danger.

"You'll learn quickly, Ha-Yoon," Seo-Jin said suddenly, his voice low and devoid of emotion. "In this world, trust is a weapon, and the people closest to you are the ones most likely to stab you in the back. Don't think for a second that I'll ever trust you."

She swallowed hard, biting back the retort that burned in her throat. She couldn't argue with him-not now, not here. It would only make things worse.