Chapter 1: The Wedding That Wasn’t Meant To Be

The grand hall of the Jeon estate was a sea of faces, all adorned in their finest, waiting for the arrival of the bride. Yet, there was an unusual hush that filled the room, an undercurrent of tension that hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

Jeon Jungkook stood at the altar, the cold weight of the white suit pressing against his slender frame. He had never imagined this day. He had never imagined himself at the center of such attention. In fact, for most of his life, he had been invisible, a shadow within the Jeon family—a secret that no one spoke of. But today, he was being thrust into the light.

The soft fabric of the suit clung to him like a lie, a mask that made him feel like someone else. His fingers trembled as they fidgeted with the edges of his sleeves, but he kept his gaze focused ahead, doing his best to maintain some semblance of composure. There was a veil over his head, delicate lace covering his face, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone could still see him for what he truly was—a mistake.

His family, the mighty Jeon family, had abandoned him long ago. His father, his siblings—none of them had ever accepted him for who he was. Not when he was born, not when he had grown older, and certainly not now. He was intersex, a fact that had shamed the family, turned their backs on him, and left him to be a forgotten third child. The only one who still showed him any affection was his grandfather, but even that love was shadowed by the looming presence of a family who despised him.

But today—today was different. Today, he was being forced into an arranged marriage with a man who was a stranger to him, someone with power, with control. Someone who was already known to be untouchable.

The wedding wasn’t supposed to be like this. Jeon Jennie, his older sister, was supposed to marry Kim Taehyung—the heir to a business empire and a man whose name struck fear in the hearts of many. But Jennie had disappeared, vanished into thin air, leaving her family to scramble for a solution. And that solution had been him.

Jungkook had no choice. He could not refuse. Not when the Jeon family’s reputation and honor were on the line. Not when his grandfather, the only person who had ever cared for him, had begged him to go through with it.

His heart pounded in his chest as the doors opened, signaling the arrival of the groom. His gaze lifted, his stomach tightening as the figure of Kim Taehyung appeared in the doorway.

Taehyung. The name alone sent a chill down Jungkook’s spine.

Taehyung was everything Jungkook was not. Cold. Powerful. Fearless. His presence commanded attention, and every person in the room instinctively fell silent as he entered. His black suit, sleek and tailored to perfection, made him look more like a king than a man. His dark eyes held an air of mystery, unreadable and unapproachable, and his expression was one of indifference—perhaps even disdain.

Jungkook had heard stories about him—about his cold demeanor, his ruthlessness in the business world, and his secretive life as the king of the mafia underworld. But nothing had prepared him for the real thing. Taehyung was a force, a storm contained in human form.

As he approached the altar, their eyes met for the first time. Taehyung’s gaze was sharp, assessing, and yet there was something more behind it—something Jungkook couldn’t place. But that look… it sent a shiver down his spine.

Jungkook’s hands twitched nervously, but he forced himself to stand tall, to hold his ground. He wasn’t a child anymore. He wasn’t invisible anymore. This was real. His new life began today.

The officiant began the ceremony, his voice low and ceremonial, but Jungkook couldn’t focus on the words. His mind was elsewhere, lost in the overwhelming presence of the man standing beside him. Taehyung didn’t speak a word. He didn’t need to. His very presence was commanding enough.

Jungkook tried to keep his voice steady as he repeated the vows, but it was hard. Every word felt like a heavy stone lodged in his throat. He hadn’t chosen this life. He hadn’t chosen Taehyung. Yet here he was, bound by fate, bound by duty, to a man who was already a stranger.

When the vows were finished, Taehyung reached for him—not to kiss him, but to place a cold, dry kiss on his forehead. The touch was light, almost distant. Professional. Like they were merely two business partners sealing a contract. It felt wrong. It felt like he wasn’t even a part of the moment. Just a transaction.

Jungkook blinked, his throat tight as the weight of the situation pressed in on him. He could feel the eyes of the guests on him, could sense the judgment in the air. They weren’t looking at him with warmth or affection. They were looking at him as if he were some kind of spectacle, something to be observed but never truly understood.

Taehyung pulled back and took a step away, his cold gaze flicking over Jungkook one last time before he turned to face the room.

Jungkook felt a pang in his chest. He had no idea what to expect from this marriage. He didn’t know what it meant to be married to a man like Taehyung. He didn’t know if Taehyung would ever look at him with anything other than indifference. But right now, he didn’t know if he cared.

The ceremony ended, and the guests began to file out. But Jungkook stayed behind, standing alone in the empty hall. His heart was a tangle of emotions—fear, uncertainty, sadness. He had no idea what awaited him now.

But for the first time in his life, he wasn’t invisible. And he wasn’t alone.

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