CHAPTER 4: WHELVE

As Eunha arrived back home, she was taken aback to find Jake in her living room, waiting for her. He sat in one of the couches, a stern expression on his face.

"Back from your little outing, I see," he said, his voice betraying a hint of annoyance.

Eunha was slightly taken aback by Jake's presence in her house, but she tried to hide her surprise. "Yes, I was out with a friend," she replied, trying to keep her tone casual.

"A boy, I presume?" Jake asked, his eyes narrowing. He leaned forward in his seat, his gaze fixed on her face. Eunha could sense the jealousy and possessiveness in his tone.

"Yes, a male friend," she admitted, feeling a pang of annoyance at Jake's questioning. "Why does it matter?"

Jake's irritation was growing with each second. "You shouldn't be spending time with other boys. We're betrothed, remember? You belong to me." His words were possessive and controlling, leaving no room for argument.

Eunha bristled at his statement. "I don't belong to anyone," she retorted, her voice sharp. "I can spend time with whomever I want, Jake. You don't own me."

"Oh, don't I?" Jake shot back, his tone sarcastic. "I'll remind you that we're getting married, whether you like it or not. If you think I'm going to sit back and let you galavant around with other men, you're sorely mistaken."

Eunha clenched her fists at her sides, her annoyance growing by the second. "You have no right to tell me who I can and can't spend time with," she snapped. "We're not married yet, and even if we were, I'm not your puppet to control."

In her anger and frustration, Eunha couldn't hold back her words. "You know what?" she said, her voice rising. "I know exactly what you get up to abroad. Don't pretend like you've been loyal to me. I'm not blind, Jake."

Jake's eyes widened with surprise at her accusation. He had been careful to keep his exploits abroad a secret from her. But clearly, she had found out. He tried to maintain his cool demeanor, but it was difficult in the face of her anger.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, feigning ignorance. He knew exactly what she was referring to, but he wasn't ready to admit it just yet.

"Cut the act," she hissed, her voice cold. "You think I don't know about all the women you've been seeing? How stupid do you think I am?"

She saw a flash of guilt in his eyes, confirming her suspicions. Jake's mask of indifference started to slip, and he looked uncomfortable. He knew he had been caught. But he still tried to deflect.

"Those women mean nothing to me," he said, his voice defensive. "It's just harmless fun. You know that."

Eunha snorted at his words. "Harmless fun, huh? How would you feel if the roles were reversed and I was the one entertaining other men?"

Jake bristled at her question, his jealousy flaring up once more. "That's different," he snapped, his eyes narrowing. "You're mine. I don't want you around other men."

"So you can have your fun while I'm expected to remain faithful to a man I barely know? How convenient for you." Eunha's tone was full of sarcasm.

Jake flinched at her words, knowing that she had a point. But his pride wouldn't let him admit it. "You're my future wife," he shot back. "It's not the same thing."

"You're right," Eunha agreed, her voice dripping with anger. "It's not the same thing at all. I actually have integrity and respect for our relationship. Something you seem to lack entirely."

Jake's irritation flared at her accusations. But deep down, he knew she was right. He had treated their relationship with little regard, putting his own desires above her feelings. But his arrogance wouldn't let him admit that much.

"You think you're so much better than me, don't you?" he said, his voice bitter. "Just because you've been the perfect little princess, keeping yourself chaste and pure. Well, not everyone is as innocent as you, darling."

Eunha felt a pang of hurt at his words, but her anger quickly took over. She would not let him belittle her like that. "At least I haven't betrayed someone who trusted me," she countered, her voice steady despite her anger.

Jake sneered at her response. "Trust? You think you trusted me? You hardly know me, sweetheart." He took a step closer to her, his expression darkening.

"I know enough," she retorted, refusing to back down. "I know that you're selfish, entitled, and manipulative. You only care about yourself and what you want."

Jake's irritation boiled over at her words. "If I ever find you hanging out with another guy again," he threatened, his voice harsh, "there will be consequences. You're my fiancée, not some free spirit who can do as she pleases. You answer to me, and me alone. Got it?"

Jake gave her one last glare before turning on his heel and striding towards the exit. "This conversation isn't over," he said over his shoulder. "I'll be watching you, sweetheart. Don't forget that."

Eunha watched him go, her heart racing in anger and frustration. Part of her wanted to shout after him, to give him a piece of her mind. But she knew it was pointless. Jake was too stubborn and arrogant to listen.

Jake's timing was intentional. He knew that Eunha's parents were away on business, leaving her alone in the house. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to confront her and remind her of her "place" in their relationship.

Had her parents been home, he wouldn't have been able to barge into the house unannounced and talk to Eunha like he did. He chose that moment precisely because he knew he could get her alone and assert his control over her.

Jake's behavior was manipulative and overbearing, but he saw it as his right. As the future husband, he felt he had the authority to dictate what his fiancée could and couldn't do.

Eunha was seething as she made her way to her room. She couldn't believe the nerve of that man, barging into her house uninvited and threatening her. She had always known that Jake was bossy and possessive, but this encounter had really opened her eyes to his true colors.

Once she got to her room, she closed the door behind her and threw herself onto her bed, burying her face in a pillow. She wanted to scream and curse, to let out all the anger and frustration she was feeling. But she also wanted to curl up under the covers and cry.

The thought of being tied to Jake for the rest of her life was unbearable. How had she ever agreed to this engagement? She didn't love him. She barely even liked him. They had nothing in common, except for their respective family's wealth and status.

Eunha couldn't stop thinking about Sunghoon. He was the complete opposite of Jake. Sweet, kind, and respectful. He treated her as an equal, not as some possession to be controlled. She found her thoughts drifting to him more and more, wishing he was there to comfort her.

