Chapter5:Forced coexistence

Catherine had been crying for hours in that room, thinking about what was happening to her brother. Anxiety consumed her. She felt such anger at her helplessness in that endless spiral of problems, as if trapped in a nightmare. She got up from the bed, turned on the light, and looked around. The room was simple yet elegant, with an air of sophistication—a large queen bed, which she stared at for over a minute, her face flushing as she thought about his words, "Our honeymoon," spoken in a tone that made her shiver. She felt a cold dread at the thought that he could barge in at any moment, invading her space and taking her by force.

Catherine hugged herself tightly. She was lost, didn’t know what to do, whom to turn to, or whom to tell. The police? He controlled everything; she was sure of it.

She felt defeated.

Catherine sat on the edge of the bed, eyes brimming with sadness, and heard a light knock at the door. She jumped up, startled, and looked at the door.

"Good evening, sorry, ma’am…" the maid said as she entered the room, carrying a suitcase and a few bags of clothes.

Catherine looked at her, not knowing what to say, staring at her in shock.

"Sorry to bother you, Miss Catarina," said the maid softly, placing the clothes on the bed. "Mr. Kim Jaewon asked me to bring these clothes for you. He would like you to join him for dinner."

Catherine forced a weak smile, feeling the weight of loneliness and disillusionment on her shoulders. She nodded without saying a word, standing up with difficulty and moving toward the clothes. She glanced at the bags—high-end stores, she assumed, judging by each label.

"Thank you," she said as the maid left the room. She rummaged through the bags, finding some new clothes and some lingerie.

But a thought crossed her mind; she wouldn’t give in to him, wouldn’t participate in this charade of an arranged and forced marriage. She was a prisoner and wouldn’t be a slave to her tormentor. She threw all the clothes on the floor, scattering them furiously as she cried.

"Does he think he owns me? That he can just snap his fingers, and I’ll obey? To hell with that!" she shouted.

She walked to the large mirror near the dresser, beside one of the doors. One led to a spacious bathroom, the other to a closet filled with cabinets and drawers. She yanked off her tiara and threw it aside, running her hands over her makeup while still crying. No! She wouldn’t surrender.

…

Hours later, Jaewon was sitting at the head of the large eight-seater dining table. The butler poured him another glass of wine, the third one by now. He swirled it before downing it in one gulp.

The maid entered the dining room, placed the last dish on the table, and stood with her head bowed beside the butler.

"Well?" Jaewon asked, looking at the plate before him.

No one answered. He turned to the maid.

"So, where is my wife?" he asked sternly.

The maid swallowed nervously.

"Forgive me, sir. I did as you asked, but she still hasn’t come down."

Jaewon clenched his teeth, struggling to contain his anger. Catherine was truly a stubborn woman.

"Joong-ki," he addressed the butler.

"Yes, sir."

"Serve the dishes. I’ll go and personally retrieve my dear wife."

Jaewon stood up in a burst of anger, tossed the napkin on the table, and strode firmly up the stairs to the upper floor.

…

Catherine took a deep breath, trying to control the sobs that shook her body. She felt exhausted but determined not to give in to despair. She needed to find a way out of this situation. Surveying the room, she realized that the only path to freedom was to find an escape, a plan that would free her from Kim Jaewon’s grasp.

She began pacing around the room, looking for any sign of vulnerability in that controlled environment. She walked to the window and opened it, letting the fresh night air in. The wind caressed her face, bringing a brief moment of relief. She looked down and saw the dizzying height separating her from the ground. Escaping that way seemed impossible, but she couldn’t give up.

Suddenly, she heard a noise at the door. Her heart raced. She was ready to face whoever it was. The door slowly opened, revealing the imposing figure of Kim Jaewon. He entered slowly, closing the door behind him, looking at her with a cold smile, his gaze making her feel even more vulnerable.

"Catarina," he said, his voice firm and controlled, "I see you’re having trouble adapting to your new reality. Come, let’s have dinner and talk." He extended his hand, but she stepped back toward the window.

She pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to scream. She felt like a puppet, every movement controlled by him. She tried to stay calm.

"I don’t want to go; I’m not hungry," she said angrily.

"Of course you are; you haven’t eaten all day, and it’s already night. You need to eat," Jaewon said, trying to keep his cool.

"How could you possibly know what I want or don’t want when you don’t even know me?" Catherine snapped, throwing out her words without thinking.

He chuckled, walking around the room and seeing the clothes scattered across the floor. Jaewon crouched down, picking up a black lace panty, holding it in the air.

"I see you didn’t like my gifts."

Catarina’s face turned red.

"I don’t want anything from you. I want my things."

He raised his eyebrows.

"No, you’ll wear exactly what I buy for you." He took a step toward her but stopped when she backed against the wall. "Now, take off that dress, wash your face, fix your hair, and come down to dinner with me." He commanded.

"I don’t want to!" she said firmly, but her voice trembled.

Jaewon moved toward her, trapping her against the wall, his arms on either side of her, looking her up and down.

"Remember that I’m your husband, so either you do it the easy way, or I’ll do it myself. My way." Jaewon said, clenching his fists in frustration at her defiance.

Catherine swallowed, feeling a shiver and cold dread.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked.

Jaewon smirked, touching the left strap of her dress and slowly sliding it down.

"I’ll undress you myself and drag you to the bathroom to make you look like a proper lady worthy of me." He said, smiling.

Catarina’s eyes widened.

"I have no choice, do I?" she whispered.

Kim Jaewon smiled again, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"No, my dear. You don’t have a choice. Now, go. Enter the bathroom and get ready; I’ll be right here waiting." He stepped back and crouched, picking up a red strapless dress and black lace panties. "Take a shower and wear this."

With trembling hands, Catherine took the items and walked into the bathroom, locking the door. She did as he said. A few minutes later, she emerged, feeling ashamed.

He extended his hand, but Catherine ignored it and left the room with her head held high. Even amid that chaos, she refused to lose her dignity.

As she descended the stairs, her thoughts were in constant turmoil. Every step took her closer to the enemy, but she knew she had to be strong. There would be an opportunity to escape; she just had to find it.

They arrived at the dining room, where a luxuriously set table awaited them. Kim Jaewon indicated a chair, and she sat down, keeping her gaze fixed forward. He sat on the opposite side, his eyes locked on her, studying her every movement.

"I hope you enjoy the dinner," he said, pouring himself some wine. "We have a lot to discuss."

She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the silent battle to come. Inside, a flame of resistance began to burn brighter. No matter how much he tried to dominate her, she would find a way to escape and reclaim her freedom.