Heart Strings | Jungkook ff

Chap 4• Into the Lion's Den

"So, how's it going, Madeline?" Chae-young asked, a grin clear in her voice as she spoke through the phone. I could practically see her rolling her eyes at my disguise.

I sighed, pacing back and forth in front of the Jeon Marine Group building. "I'm in way over my head. I barely survived that meeting."

"Barely?" she teased. "You didn't faint or mess up, right?"

"Thankfully no, but the more I talk to these people, the more I'm realizing this whole charade is way riskier than I thought."

I pulled at the blonde wig nervously, making sure it was still in place. In all honesty, I was surprised nobody had sniffed out that I was an imposter. But how long could I keep fooling them? Jungkook's icy demeanor was unnerving, and Jimin... well, let's just say he seemed way too observant for my liking. The guy was polite, but I could feel him analyzing me. It was as if he knew I wasn't the real deal, but was waiting to catch me in the act.

"Seo-jin, you can't chicken out now. You've made it this far, and you've got to keep going. Two months, remember? You can do this," Chae-young reassured me. "Also, you owe me bubble tea for pushing you into this crazy mission."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Bubble tea and whatever else you want if I make it out alive. Anyway, I need to go. They're probably watching every move I make."

As I hung up the call, I took a deep breath and stared up at the imposing glass building looming over me. *Jeon Marine Group*. It was sleek, modern, and intimidating. And inside it, hidden beneath all that polished professionalism, was the secret I needed to uncover.

I didn't even know where to start. Was Jungkook involved? Did he know his family was potentially involved in something illegal, or was he just another pawn like me, swept up in this tangled mess? I had to find out without tipping anyone off to the fact that I wasn't really the daughter of some wealthy business tycoon from Busan.

With one last glance at my reflection in the window, I squared my shoulders and walked into the building like I owned the place. Confidence was key, right?

The receptionist greeted me with a warm smile, apparently used to seeing "Madeline Kim" walk in and out of here. "Good morning, Ms. Kim. You have an appointment on the 12th floor with Mr. Jeon today."

My heart skipped a beat. *Another meeting with Jungkook already?* He had barely looked at me during the last one, but the way he said my name had stuck with me. His voice had this strange way of making me feel both nervous and intrigued. And it wasn't just his voice-it was the way he carried himself, the air of mystery around him. I had to stay focused. This wasn't the time to be distracted by his ridiculously good looks.

"Right, thank you," I replied, giving her a polite smile. I stepped into the elevator, the familiar dinging sound doing nothing to calm my nerves as the doors slid shut.

As I ascended to the 12th floor, I mentally prepared myself for the possibility of more probing questions from Jungkook or, worse, Jimin. I could handle Jungkook's coldness, but Jimin's perceptiveness was something I wasn't ready to face.

The elevator opened, and I stepped into the sleek, minimalist office area. Glass walls, polished floors, everything here screamed wealth and power. I was ushered into a conference room where Jungkook and Jimin were already waiting. Jungkook was seated at the head of the table, casually scrolling through his phone, while Jimin stood near the window, his arms crossed.

The moment I entered, Jungkook glanced up from his phone, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "Ms. Kim," he greeted in his usual cool tone.

"Mr. Jeon," I replied, as smoothly as I could, though I felt the usual butterflies doing a full-on gymnastics routine in my stomach.

Jimin's gaze flicked toward me, his expression unreadable. "Ms. Kim, we're glad you could make it. We have some business matters to discuss regarding the upcoming merger."

I swallowed hard, nodding like I knew exactly what that meant. "Of course."

As the meeting began, I took a seat next to Jimin, trying to keep my cool. They started discussing financials, stock prices, projections-things that made my brain want to shut down. I scribbled a few notes to look busy, but I was mostly just trying to avoid any eye contact with Jungkook. It was like he could see right through me, and I didn't need that kind of pressure.

"So, Ms. Kim," Jimin said suddenly, breaking me out of my reverie. His eyes were sharp, his tone casual but with a hint of curiosity. "What are your thoughts on the overseas expansion plan?"

I blinked. Oh no. I had no idea what the overseas expansion plan was. For all I knew, they could be talking about expanding their operations to Mars.

"Well..." I started, trying to buy time. "I think it's... ambitious."

Jimin arched an eyebrow. "Ambitious, huh?"

I nodded. "Yes, definitely ambitious. It's a bold move, but one that could really pay off if executed correctly."

Jungkook, who had been mostly silent up until now, gave me a fleeting glance, his expression still unreadable. "Interesting perspective."

I managed a weak smile. "Thank you."

The rest of the meeting dragged on, with Jimin throwing the occasional question my way, each one making me sweat just a little more. By the time it was over, I was ready to collapse.

As I stood to leave, Jungkook spoke again, his voice low. "Ms. Kim, I'd like to have a word with you. Privately."

My heart skipped a beat. *Oh no.* Had I said something wrong? Had I blown my cover already?

I nodded, trying to appear calm. "Of course."

Jimin gave me a curious look before leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Now it was just me and Jungkook, standing in the center of the large, empty conference room.

Jungkook leaned back against the table, crossing his arms as he looked at me. His gaze was intense, as if he was trying to figure something out.

"You don't seem like the woman I've heard about," he said, his voice slow and deliberate.

I froze, my pulse quickening. "What do you mean?"

Jungkook tilted his head slightly. "Madeline Kim. From what I've heard, she's... different. Bolder. More direct."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "People change."

He didn't respond right away, just continued to study me with those piercing eyes. Finally, he pushed himself off the table and walked toward me. I forced myself to hold my ground, even though my instinct was to back away.

"Be careful, Ms. Kim," he said quietly, his voice low and almost... warning.

"Careful?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook's lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "The Jeon family isn't known for their mercy."

And with that cryptic statement, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, heart racing, as I tried to figure out what just happened.

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