Chapter 22

“You bastard! You drugged me!”

Jaejoong yanked himself off the stool at her sudden outburst as if protecting himself. Tiffany jerked the blanket back & stood up on both of her feet. She suddenly stumbled, falling back onto the bed. Hands holding her forehead, she cursed. Her eyes glared at his feet as he stopped before her. He touched her shoulders. For that, she brought her fist up & punched him on the jaw without looking.

“Ouch. What was that for?”

Holding her forehead, Tiffany peered up angrily. She can smell the smoke but resisted against the burning it was giving to her eyes. He stepped back a pace. How could a woman have such an attitude after being drug & still slightly dizzy? Her, of course. She shook her head slowly, trying to get rid of the nauseated feeling.

“How do you feel?”

“What do you think?! Have you ever been drugged before?!” Tiffany growled, underneath her breath. She hit her head hard, thinking that it’ll help make the dizziness disappear. Jaejoong grimaced, walked back to the drawer & came back with his palm open, showing two painkillers. She peered up at him & then narrowed her eyes, “I’m not that stupid to accept painkillers from a person who had drugged me!”

Jaejoong shoved the capsule under her nose, “Swallow it.”

She raised an eyebrow, “Don’t command me around like that just after you had drugged me, Jae Oppa. If you have ever been drugged before, you should know that I’m not in the mood.” Tiffany brushed her hair back. Her eyes scanned the purple DKNY top & boxer short set she was wearing, causing her cheeks to flush. He dared to change her clothes & again, he shoved the capsule at her. Closing her eyes briefly, she slapped his hand away, causing him to drop the painkillers. She swallowed, hating the throbbing at her temple. A good sleep would do her good again, but she could never show her weakness again, after crying in front of him some weeks ago.

Then his footsteps were heard walking back to the drawer. She looked at him through half closed eyes. He was back again, with the whole bottle of painkillers. Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? She had never feel this bad since the last time she had been drugged & that was years ago. To experience the nauseated feeling again, was just to feel how long it’d take to find out why Stephanie had killed herself but she couldn’t give up now. She was more than halfway done; there was only one-eighth left of the whole left.

“If you think that I’m just going to leave without seeing you swallow these pills, think again.” Jaejoong shook two capsule out of the bottle & then shoved them under her nose once again. She glanced at them, sighed quietly & knocked the capsule out of his palm again. Another two appeared in front of her face again. She slapped his hand away & listened to the sound of capsule shaking down the bottle. Her hands raised deadly & hit his hands, dropping the bottle & spilling all of the pills.

Her eyes watched as the caplets fell down in a slow motion. They dropped onto the floor one by one. Tiffany closed her eyes, letting the silent circle around her. She could care less about his anger now. Right now, she just wanted him to leave her alone.

He walked to the door, flung it open & shouted out, “Bong Cha! Bring me all of the painkillers!” Silence once again, fell after his shouting. He walked back over to her without making any noise. Unexpectedly, she suddenly shook as he jerked her up. Her dead eyes flew open just to reflect back through his, “Listen to me, dammit! If you want to stay in this house longer, swallow down those painkillers. If you think you’re being stubborn, wrong. I’m the stubborn one. Do I make myself clear?”

Tiffany growled, shaking his hands off of her shoulder, “Do you think that I care?! I would rather die having this feeling than swallowing your damn pills!”

“God dammit, Fany!”

She lifted her chin, “Why did you drug me?” Her heart grew angrier as he flinched, “You better have a good reason, Oppa, or I swear I’ll turn you in.”

“Do you remember anything from last night?”

“I ask my question first & you answer. How about that?” Tiffany crossed her arm over her chest, doing so well after all with covering the pain throbbing in her temple. He grimaced, giving her a feeling of uncertainty.

Jaejoong brushed his hair back with a hesitant sigh, “I never meant to drug you, Fany. You were being stubborn like always. I just needed to teach you a lesson of what you’d face being at a nightclub alone like that. You didn’t go there with anyone. I checked before leaving. Now, why were you doing there?”

