CHAPTER 9 — HIS WORLD
1104 Words
The fever disappeared after three days.
Unfortunately, so did Jungkook's softer side.
The moment Aarya recovered, he returned to being his usual irritating, controlling self.
Which was honestly disappointing.
Not that she cared.
At all.
Definitely not.
"Stop staring."
Aarya blinked.
Jungkook looked up from his laptop.
One eyebrow raised.
She immediately looked away.
"I wasn't staring."
"You were."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
She groaned.
"Why are you always right there?"
His lips twitched slightly.
"Because I live here."
Aarya threw a cushion at him.
This time it actually hit.
Victory.
Small victory.
But still victory.
Unfortunately, Jungkook looked completely unimpressed.
"Feel better?"
"No."
"Liar."
She hated how easily he read her.
Later that afternoon—
something unusual happened.
Jungkook received a call.
Aarya noticed the change immediately.
His posture straightened.
His eyes darkened.
The warmth vanished.
The atmosphere shifted.
Danger entered the room.
Just like that.
"Understood."
His voice was cold.
Sharp.
Deadly.
Not the voice he used around her.
This voice belonged to someone else.
Someone far more dangerous.
The call ended.
Jungkook stood.
"I'm leaving."
Aarya frowned.
"For?"
"Work."
She rolled her eyes.
"Mysterious."
His gaze lingered on her.
Longer than necessary.
"As always."
Then he headed toward the elevator.
Something felt different.
Off.
Aarya couldn't explain why.
But curiosity immediately woke up.
And curiosity was usually the beginning of all her problems.
One hour later—
Aarya found herself standing inside Jungkook's office.
Again.
Rule Number Two was clearly more of a suggestion at this point.
She searched carefully.
Looking through shelves.
Drawers.
Cabinets.
Anything.
Everything.
Because there had to be answers somewhere.
Eventually—
she found a hidden door.
Her heartbeat quickened.
No way.
No way.
Slowly, she pushed it open.
And froze.
The room beyond wasn't an office.
It was a control center.
Large screens covered the walls.
Maps.
Security feeds.
Financial reports.
Photographs.
Information.
Everywhere.
Aarya stepped forward cautiously.
Then she saw a familiar face.
Jungkook.
One of the screens displayed live security footage.
A massive conference room.
Dozens of powerful-looking men seated around a long table.
And at the head—
sat Jungkook.
Her breath caught.
Because this wasn't the man she knew.
This wasn't the man who argued with her over breakfast.
This wasn't the man who sat beside her bed when she was sick.
This man was terrifying.
Every person in the room looked nervous.
Nobody interrupted him.
Nobody challenged him.
Nobody even seemed comfortable breathing around him.
Jungkook spoke calmly.
The room immediately fell silent.
Absolute silence.
Authority radiated from him.
Effortlessly.
Naturally.
Dangerously.
Aarya couldn't look away.
The meeting continued.
One of the men stood.
Older.
Confident.
At least—
until he started speaking.
Then confidence disappeared.
Because Jungkook's expression darkened.
Instantly.
The room temperature seemed to drop.
Even through a screen.
Aarya felt it.
The man stammered.
Tried explaining something.
Jungkook listened.
Patiently.
Calmly.
Then—
he smiled.
Aarya's stomach dropped.
Not that smile.
Not the dangerous smile.
The one she'd seen the night they met.
The one that always meant trouble.
Every person at the table visibly tensed.
Even through the camera.
And suddenly—
Aarya understood something terrifying.
They were afraid of him.
Truly afraid.
Not respectful.
Not impressed.
Afraid.
The realization sent chills down her spine.
Because this wasn't celebrity influence.
This wasn't wealth.
This was power.
Raw.
Absolute.
Deadly power.
And Jungkook wielded it effortlessly.
Then something happened.
One of the men mentioned a name.
Aarya's name.
The room froze.
So did she.
Wait.
What?
Her heartbeat accelerated.
The man continued speaking.
Jungkook's expression changed immediately.
Cold became colder.
Danger became lethal.
Every trace of patience disappeared.
The atmosphere shifted so dramatically that even the other men looked alarmed.
Aarya couldn't hear every word.
But she caught enough.
"...girl..."
"...weakness..."
"...leverage..."
Silence followed.
A terrible silence.
Then Jungkook stood.
Slowly.
The room seemed to shrink around him.
His gaze swept across everyone present.
And for the first time—
Aarya looked genuinely frightened.
Because she saw exactly what those men feared.
A predator.
A king.
A man who ruled through absolute control.
When Jungkook finally spoke—
his voice was quiet.
Deadly quiet.
"Anyone who touches her..."
The room remained perfectly still.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
"...dies."
Aarya's blood ran cold.
The words weren't emotional.
They weren't dramatic.
They were factual.
A promise.
A certainty.
A law.
And everyone in that room knew it.
The meeting ended shortly afterward.
But Aarya remained frozen.
Staring at the blank screen.
Unable to process what she'd heard.
Hours later—
the penthouse elevator opened.
Jungkook returned.
The moment he stepped inside—
his eyes found her.
As always.
Aarya hated how automatic that seemed.
Like he always looked for her first.
His gaze narrowed slightly.
Noticing something.
"You've been in my office."
Not a question.
A statement.
Aarya sighed.
"Your security system is creepy."
His expression remained unreadable.
"You entered the hidden room."
Again.
Not a question.
She crossed her arms.
"Maybe."
Silence.
Then—
"What did you see?"
For a moment—
she considered lying.
Then decided against it.
"You."
Something flickered across his face.
"What about me?"
Aarya hesitated.
Searching for the right words.
Finally—
"The real you."
The room became silent.
Very silent.
Jungkook stared at her.
Long.
Steady.
Uncomfortable.
Then—
"Which version?"
The question surprised her.
Because it sounded genuine.
Almost vulnerable.
Aarya swallowed.
"The one everyone fears."
His eyes darkened.
Immediately.
"There are reasons for that."
"I know."
A pause.
Then—
"I heard what you said."
Jungkook froze.
Just slightly.
Enough.
The realization hit him instantly.
She'd heard everything.
The threat.
The promise.
The warning.
For several seconds—
neither spoke.
Then finally—
Aarya asked the question that had haunted her all evening.
"Why?"
His gaze locked onto hers.
Dangerously intense.
"Why what?"
"Why do you care so much?"
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence followed.
Heavy silence.
Jungkook looked away first.
A rare occurrence.
Then—
he exhaled slowly.
"Aarya."
Her heartbeat sped up.
"What?"
His eyes returned to hers.
Dark.
Possessive.
Honest.
More honest than she'd ever seen them.
"Some questions are dangerous."
A chill ran through her.
Because somehow—
that sounded less like a warning.
And more like a confession.
One he wasn't ready to make.
Yet.
Far away, in another part of Seoul—
a man studied a photograph.
A photograph of Aarya.
His lips curved slowly.
Dangerously.
"So..."
He leaned back.
Eyes gleaming.
"The king finally has something precious."
The photograph remained in his hand.
As a cold smile spread across his face.
"Let's see what happens when we take it away."
- Writer
