Semua Bab BITTER-SWEET REVENGE: Bab 11 - Bab 20

His words crashed into me, leaving me breathless and reeling. "How much do you want?" I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my head spinning with a mix of shock and disgust. For a moment, I thought I'd misheard, that my mind was playing a cruel trick on me.But the cold glint in Josh's father's eyes told me I'd heard him right. My stomach twisted into knots, my lips parting on a shaky breath. "What...?" The word barely squeaked out, my voice trembling like a leaf.I knew exactly what he meant. Every nerve in my body said the answer. But I needed to hear him say it again, to be sure this wasn't some twisted joke. Josh's father leaned forward, his fingers drumming a slow, menacing beat on the table. His gaze pinned me like a butterfly on a specimen board."Don't play dumb," he said, his voice smooth as silk but laced with a venom that made my skin crawl. "I'm not offering you a gift. I'm offering you a way out." He repeated the question, his tone dripping with disdain. "How much do y

The screen of my phone glowed, the notification catching my attention. I picked it up, my thumb swiping across the screen.A message from my landlord."Reminder: Your rent is due for renewal. Kindly make payment to avoid inconvenience."I stared at the words, my mind blank for a moment. Right. I had completely forgotten about it.I had planned on moving out last month—leaving behind that tiny apartment, the memories of late nights working multiple shifts just to keep a roof over my head. I wasn’t supposed to be dealing with this. Not anymore.But the house I saved for, the one I bought in Kenneth’s name—was no longer mine.A bitter smile ghosted my lips as I typed my response."I’ll pack out tomorrow."I dropped my phone onto the bedside table, exhaling softly. The weight of everything pressed against my chest—not in a crushing way, but like a dull ache that refused to fade.It was strange, really. How easily things could be taken from you. How quickly a life you built could become so

“Meet me at our spot by 7:00 pm today.”My heart stilled.I blinked. Once. Twice.Then, heat flooded my chest—anger, confusion, disbelief.Our spot? The same place where we once talked about our future? The same place where he promised to love me forever?My grip tightened on the phone.Why is he texting me now?I should delete the message. I should block his number. I should pretend like he no longer exists.But my hands refused to move.Memories hit me like a slap to the face. The way he used to hold my hand, the way he used to look at me like I was his entire world—lies.I closed my eyes, inhaling sharply.No. I refuse to fall into this trap.Kenneth doesn’t love me. Kenneth never loved me.The same man who once promised me everything was the one who stood beside another woman—my enemy—and humiliated me in front of the world.So why am I still staring at this message like it means something?I forced a breath out, shaking my head. I had already made my decision the moment I walke

I tightened my grip on the doorknob, exhaustion and frustration weighing down on me as I took in Josh’s expression. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his piercing eyes locking onto mine.I swallowed hard. "Josh, what are you doing here this late?""Sleep now," he said, his voice low but firm. "Don’t chat with anyone."I blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"He didn’t waver. "Tomorrow will be a long day. We’re traveling to Korea to get your skin prepared for the marriage."For a moment, I thought I’d misheard him. My skin? Marriage?My throat went dry as the words settled in. "Josh," I said carefully, trying to gauge his expression. "Is there something wrong with my skin?"He just stood there, staring at me, his gaze making me feel strangely exposed—like he was assessing every flaw, every imperfection."And why can’t I chat with people?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.His jaw tightened. He took a step forward, closing the space between us. "You want to be Mrs. Josh?"

I felt like vomiting at his sinful words I clenched the hem of my dress, biting down on my lip to keep myself from saying something I’d regret. My chest tightened with frustration, but what could I do? Right now, I was under Josh’s control, whether I liked it or not.The way he looked at me as if I was some liar he couldn’t trust and it made my stomach twist. I wanted to scream at him and tell him I never went to see Kenneth, but the words lodged in my throat like a blade.Josh let out a sharp sigh, his gaze flickering with something unreadable. For a moment, I thought he might say something else, but then his expression hardened."You know what? Just do as it suits you."His voice was cold, detached, but I caught the brief sign of irritation on his face before he turned away. Like he wanted to believe he didn’t care, but deep down, maybe he did.The door clicked shut behind him, and the tension in my body finally broke. My legs felt weak, and I leaned against the wall, sucking in a