She tried her best not to frown. If what he had just said was true, he hadn’t seen Yoona there at all. How much did he know about her anyway? The question of why she was there still lingered in her head but going into the room where Kyuhyun was troubled her the most. The drug dealer man was involved in her sister’s death. How could she be sure that there wasn’t a second person? Stephanie cheated on him but she wrote to her saying that he had cheated on her. The woman her sister had wrote about, Tiffany was sure was Yoona. Who else could it be? She should have known before; she should have seen it but how could she be so sure that Yoona was involved in Stephanie’s death. All she saw was her body entering Kyuhyun’s room but yet, she couldn’t let him know that her eyes had seen Yoona there. Her secret of staying under his roof was still secretive.

“Like I said before, I wanted some fun.”

“Did you see anyone there in particular?” Jaejoong asked, keeping on his curious face.

Tiffany squinted her questioning eyes at him, “& if I did?”

“Then you’ll tell me. There’s no secret in this house, Fany, & if you’re keeping one, you shouldn’t be.” She saw him swallowed. Even that sign had told her he was lying about keeping secrets, “Did you see anyone that you know?” He asked again, in a hoarse whisper.

His eyes met hers silently. She stared but then turned away slowly. What was he trying to do? Was he trying to possess her? Taking in a short air through her gritted teeth, Tiffany closed her eyes briefly as a hard throb pounded against her temple, “No, I didn’t.” She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, “I might have if you didn’t drugged me.” The relief in his face, she saw, “Why did you ask?”

“I just wanted to know.” He looked towards the door.

“If you think that I’m going to take those pills, you’re wrong.” As Tiffany saw his body stiffened, she swallowed, “I have my own painkillers in my pocketbook. I’m twenty-seven & an adult now. It means that I can take care of myself.”

“You’re twenty-eight.” He whispered.

Her eyes narrowed deeper, “I know my own age.”

“But you forgot, Fany.” Jaejoong turned around with an expressionless face on, “You were born on August the first of eighty-nine. Today is August the first.” He smiled a bit, “Happy birthday.”

Her eyes stared at him tightly. Wherever he was heading, she was interested. It was his fault after all that she forgot her own birthday & his voice, it seemed as if he was blaming it on her. She lifted her chin, “Thank you.” He smiled again, but it slowly disappeared. He pressed his lips together, hesitating to say the next words, “I used to give her a chocolate kiss every year. Then she would ask for a kiss. Of course, I always surprises her with something new after giving her those things.” He lifted his eyes to meet hers, “I…”

“I’m not my sister & I’m not going to be her model for you, Oppa.”

“Fany, I…”

“Save your breath. I love her most of all & most twins can never live without each other. You don’t know how it feels to betray one another, even when the body isn’t presented. You’re not off my list yet.” She swallowed, knowing fully well that he was off her list a long time ago. If he knows nothing of what goes on around her, it stays closed. She wasn’t about to let her position get out & just as she thought the dizziness had disappeared, it came back unexpectedly. She kept her foot glued to the floor tightly, taking in a deep breath. Where the hell did he get the drug?! He wasn’t the type to be carrying around tranquilize narcotic.

“You might not be your sister, Fany, but you will be her model.” He said stiffly.

Tiffany jerked. He was at it again. Commanding her around. Damn the man! He was on the soft side & then he changed back to the side she had always seen & known. Neglecting the ugly throbbing pain in her head, she let out a trembling breath & stepped forward, “I don’t think so.”

Jaejoong closed his eyes & then peered back at her strictly, “Think what you want. From now on, if I see you at one of those places again, I swear I’ll swing your neck. It’s not a threat, Fany; it’s a damn promise I’m willing to keep! I hoped that I just made myself clear.” He turned around just to stop, “Oh, & I almost forgot. I was informed that your parents called early this morning. Probably to wish you a happy birthday.” He walked to the door & abruptly stopped as Bong Cha appeared with a container in her hands.

“Here you go, Mr. Kim. I had just sorted them all out.”

He grunt, “Take them back. Miss Hwang can handle her own sickness by herself. I could care less anyway.” Her eyes pierced at his back. What a useless man. She would love nothing better than to tear him to pieces now. As he threw one last glance at her over his shoulders, Tiffany swallowed & looked away & the last thing she wanted to do was look at him again. She was startled hearing & feeling the door slamming shut. At least he was gone. Now, she can take care to her own business.

Brushing her hair back, Tiffany walked over to the drawer & grabbed her pocketbook. She took out the bottle of Aleve & threw two pills down without any water. To drink any would mean begging from him. She would die before her knees touched the floor in front of him. To live under his roof was enough for her. Besides, he would kick her out any day now.

