sakuracardcaptors:
Thank you very much! I stayed up way past my bedtime to read all the available chapters. I didn't know there were some 18+ scenes. If they find a way to put the shower scene in the drama I will die! ?
bro please
let me know if theere is break up between them
if you can then can you give me short sumary of it
Continuation Chapter 47 & 48:
On his way to work, at the red light, Baek Sa-eon rested his forehead on the steering wheel. Listening to the morning news broadcast was a fixed habit for him, but today, he couldn't concentrate at all. His patience was slowly wearing thin. While receiving a threatening call like this had taken him by surprise, seeing her doing her best to respond had made him laugh at times, and at other times, it ignited something within him.
Even though he was the one who initiated it, gradually, he began to feel dissatisfied. Every time he saw her tightly sealed lips — did she truly want to end this marriage that badly? The veins stood out on his hand gripping the steering wheel.
While Hee-joo was asleep, he rummaged through her bookshelf, wardrobe, dressing table, and bag, trying to find that second phone, but found nothing. Finally, his eyes landed on the blanket. Without hesitation, he lifted the blanket.
Pale ankles, calves, and smooth thighs were exposed in front of him...
'......!'
The thought of the phone was instantly thrown out of his mind. He had an overwhelming urge to bite into that skin.
Beep, beep —! Beep, beep —!
The sharp sound of a horn snapped Baek Sa-eon out of his daze, and he slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The morning irritation surged through him like a low-grade fever. Suddenly, cultural news came on the radio.
"To improve accessibility for disabled audiences, barrier-free initiatives are underway. The play 'The Prince and the Pauper' provided Korean subtitles for the first time in the country for two weeks and completed all performances. The National Theater plans to actively produce sign language translations, audio descriptions, and Korean subtitles in future performances. They will also be invited to attend next week's special screening of the late Baek Jang-ho's documentary..."
Hearing his grandfather's name unexpectedly mentioned, his expression instantly turned cold. He erased the fleeting smile that had appeared when he thought of Hee-joo, and he immediately turned off the radio. The way he turned the steering wheel seemed somewhat forceful.
"Ah—!"
Upon entering the PR office, a sharp scream echoed in the room. He frowned and quickened his steps.
"What happened?"
"Ah, spokesperson, it's... it's..."
Someone sobbed, struggling to speak coherently. He scanned the panicked faces, pushing his way through the crowd. In the spot surrounded by staff members was a sturdy transparent plastic bag, the kind used to carry tropical fish.
"This... we found this when we arrived..."
One of the staff members had their hand over their mouth, looking as if they were about to vomit. Inside the plastic bag filled with water floated dozens of severed goldfish heads. Their white eyes were stiff like plaster, and the jagged cut surfaces looked eerie and terrifying.
"And, on the spokesperson's desk as well..."
An employee, unable to keep their eyes open, continued speaking. Baek Sa-eon's expression remained stern as he walked straight to his desk. This time, the plastic bag contained only the bodies of the goldfish.
"Ugh...!"
The person who followed behind covered their mouth. The goldfish bellies had been sewn together with fishing hooks, but the stitches were so poorly done that it was difficult to look at them. Blood had seeped out, making the water murky and reddish. While everyone else turned their faces away, frowning at the gruesome sight, Baek Sa-eon alone had a long, faint smile on his lips.
Finally, you've come out.
This was the message from the true threat he'd long awaited. The man regained his composure, reassuring the employees.
"I'll take care of it. You can all go back to work."
Baek Sa-eon immediately grabbed the two plastic bags and headed to the restroom. He locked the door first, then opened the bags and took out the dead goldfish bodies. His face showed no emotion as he touched their mangled remains.
"Fishing hooks, huh..."
He stared at the hooks, his gaze colder than ever. He expertly pulled out the hooks and opened the goldfish bellies again. His hands were slippery, covered in blood, but he dug out the organs without hesitation. He was all too familiar with the stench of fish. Baek Sa-eon repeated this until all the goldfish were inspected. Finally, his hand paused. In the organs, he found something.
He pulled out a small USB.
After returning to the office, he inserted the USB into his computer. There was only one video file in the folder. He put on his headphones and played the video.
