Forced marriage

The rain was heavy that night, drumming loudly against the tall windows of the Choi mansion. The air smelled of wet stone and old roses, and the walls seemed to hold secrets that no one dared to speak aloud. Yasmeen stood in the middle of the grand hall, clutching her small bag tightly against her chest. Her white dress hung loosely on her tiny frame, brushing the marble floor as she shifted from foot to foot nervously. Every time she blinked, the light from the enormous chandelier reflected off the walls, making the hall seem even bigger, colder, and more intimidating than it already was.

“Wh-where… is Mr. Soobin…?” she whispered softly, her voice trembling as if the sound itself might shatter the quiet.

The old maid beside her knelt slightly to meet her eyes. “He’ll be here soon, dear. Don’t be scared,” she said gently. Her voice was kind, but it didn’t seem to reach Yasmeen’s heart.

Everything around her was frightening. The walls were tall and sharp, the doors so heavy she could hardly imagine opening them, and the silence… the silence was the loudest sound she had ever heard. Yasmeen’s small hands clutched her bag tighter. She was only sixteen. She had never been outside her small village much, and she didn’t even know what the word “husband” really meant.

She swallowed hard and looked at the large staircase leading to the second floor. Her heart raced. Maybe she should run? But no… she didn’t know where to go. She was trapped in this new world, forced into a life she didn’t understand.

Then, the heavy doors at the end of the hall opened with a deep, echoing creak.

He walked in.

Tall, dark, and terrifyingly calm. Every step he took seemed to command the room. His black suit pressed perfectly against his tall frame, and his eyes, sharp as winter ice, scanned the hall like he could see straight through walls, doors, and even into her very thoughts. Choi Soobin, the mafia heir who had earned fear with a glance and respect with silence. The man everyone whispered about in the streets, the man who had made others obey him without a word.

Yasmeen’s legs trembled, and she instinctively bowed, her voice shaking. “H-hello… I’m Y-Yasmeen…”

Soobin’s eyes barely moved. His gaze landed on her for just a moment — a flicker of recognition, or perhaps annoyance — and then he spoke, his voice low, cold, and final. “You’re the one Grandpa chose?”

Yasmeen nodded, clutching her bag even tighter. “Y-yes… he said… we’re married now.”

He let out a short, bitter laugh. Not a laugh that carried joy or warmth, but one that made the air seem heavier. “You’re just a child. I don’t need a wife.”

Her eyes widened, fear and confusion swimming together. “Oh… I-I can go then…” she whispered, stepping back slightly.

He turned to look at her again, his expression colder this time. “You’re not going anywhere. You’ll stay here because Grandpa wanted it.”

Yasmeen bit her lip, tears threatening to form. She didn’t understand why he was angry. She thought maybe she had done something wrong, or that she wasn’t behaving properly. Her small voice trembled as she spoke again. “I-I can help with cooking… or cleaning… I won’t bother you, sir.”

Soobin didn’t answer. He simply turned away, his back stiff and unyielding, as if her words didn’t exist. “Just stay out of my sight,” he finally said, his voice low but sharp.

The room went quiet again. Yasmeen stood alone in the center of the hall, hugging her bag tighter, trying to make herself invisible in this enormous mansion. The sound of thunder rolled outside, and a flash of lightning illuminated the polished marble floors, reflecting her tiny, trembling figure.

Her eyes wandered over the chandelier above, the intricate designs of the walls, and the endless corridors stretching in every direction. She whispered softly to herself, almost like a prayer:

> “Maybe… he’s not really that scary… maybe he’s just sad.”

Her words were almost swallowed by the quiet of the mansion, but somewhere deep inside, a small part of Soobin, hidden beneath years of coldness and control, heard them. Something flickered — a feeling he hadn’t experienced in years, maybe even decades. A tiny spark of curiosity, a whisper of emotion, stirring in the frozen corners of his heart.

Yasmeen took a hesitant step forward. She wanted to see him smile, to hear a kind word. She wanted to understand this strange, frightening man she was now bound to. She didn’t know that her small, trembling presence, her innocent voice, and her tiny hands holding a simple bag would slowly start to change him.

Soobin stood silent, looking out the window as the rain poured down. He didn’t move, he didn’t speak, but her presence irritated him in a way he couldn’t explain. He didn’t want her here. He didn’t want anyone near him. Yet, for some reason he didn’t understand, he couldn’t ignore her completely.

Outside, the storm raged. Inside, a small, innocent girl and the most feared man in the city were now bound together under the same roof. Neither understood the other fully. Neither knew what would happen next. But one thing was certain — Yasmeen’s world had changed forever, and so had Soobin’s.

Her new life had begun.

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