But instead of replying, Mr. Min walked over and gently began removing her shoes. Surprised, she quickly sat up a little. “No, Father, don’t…”

He simply smiled, his voice warm and filled with affection. “Let it be, Princess. For me, you’re still my five-year-old child.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile at his words. For a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to just be his daughter, not the bold, untouchable Rose the world saw.

“Thank you, daughter,” Mr. Min said quietly, his eyes glistening with pride, “for coming with me today.”

She sighed lightly and leaned back again. “Let it be, Father. I enjoyed it too.” Then, with a faint smile, she added, “Now it’s late… please go and take rest, Dad.”

Mr. Min gave her one last fond look before leaving the room, the quiet click of the door sealing the warmth of their bond.

That night, while Rose slipped into peaceful sleep, Jungkook sat alone in his penthouse suite. The city lights glimmered below, but his mind wasn’t on the skyline—it was on her.

He leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on his glass of whiskey, the other tapping lightly against the table. Images of her kept replaying—her confident walk into the hall, the fearless way she had dismissed him, her bold declaration of making her own rules. And then, the last image—her bending gracefully to tie her laces, looking every bit like a dream, a princess untouched by the world’s noise.

He chuckled lowly, shaking his head. “Rose Min…” he whispered her name under his breath, as if testing how it sounded on his tongue. There was something about her—something no other woman had.

Her indifference wasn’t an insult to him; it was an invitation. The more she ignored him, the more he found himself drawn in. He wasn’t used to being overlooked, and yet she had walked right past him as if he were nobody.

His smirk deepened. “You think I’m nothing to you, Rose,” he murmured, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, “but soon enough… you won’t be able to ignore me.”

While Rose drifted further into her dreams, safe in her father’s mansion, Jungkook stayed restless, her presence burning in his mind like a fire he couldn’t put out.

The next morning, life in the Min mansion carried on as usual. Rose returned to her routine—reading the day’s reports, practicing her sketches in her quiet studio, and ignoring the world outside her walls. She had no idea that someone, far from being ignored, was planning his every step toward her.

In his office, Jungkook leaned back in his leather chair, a dark glint in his eyes. His mind was clear with a single thought:

I want her.

Even if she doesn’t want me.

He had decided—it wasn’t a question of “if” anymore, only “when.”

Days turned into weeks. Rose remained blissfully unaware of the storm quietly building around her.

Then, three weeks later, Mr. Min’s phone rang. The caller ID flashed: Jeon Jungkook.

Mr. Min picked up, his voice steady. “Hello?”

“Mr. Min,” Jungkook’s deep voice came through, smooth yet commanding, “I want a meeting with you. Today. Make time.”

The tone wasn’t a request. It was an order.

Mr. Min’s brows furrowed. “Alright… I’ll come.”

When the call ended, he sat back in his chair, uneasy. Something in Jungkook’s voice told him this meeting wasn’t just about business

Mr. Min spent the whole drive wondering what Jungkook wanted. His tone on the phone had been too sharp, too final. When he entered Jungkook’s office, the younger man was already waiting, seated with his usual air of dominance.

Jungkook rose slowly, smirking.

“Ah, Mr. Min. Good to see you. I’ll come straight to the point. I’ve decided to untie my bond with your company.”

The words hit like a hammer. Mr. Min froze. “What? Jungkook—why? What happened suddenly?”

Jungkook leaned back in his chair, his smirk never fading. “Nothing happened. I just don’t want to keep this deal anymore.”

Mr. Min’s chest tightened. He knew the consequences—if Jungkook pulled out, more than half his company shares would collapse. Everything he had built with years of blood, sweat, and sacrifice would shatter overnight.

“Please, Jungkook,” Mr. Min said desperately, his voice heavier than usual. “There must be another way. Don’t untie this bond. I’ve worked too hard for this company you already know and understand.”

Jungkook tilted his head, eyes narrowing with satisfaction. “Another way?” He let the silence linger for a moment before leaning forward, his voice low and deliberate. “Yes… there is a way.”