"Hey there, it's been a while, sis."
"...!"
A lively, innocent male voice came through. A stranger's face came close to the camera.
"It's been a while, Call Boy, a long time no see."
"......"
"By the way, are you enjoying using my phone?"
The sky was blindingly blue, bright like summer. The man smiled brightly. His curly hair slightly covered his eyes, but his features were easy to recognize—his playful smile, his tone, his sparkling eyes.
"Keep calling, sis. Always."
"From now on, you will always be my voice."
"You will become my messenger."
"Just like you wanted to hear about the divorce, there are also things I want to hear."
The man in the video seemed to be on a swing, his face coming in and out of focus. When his eyes met Baek Sa-eon's through the screen, Baek Sa-eon's face turned pale. If that person were still alive, he would probably look like this.
"There are also things I want to hear."
The sounds of summer nights—chirping insects, buzzing mosquitoes, the damp riverside, the fishing hut... Old memories rushed back like a torrent. The splashing of water, the desperate struggles... and that terrible silence when someone finally stopped struggling. All the sensations crashed down like a heavy storm. It was the end and beginning of everything. His breath felt as though it was blocked.
At that moment, it all seemed to come together.
"You... are still alive."
The truth about Hee-joo and "that person" tangled together.
"Translator, this way!"
An employee from the seminar waved their arm high. Hee-joo approached, and the employee added apologetically.
"I'm sorry I'm a bit late. My head's a bit scattered right now, whew..."
The employee rubbed their chest over their sweater.
"Something really unpleasant happened today."
"...?"
Hee-joo's eyes widened, and her deep gaze made the employee instinctively let their guard down.
"It's like this..." she lowered her voice.
"This morning, our office received something very disturbing."
Recalling it, the employee shivered.
"It was a fish head, a severed goldfish head."
"...!"
Gold... fish?
Hee-joo paused, but the employee switched the topic.
"We'll wait here; the president's speech just ended, and the spokesperson will be down shortly."
The briefing room was packed with reporters from the Blue House. Some were glued to their laptops, some were making phone calls, others fixing their hair—sharp eyes focused intently on their tasks.
Then suddenly, the reporters in hushed conversation all turned their heads in unison.
"...!"
What's going on?
The red lights of a row of cameras turned on instantly, their sharp gazes now directed over here. Hee-joo and the assistants leaned against the outer wall, beads of nervous sweat forming. She glanced back to see Baek Sa-eon, tall and imposing, standing right behind her.
"Ah..." she let out a soft exclamation without meaning to. He did not lower his haughty gaze, adjusting his tie.
"Didn't I tell you not to call me?"
"...!"
The sound of him clicking his tongue was something only Hee-joo could hear. She shivered involuntarily as a cold remark landed on her shoulder.
"Don't just stand there. Find a chair and sit down."
He walked towards the podium alone. The camera flashes sparked, and the atmosphere instantly tensed. Standing at the blue podium, he spoke in a sharp tone.
"During the president's special address, he candidly shared his views on governance and major issues from his past term. Please raise your hands for questions."
His voice was stern and commanding. In the tense atmosphere, Hee-joo swallowed hard. As expected, many hands were raised. Questions and answers began to bounce back and forth like a game of ping-pong. Baek Sa-eon's smooth responses made people unconsciously start nodding along.
'If only I could stand beside him—' she thought, reminding herself to practice more on matching his rhythm.
Just as she was fully focused, a female reporter stood up. It was the reporter who had kept her head down. Hee-joo's eyes naturally shifted towards her.
"Hello, I am reporter Hong In A from Myeongji Daily."
"...!"
...What?
"The government’s joint investigation into real estate speculation has been ongoing for over two months now."
Hee-joo felt her breath catch. Sister...?
It was the first time in three years that she had seen that face since her silent disappearance the day before the wedding. The slightly upturned eyes, the long hair casually tied up—the beautiful features of the past remained unchanged. Hee-joo stared at her in a daze. What felt even more unfamiliar was that her sister had joined a rival newspaper instead of Sankyung Daily.
Unnie...?
"Despite the widespread presence of illegal speculation, the investigation appears inadequate. There are concerns that it may not yield significant results."