The weight of the situation with Jake was suffocating, and she longed for someone to understand her feelings. She wished she could talk to Sunghoon about it, to have his kind smile and gentle words ease the pain in her heart.

But she knew it was impossible. Sunghoon was just a friend. He didn't know about her engagement, and even if he did, she couldn't burden him with her troubles. She didn't want to risk losing his friendship by unloading all her issues onto him.

She felt trapped, stuck between the reality of her situation and the longing for something different. She wished there was a way out of the mess she found herself in, a way to change everything. But she knew it was too late to back out of the engagement. Her parents would never allow it.

The walls of her room seemed to close in on her, suffocating her. She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. But they came anyway, rolling down her cheeks as she let out a soft sob.

She was alone, stuck with her thoughts and her misery. She couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness and despair. The only person who could make her feel better was the one person she couldn't turn to. And that just made the pain even more unbearable.

Eunha wrapped her arms around herself, seeking comfort in the only way she could. She felt like a prisoner in her own life, forced to follow a path she didn't choose. She wanted to scream, to fight back, to break free from the chains that bound her. But she didn't know how.

She lay there in the darkness, her tears silently falling onto her pillow. She felt lost, trapped, and hopeless. The only light at the end of the tunnel was the thought of Sunghoon. His smile, his kindness, his presence, all served to soothe her troubled heart.

Despite the knowledge that she couldn't have more than friendship with him, the thought of him gave her comfort. It was a bittersweet comfort, knowing that she could never pursue a relationship with the one person who made her feel alive.

The night seemed to stretch on forever, as Eunha lay there, trapped in her thoughts and her misery. The silence felt heavy and suffocating, broken only by the occasional sound of her soft sobs.

The morning light began to filter through her window, but it brought no comfort to her heart. She felt even more miserable in the harsh light of day. Her eyes were puffy and red, her hair tousled from tossing and turning all night.

The weight of the previous day's events still hung heavily on her shoulders. She dreaded facing the day, having to put on a brave face and act like everything was fine. But deep down, she knew it was all a facade. She was far from fine.

Eunha got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, hoping to wash away the physical signs of her emotional turmoil. But no amount of water could erase the pain in her heart.

As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she hardly recognized herself. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed and dull. It was as if all the light and joy had been sucked out of her.

She tried to compose herself, straightening her hair and fixing her makeup as best as she could. But it was a futile effort. The facade could only hide so much. Her hollow eyes and forced smile betrayed the turmoil within.

She left the bathroom and made her way downstairs, steeling herself for the day ahead. She put on a brave face, but inside, she felt like she was slowly crumbling.

Her mother was already in the kitchen, cooking breakfast, when Eunha entered. Her mother took one look at her and immediately knew something was wrong.

"Eunha, dear," her mother said, concern etched on her face, "you look like you've had a rough night. Is everything alright?"

Eunha tried to brush off her mother's concern with a small smile. "I'm fine, mom," she lied, her voice somewhat shaky. "Just had a hard time sleeping, is all."

Her mother gave her a skeptical look. "I can tell when something's bothering you, my dear," she said, placing a gentle hand on Eunha's cheek. "You know you can talk to me, right? Is something troubling you?"

Eunha felt a pang of guilt at her mother's words. She knew her mother was only trying to help, but she couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth about Jake.

"It's nothing, mom," she insisted, forcing another smile. "Just some personal stuff I'm dealing with."

Her mother gave her a disapproving look, sensing there was more to the story. "Eunha," she said sternly, "I know you're hiding something from me. It's not healthy to keep your feelings bottled up."

Eunha wracked her brain for an excuse and came up with the first thing that popped into her head. "It's just my period," she lied, trying to sound casual. "You know how it can affect my mood."

Her mother looked unconvinced. "Eunha, I've seen you during your period before," she said gently. "This isn't like that. You look like you didn't sleep at all last night."

Eunha's mind raced for another excuse. "I just had some nightmares, that's all," she said, hoping her mother would buy it. "I guess they threw off my sleep pattern."

Her mother's eyes narrowed, clearly not convinced by her explanation. "Honey, you've never had trouble sleeping like this before," she said, her voice gently probing. "Are you sure there's not something else bothering you?"

Eunha felt trapped. Her mother was too perceptive for her own good. She couldn't admit the truth about Jake, especially not to her. She tried to change the subject.

"It's really nothing, mom," she insisted again. "I'll be fine, I just need some time to clear my head."

Her mother wanted to press the issue, but she knew her daughter well enough to know when to push and when to let go. Reluctantly, her mother changed the subject.

"School will be starting soon," she said, placing a plate with breakfast on the table. "You should eat something before you go."

Eunha sat down at the table, forcing herself to eat a few bites. The food tasted like cardboard in her mouth, but she knew she needed something in her stomach.

Her mother watched her with a mixture of concern and resignation. She knew there was nothing she could do to help if her daughter refused to open up. She could only hope that whatever was troubling Eunha would pass soon.

Finally, after a few bites, Eunha pushed the plate away, her appetite gone. "I should get ready for school," she mumbled, standing up from the table.

Her mother nodded, but her eyes reflected the worry she felt for her daughter. "You take care, alright?" she said, her voice tinged with concern. "And remember, you can always talk to me if you need to."

Eunha managed a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I will, mom," she lied, knowing she wouldn't be telling her anything. "Thanks for breakfast."

With that, Eunha left the kitchen and headed upstairs to get ready for school. The thought of facing her peers and putting on a happy front exhausted her. She just wanted to curl up in her bed and escape from the world.

But she knew she couldn't do that. She had to keep up appearances, to hide the turmoil inside her. As she got ready, she tried her best to look normal, masking her puffy eyes and pale complexion with makeup.