An Eye For An Eye
Synopsis: Joshua, a rising self-made millionaire with a sprawling empire that stretches across the country, has caught your father’s eye as the perfect marriage prospect. But when you coldly reject his proposal, you do more than bruise his pride—you ignite something far more dangerous. Joshua is a man accustomed to taking whatever he desires, and your refusal only sharpens his resolve. In his world, no is merely the beginning.
Note: I had this one in my drafts since 2024 and plot wise this is probably my personal favorite for now. I wrote this one much more simple than my usual poetic style so let me know what you think about this style. Also thank you so much to @hiheszach and her friend for beta-reading (censored version of) this work and being so sweet and supportive! Bloody divider by @/k1ssyoursister.
⚠︎ Reader discretion is advised ⚠︎
Your pencil languidly scribbles a crowd of eyes, each one's curve expressing a range of emotions on the foot of your notes.
The conference room currently holds a trio of you; your father and Joshua sat across from your bored self (and its walls outside bear the weight of eager employees trying to peep in for juicy gossip.)
"Your company has been showing promising results, but I heard the funds are getting tighter and tighter, making it harder to expand more in the industry, so I would like to offer land with remarkable quality and location for a very reasonable price," Joshua proposes with a soft smile curving his lips. His pupils remain locked on you even though he's explaining to Mr. Lee, your father.
Your attention is still swimming in your drawings; your hand continues to draw on muscle memory as your mind begins to drift into the numerous galaxies of the world escaping outside of this boring meeting.
"Oh?" Your father sits up straighter, intrigued. "Let's hear your demands," he says.
"I want to marry her," he demands with another smile warming his lips as if you have already agreed to it.
An astonished gasp escapes Mr. Lee, and his gaze shifts to you. "Are you serious? You want to marry my only princess?" Your father asks with evident excitement leaking through his words.
You roll your eyes, well aware he couldn’t give a damn about you. He thinks it’s time to sell you off like a vegetable.
"Yes. I am serious," he nods, looking at you through a red haze.
Joshua stretches his hand in your direction, his palm facing up in a gentle invitation. "Will you marry me?"
Taut silence strains the room.
Mr. Lee grins from ear to ear, awaiting your response. The employees outside pack up the corridor with hushed gasps and sharing whispered guesses among themselves, rattled by the sudden proposal. Everyone knows you're a prideful person, and gaining your hand in marriage is no effortless task.
"Answer him," your father mumbles, pressing his pressure on you. Your chin lifts as tall as a mountain.
His face stays still as water, but you don't miss the faint twitch of his eyes. He slowly dragged his hand back, folding his arms across his chest. "No?" he repeated softly, his voice barely above a whisper. The room strains with awkward silence once more. Your father whips his head between the two of you, stupefied by your response.
"I'll never marry you," you say imperturbably and walk out.
Joshua watches your departing figure with a concreting expression. He then turns to your father, offering him a stiff nod before heading out himself. He knew that you wouldn't budge even if he moved mountains for you, but neither would he until you accepted his proposal. And he was determined to win you over, no matter how long it took or whatever cost he has to pay for it.
Over the next few months, Joshua began appearing at every event you attended—every place you inhaled oxygen from. He would sit at the back of every occasion you passionately delivered a speech in, clapping in admiration, his eyes gleaming at your glowing figure. Expensive gifts start piling up in your name day by day—vibrant bouquets of expressive flowers, glinting jewelry worth hills of cash, and trendiest cars; though each gift would meet its fate by being abandoned in a waste bin or being sent back. His shadow even starts lingering in your favorite cafes and restaurants when you're winding down from your exhausting day or meeting up with an important client.
He starts materializing everywhere, be it looming around your workplace or always offering a ride home when the office hours are up, and even lurking around the corner of the street when you arrive home from a long day.
No amount of flowers thrown in his face and strings of colorful insults would budge his determination.
By March, Seoul slowly shed the sharp gray silence of late February, trading winter’s fading breath for dry sunlight, crisp afternoons above ten degrees, and nights that still lingered below freezing beneath the first shy bloom of spring. Joshua, however, never changed; he stalked you through the shifting seasons, refusing to leave you alone.
You step out of the building, your sight landing on him for the infinite time; you watch his figure lean against an exorbitant car, followed by hushed whispers and the crowd pointing in his direction.
"What will it take to make you get lost?" You ask exasperatedly.
Joshua raises a brow in pure glee. "Marry m—"
"No!" you bark, which vibrates a chuckle out of him as stands up straighter. An annoying grin stretches across his face from ear to ear when he crouches down to your eye level.
"Let's start off slow if that's what you want. Have a dinner with me," he gibes with a half-smile.
You chew your lip, pondering your options. It's a wonderful offer if it stops him from haunting you like a vengeful ghost.
"Will you stop bothering me after we eat out?" You ask in contemplation.
He nods after a beat of silence. "Yeah, I can give you some peace," he grins, "for some time."
Your eyes roll back with another wave of infuriation. As a private individual, you dislike having someone lurking in your orbit who knows your every move; just the thought of it irks you.
"Let's go!" he beams, opening the door for you as you slide into the passenger seat. His grin curves up more, rotating around as he hops into the driver's side, and the car speeds off.