With a grimace, the corner of her eyes caught the of his cigarette lying on the drawer. She closed her eyes, turned around & walked to the bed, trying to get back her good senses. As soon as her head hit the pillow with the blanket covering her body, her eyes flashed open. She bit her bottom lips. It was their birthday today. How could she forget? She was sure enough that it wasn’t the drugs effect. Her concentration for the last past weeks had only been about finding the truth. She forgot & she had never done that before.

Taking in a deep breath, Tiffany let it out easily, “Happy birthday, Stephanie. I’m so sorry.” She closed her eyes, clutching the blanket closer & letting sleep unfold itself.

“Where the hell have you been?!” He saw her flinch slightly & slowly, she turned around to meet him.

“Don’t pretend that you walked in front of me without seeing me sitting here. You weren’t home last night & here you are, sneaking in like a burglar into my house.” He tapped his index finger against his temple.

Yoona smiled then, “I was just out with some friends having fun. Just because I’m married to you doesn’t mean that I can’t party, does it, Oppa?”

“Well.” He stomp his foot down & stood up, “Of course not. I was just curious like the usual but why would you be wearing a huge coat when it’s damn hot outside?! Don’t tell me you’re having a cold, Yoona.” She shrugged, hugging the black excelled leather hoodie anorak jacket closer. He could see the perspiration developing on her forehead. Closing his eyes briefly in annoyance, he stalked over with long strides & took a strong grip on her forearm! “Answer me, darling.”

She angled her head to the right, “It’s nothing. I just feel cold.”

Jaejoong scolded, “Really?!” Irritated, he pulled down the neck collar of the coat. His eyes landed on several purple marks before she yelped & pulled away. He gritted his teeth, glaring at her. She pouted in a terrified way, moving back, “You’re cold so you decided to go warm up with some other guy? Ridiculous. You could have just asked me.” He advanced, causing her to step back, “Tell me the truth of where you were last night.”

“I think it’s none of your business.”

“Think again.” Jaejoong stopped shortly. His eyes dug deeply into hers, “Who was the man?”

“I said it’s none of your business.”

Jaejoong growled, catching both of her arms & pushing her forward against his chest, “When it’s with Kyuhyun, it’s my damn business!” His grip on her firmly tightened as her eyes widened, “Surprises, huh? You’ve been with him up there in that room all night, thinking that I was at home sleeping alone in bed. Well, you’re wrong, sweetheart.”

Her pink lips trembled. As she stepped back, he freed her arm, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Damn well you do!” She jerked in surprises, “Do you think that I’m stupid?! I know how long you’ve been with him, Yoona. Why do you think I married you? Do you obviously think that I love you? Answer me, dammit!”

She hugged herself, hesitating to answer him, “No. I know that you never loved me. I’m not stupid either, Oppa!”

“Then tell me why Stephanie killed herself.” Her face went paled. He heaved a heavy breath in. A moment of silence entered. He raked his hair back. Such a pity, “You know why she killed herself, Yoona. I know. Speak up, dammit!”

“Are you saying that I was involved in her death?”

“Why not? I know you are. Why would you go there every Friday night? & why would Stephanie kill herself on that night too, after she returned? You hated her, didn’t you? It was no wonder you wanted to marry me after she died.”

“You wanted to marry me too, Oppa.”

“& it wasn’t because of your father’s business.” He took a step forward, “Do you want to know the real reason? It doesn’t matter to me if I let it out. It’s easy enough to tell that you wanted my wife to die because I never loved or wanted you.” He narrowed his eyes at her, “I married you just to get closer to Kyuhyun, Yoona, & you will help me.”

“What makes you think that I will help you deceive the person I love?”

“Because I know you never loved him. You’re scared of him. Besides, I will turn you in later on. If not later, then I’ll do so now.”

Her eyes widened, “You can’t scare me, Oppa. You have no proof.”

“Really?” He smiled slyly, “But you will help me get the proof. Even if Stephanie did kill herself, I will find out why. To get that person in jail or to kill him. You’re sweating & it’s not because you’re getting hot. Why are you so scared now? I want to get this business over with soon, Yoona.”

“But you’re not going to get any help from me.”

Yoona turned, took a step & stopped. Seeing her face becoming paler, Jaejoong averted. He stiffened, “How long have you been standing there?” He asked roughly.

Yunho smiled, “Long enough to hear everything, brother.”