Y/n collapsed onto the mattress, her body slick with sweat and trembling from the aftershocks of her release. The pleasure still pulsed through her, leaving her utterly spent. Yet, within seconds of their shared climax, Taehyung had pulled away — distant, detached, as though the intimacy between them had never existed. He lay on his back beside her, his breathing ragged and heavy.

Y/n turned on her side, her gaze lingering on the harsh lines of his profile. She ached to reach out, to trace the tanned skin that gleamed with the faint sheen of sweat. But she knew better. Any touch, any act of tenderness, would be met with cold indifference. It was a lesson she had learned well over the last eighteen months.

And yet, his words remained. The same ones he whispered every time, shattering the fragile illusion of intimacy.

"Give me a son, Y/n."

Five words. They hovered in the air, more potent than the lingering heat between their bodies. Five words that crushed the afterglow and reduced everything to nothing more than a cruel transaction — a biological demand. She had grown accustomed to it, but the sting never dulled.

She had her own five words, though. Words that had gnawed at her soul, clawing for release. They should have been said long ago. She could no longer swallow them back, no matter how much they tore her apart.

Sitting up, Y/n pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her trembling frame. The room was heavy with silence, except for the soft rhythm of Taehyung’s breathing. His eyes were closed, but she knew he wasn’t asleep. He was simply waiting. Waiting to regain that perfect mask of control before heading to the shower to scrub away any trace of her.

But she wouldn’t let the silence win this time.

"I want a divorce, Taehyung."

He stiffened. Every muscle in his body tensed, like a beast poised to strike. His head turned slowly, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an unnerving calm. Then came the mockery — a slight curl of his lip, as if her words amused him.

"But I thought you loved me, Y/n," he taunted, his voice dripping with venom.

She forced herself to meet his gaze, though his cruelty sliced through her like a blade. She’d expected this. The pain, the disdain — it was all familiar.

"Not anymore," she lied, her voice barely above a whisper.

He hummed, the sound low and predatory. "What happened to ‘I'll love you forever, Taehyung’?"

"Things change," she murmured, her trembling fingers digging into the soft sheets.

"What things?" He rolled onto his side, propping himself on his elbow. Even in this moment of bitter confrontation, he looked devastatingly beautiful — like a Roman god carved from stone. The sight of him made her chest ache with longing and resentment.

"F-feelings change," she stammered.

He chuckled, though the sound held no warmth. "You’ve changed?" His gaze roamed over her, assessing. "You look the same to me. Still the same Y/n who wanted this marriage so badly. The one whose daddy made sure she got everything she wanted."

The blow landed hard. Y/n’s breath caught, but she forced herself to remain steady. She wouldn’t break. Not this time.

"And yet, despite everything, you still can't give me the one thing I asked for." His voice dipped, cold and cutting. "The only thing that would justify this pathetic excuse for a marriage."

She flinched, the accusation burning through her.

"All the more reason for a divorce," she shot back, her bravado shaky but determined.

He shrugged, as though the very concept amused him. "Maybe for you. But I told you from the start, sweetheart — there’s no easy way out of this marriage. Not until I get what I want. And judging by the looks of things, that day is still far away."

Tears welled in Y/n’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I can't live like this anymore."

"Neither of us has a choice," he said with a chilling finality.

He left her like that — trembling, broken, and suffocating beneath the weight of his words. The sound of the shower echoed through the silence, but Y/n remained frozen. The tears she had fought so hard to suppress now cascaded down her face.

But as the water ran and Taehyung washed away the remnants of their night, Y/n made a vow. She might not have control over this twisted marriage, but she could reclaim herself.

This wasn’t over. Not yet.