The party was on a full swing. Joy came downstairs with Hera. Each of them went to their fiance side. Taehyung took her hand gently in his and caressed her wrist as he watched her reaction. She had a poker face on, but her pulse was speeding up. No matter how much she wanted to seem brave, it was a hopeless try at the end of the day.
"Why isn't Officer Park here? Joy used to tell me about her devoted parents all the time." Taehyung pushed the knife deeper into her chest and she scratched his palm with her nails.
"Who would want to see the face which landed my friend into a series of courtroom trials?" Mr Ji looked bitter. "We invested in a failure."
"A failure which saved your daughter's life again and again." Baekhyun chirped, raising a glass in Joy's direction. "No offence, but sister in law actually saved your daughter from herself. Hera has a way of getting into troubles."
"Excuse me?" Yeonjun asked sharply. He had been staying silent to his boss's order, but the Sal-inja consigliere had a way of provoking him.
"You're excused." Taehyung gestured him to leave.
Mr Ji flushed with anger. "You-"
"Today, I will put this ring on her finger, and then my word is the law, not yours." The Capo stepped forward to level Mujabihan Capo. "Disrespect my other half again, and you'll see who pay for it."
Resignation filled Hera's face, and her shoulders slumped, but she caught herself quickly and straightened again. Taehyung was threatening her father with her life, and it was a horrible for her to see this game of ego clashing. She knew that her father didn't care about her as she had first thought. Her brother, Yeonjun did.
The rings were exchanged and congratulations spread out. Suho hugged Joy but not Hera. He didn't talk to any Familia members. Just his sister. Then he went to Irene and offered her his hand for the dance. She took it and gave him a smile. Irene was a good actress. If it hadn’t been for the slight tension in her fingers and the acceleration of her pulse, he might have believed her expression.
Taehyung smirked and took Joy on the floor as well. Suho was trying to irritate him by showing how much control he had over the precious cousin of Taehyung. The bastard definitely did his homework to know that Irene meant world to him.
Pulling Joy against him, they began to dance. She was easy to steer, took his lead, and kept up a pleasant smile. "Your cousin is the only family member who actually cares about you."
Her gaze flew up to his, and her expression faltered. "You've made your point on my family enough tonight, Capo."
"Did I hit a nerve?"
Joy glanced at Irene and Suho. "You made my cousin like you. He was a-"
"Saint. Yup. I know." Taehyung knew of Suho, he definitely was one of the cruelest men in political circles, but Joy probably had limited knowledge when it came to her cousin's business habits.
"I hate you," she murmured and made it a point to not look at him for a while. His fingers pressed harder into her wrist.
She risked a peek at him. His eyes were narrowed at her, as if he could see into the deepest, darkest corners of her soul.
"I love your fire, your defiance anywhere but in front of people."
"I don't know what you're talking-"
"Don’t lie to me. I am your Capo now. No disrespect. Got it?"
"You're impossible," she muttered as the song ended. It was Kai who asked for her hand then. She complied and Taehyung went to dance with his cousin.
