CHAPTER 16 - BETWEEN RAGE AND REALIZATION .

Chapter sixteen - Between Rage And Realization .

One bright afternoon, while Haera was out shopping under the close watch of her guards, she unexpectedly ran into someone from her past—Demian.

The moment Demian caught sight of her, his eyes lit up with disbelief. Without a second thought, he strode toward her. Haera, startled but trying to remain calm, attempted to walk past him, but he quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

Her entire body stiffened. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want anything to do with him.

Her guards instinctively stepped between them, forming a protective wall, sensing her discomfort. Apart from Ethan, any man's touch caused her to recoil—her trauma too deep to allow closeness. Demian should have known better.

"Haera! It's been so long," he said breathlessly, his eyes scanning her face. "I heard you went missing. I was so worried. I thought I'd never see you again."

Haera shot him a look of cold disgust. "Well, as you can see, I'm doing just fine. So please, move."

She tried to pass him, but Demian reached out and grabbed her hand.

Haera instantly yanked it back, sweeping his hand away as if he were something foul.

At that exact moment, Ethan—who had just learned from Jace that Haera was shopping at the mall—decided to surprise her and pick her up himself. As fate would have it, he arrived just in time to witness Demian's hand brushing against Haera's.

His blood boiled.

Before Ethan could approach, he watched carefully from a distance, his clenched fists shaking by his sides.

"How dare you touch me?" Haera spat. "Demian, let me make one thing clear. I'm married. So stop this nonsense. My husband won't like it."

She fiercely wiped her hand against her dress, as if trying to erase the very memory of his touch. But strangely, this time… there was no episode. No dizziness. No panicked breath. Just a hollow feeling of discomfort.

"No—no, Haera. You must be joking," Demian said in disbelief. "I know you're angry at me, but please, don't joke about being married. That's too cruel."

Before she could respond, Demian did something that shocked even the guards—he stepped forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her into a sudden, forceful hug.

Haera gasped, trying to push him away.

"Let me go!" she yelled, struggling in his grip.

The guards immediately moved, but remembered Ethan's strict command: Never touch Madam Haera. That rule now restrained them, making it impossible to pry her free without breaking orders. They paced nervously around her, unsure what to do.

"Demian, let go of me this instant!" Haera screamed, her voice trembling with rage.

And then—

"Let her go," came a deep, cold voice behind them.

Everyone froze.

Ethan stormed straight up to Demian and yanked him away from Haera without hesitation. Without a word, he landed a fierce punch across Demian's jaw, grabbing his collar and pulling him forward. Demian's head jerked to the side, and when he looked up at the man who had just hit him, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Ethan Kang?" he gasped.

Ethan's voice was low and dangerous, seething with rage. "How dare you touch my woman."

"You've crossed a line I can't forgive," Ethan said, his voice low and dangerous as his temper flared. His hand moved to his waist, reaching for something no one ever dared him to use.

Demian's face turned pale, fear crawling over his features. Even the guards, including Jace, instinctively stepped back — they had seen what Ethan was capable of when pushed too far.

"M-Mr. Kang, please," Demian stammered, his voice trembling. "This is between me and my fiancée. She's not your woman!"

"Fiancée... wow," Ethan muttered with a cold, bitter laugh as he slowly turned toward her. Haera's eyes widened as she began to shake her head.

"Ethan, no. Don't do this," she pleaded, her voice trembling as she realized what he was about to do.

Without another word, Ethan spun around and struck Demian down with the blunt edge of his weapon, the impact echoing through the tense silence.

quickly grabbed Ethan's hand. "Stop it. You'll kill him. Just let him go," she pleaded, her voice filled with worry.

"Haera, why are you protecting him? Are you scared I'll actually kill him?" Ethan snapped, fury burning in his eyes. He grabbed her shoulders tightly, his weapon still clenched in one hand.

"Ethan! You're hurting me!" she cried, trying to pull away. But he didn't let go.

