Chapter 8

His words stop me in my tracks, and I mentally count to five and try and reel in my internal reaction. Breathing slowly as my hands start to tremble, I stop the impulse to yell at him that he still behaves like one.

This isn’t the first time he’s said these words to me, and it angers me that despite telling him not to say it anymore, here we are again. The wounding pain of knowing that, no, Jyeon doesn’t love me, and I’ve known it since forever, but I still don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to listen to them; I don’t want the burden of his feelings on top of me along with everything else I carry every day, and I don’t need his reminder that his brother married me out of duty and never once felt more than resentment for it.

“You’re drunk. Go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. Let it go.” I don’t wait for his response or give him time to follow me and march out of the room and through our lounge to head for the main winding staircase. I pass by Emily on the way and sna