Paper Rings & Cold Wars

If someone had told me a month ago that I’d be fake-marrying the most arrogant man alive, I would’ve laughed. And then probably cried. And then checked myself into therapy. But here I was, standing in a twenty-story office that smelled like old money and new lawsuits, staring at Jeon Jungkook—the man I hated on sight—while he calmly proposed marriage. Not love. Not a date. Not even drinks. Marriage. “You’re joking,” I said flatly, arms crossed. Jungkook didn’t look up from his tablet. His jaw flexed once, dark hair falling slightly over his forehead as he signed something with an expensive-looking pen. “I don’t joke, Miss Y/N. Especially not about legally binding contracts.” My heart thudded. Let me rewind. One Week Ago – At a Gala My life started crumbling the second my family called me with news that the house—our house—was being sold. Too many debts. Too little time. I’d been working my ass off as an executive assistant in a corporate hellhole, hoping for a promotion, trying to hold things together. And then Mina, my best friend (and chaos incarnate), dragged me to a high-society charity gala. “Dress up,” she said. “Network. Someone rich might pity-hire you.” Spoiler: someone rich did not hire me. But I did accidentally spill a glass of red wine on one of Korea’s most powerful CEOs. His shirt? White. His stare? Ice. His words? Venom. “Next time you want attention, try something less... juvenile,” he’d said coldly, brushing past me like I didn’t exist. Jungkook Jeon. Arrogant. Insufferable. Beautiful, unfortunately. I hadn’t thought I’d ever see him again. Until today. Back to Now – His Office “You’re insane,” I said, still frozen. “You insulted me a week ago. You don’t know me. Why the hell would you want to marry me?” He looked up then. Slowly. Dark eyes, emotionless but focused. Like he was solving a puzzle and I was just a piece. “Because you’re forgettable,” he said. I blinked. He continued, as if he hadn’t just stabbed my pride in the throat. “You don’t seek attention. You don’t gossip. You’re unremarkable enough to not raise suspicion but competent enough to play the role.” I almost lunged across the desk. “Unremarkable?!” He raised a brow. “You want a compliment or a way to save your house?” I went quiet. He leaned back. “Here’s the deal. My board wants me married before the end of the quarter. Investors want stability. They’re pushing too hard. This buys me peace and time. You get financial security. I pay your family’s debt. One year. No strings.” I couldn’t believe it. “You think I’m just going to marry you for money?” He shrugged. “Isn’t that what marriage usually is?” There was a silence so thick I could barely breathe through it. He tapped the desk once. “You have 48 hours to decide. If not you, I’ll find someone else.” I stood slowly, the chair legs screeching behind me. “You’re really something, Jeon.” He looked at me, calm as ever. “That’s what they say.” I walked out without looking back. But the worst part? The part that made my stomach twist? He was right. I did need this.