"Tell me!" he shouted. "Are you trying to protect him? Do… do you like him?"

Without waiting for her response, Ethan turned sharply, grabbed Demian by the collar, and yanked him to his feet. "Now listen," he growled. "Haera is my wife. She's Mrs. Kang—not your fiancée."

With that, he shoved Demian backward and stormed out of the mall, his fury radiating behind him like a storm. Haera stood frozen for a second, her chest heaving. She glanced at Demian, who looked too stunned to speak.

"It serves you right," she muttered before turning away. Her guards followed her silently.

She thought Ethan would wait for her outside.

But he didn't.

And that made her even more upset.

Ethan reached the house first. Moments later, Haera arrived and rushed after him, catching up just as he stepped through the villa's front door. She grabbed his hand from behind.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you suddenly so angry?" she asked, breathless and concerned.

Ethan turned sharply to face her, his expression stormy.

"Why did you protect him back there? Why didn't you let me finish him off, huh? Do you still have feelings for him?" he snapped, his voice rising. "Don't even think about that. You're married to me—mine alone. No one dares to touch you!"

His eyes were red, his hands trembling with fury.

Haera stared at him, heart pounding. Then—smack—she slapped him hard across the face. Tears spilled from her eyes as her voice cracked.

"So you think I'm that cheap? Is that how you see me? A cheat?" she cried. "Listen to me—I'm a married woman, and I've only ever been faithful to my husband. That husband is you, Ethan! I vowed before God to stay with you, to never betray you. Do you think I'd lie to God?"

She stepped back, pain carved into every word. "This is unbelievable, Ethan. You should know me by now… It's been a year."

Ethan froze.

As her tears fell freely, his anger dissolved. His hands dropped to his sides, and all that remained in his eyes was regret.

Ethan took a hesitant step closer and gently cupped Haera's tear-streaked face in his hands.

"Hey... Haera, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Please, stop crying," he whispered, his thumbs brushing away her tears. "I overstepped. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that."

But Haera pulled away, pushing his hands aside as fresh pain filled her eyes. She turned to walk toward her room, but Ethan grabbed her hand.

"Please… forgive me," he said, his voice low and full of regret.

Haera yanked her hand free. "Save it," she muttered coldly, then stormed off to her room without looking back.

Ethan stood there, frozen in place, frustration rising like a fire in his chest. Without thinking, he turned and punched the wall—once, twice, over and over again—until his knuckles were bloodied and raw. Breathing heavily, he finally trudged off to his own room, pain echoing louder than words.

From a quiet corner, Mrs. Lee watched the entire exchange. She remained still, silently observing, choosing not to interfere.

In her room, Haera collapsed onto the bed. Angry tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in her pillow. Her heart throbbed with a mix of betrayal and heartbreak.

That night at dinner, the tension was unbearable. Haera sat across from Ethan, her face void of emotion. She didn't glance at him once.

Ethan tried to speak, to bridge the silence. "Haera, please—"

"Let's not do this here," she cut in flatly. "We're here to eat. So please."

Her words were calm, but her tone was icy. Ethan fell silent, the weight of her indifference pressing down on him like a stone.

After dinner, Haera rose from the table and walked away before he could say another word. Ethan remained seated, watching her leave—his heart sinking deeper into the hollow space she left behind.

💬 Call to Action (CTA):

💔 What do you think about Ethan's outburst and Haera's reaction?

📝 Was Haera right to walk away, or should she have forgiven him?

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🖋️ Author's Note:

This chapter was an emotional rollercoaster to write! Ethan and Haera's relationship is being tested in ways neither of them saw coming. Misunderstandings, pride, and unresolved emotions are pulling them apart — but will love be enough to bring them back together?

Thank you so much for reading this far. Your support truly means the world to me. Every comment, vote, and share brings Haera and Ethan's story to more hearts. ❤️

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🌟 Promotional Extras:

📚 More coming soon! Keep an eye out for the next chapter — it's going to stir even deeper emotions.

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