After her ear injury, her sister had almost stopped speaking entirely. She used to communicate so fiercely with sign language that her hands would be bruised from hitting each other—disliking her own clumsy speech so much.
She, who once struggled, now spoke more fluently and clearly than anyone else. Her sister's transformation made my heart skip a beat. It was both surprising and moving. And also... a sense of loneliness. A sister who no longer needed Hee-joo's help—a perfect sister. Now, it seemed like Hee-joo was the only one still incomplete.
"What is the government's stance on this matter?"
"..."
Baek Sa-eon's gaze met Hong In A's in midair. Even that brief moment of silence was significant.
"Spokesperson Baek Sa-eon, please respond."
The man's brow twitched unconsciously.
"Hong In A, reporter from Myeongji Daily."
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the wooden podium, and the tips of his nails were an unnatural shade of blue. It seemed like Hee-joo made eye contact with him for a split second, but she was too tense to notice. Once again, she felt—
The feeling of being pushed aside.
"The Special Investigation Headquarters has currently questioned over a thousand individuals. Of those, 113 have been referred to the prosecution, and 27 have been arrested."
"How many of those thousand are high-ranking public officials?"
"Twenty are high-ranking officials."
"Only twenty?"
"There has been no undue delay in investigating high-ranking officials. The process has been more strictly compliant with legal procedures than before, which has led to some delays."
He answered without a hint of change in his expression.
"The investigation is still ongoing. Please be patient. The government aims to establish proof through extensive investigations before the end of the term."
"Yes, you should do just that."
Hong In A put down her microphone with a rough gesture. As soon as she sat down, the person next to her mouthed, "Are you crazy?!" and gave her a hard smack on the arm. Her sister looked thoroughly exasperated.
"Hoo..."
Hee-joo's palms were so pale from tension that there was no color left in them. She rubbed her hands, then looked up again—
"...!"
She met Hong In A's eyes, which had been watching her the entire time. She didn't know when her sister had started staring at her. Her gaze was calm, as if she had known Hee-joo's exact location from the beginning. The sudden eye contact left Hee-joo frozen. She didn't know what expression to make, nor what kind of greeting would be appropriate.
At that moment, her sister began speaking in sign language first.
"...!"
Just as the microphone was turned to another reporter for a question. Only those who understood this language could follow along.
"Sorry, I’m late."
Hee-joo had no idea what that meant.
Before the briefing ended, Hee-joo hurriedly left. Unlike when she had arrived, it was now raining lightly outside. Without worrying about getting her clothes wet, Hee-joo ran straight to the parking lot. She didn't know what she was afraid of, or why her emotions were so tangled, but she ran until she was out of breath.
"Hey, didn't you check the weather today?"
"...!"
Someone suddenly grabbed her arm, and an umbrella tilted over her head.
"Why are you being so foolish, what are you doing?"
That voice—so natural it seemed as if it had never vanished from her memory. Hearing it again, it still felt unfamiliar. It was her sister’s long-forgotten voice.
"Sister..."
Now was the time to stop running away and ask for answers. Finally, Hee-joo, still hesitant, used sign language first.
"Where have you been all this time...?"
Hee-joo continued using sign language, while In A spoke directly.
"I went to Germany. As you can see—my ear." She lightly patted her ear, shrugging.
"I had surgery. Fought with everything I had."
"......"
"It was a clinical trial, illegal."
"Are you alright now?"
The word "illegal" made Hee-joo's hands move quickly, and she looked anxiously at her sister's face. Seeing her up close, it was clear—her dark circles were even deeper than three years ago, and her face had thinned considerably...
"I'm alright now. But you..."
Hong In A frowned slightly.
"Why can't you still speak?"
"...!"
"I thought you would start speaking again after I disappeared."
Hee-joo's face turned pale.
"Did you think I didn't know? You pretended to be mute because of me?"
Her fingers trembled. This was the second time her secret had been exposed, following Baek Sa-eon. She felt like she had been stripped bare, a cold shiver running through her.
"I've known for a long time, just pretended not to."
She turned her face away, beyond the umbrella, looking as though she might disappear at any moment.
"I just... didn't want to be the only one who was the patient."
"...!"
"Afraid."
"......"
"Because I needed you. Desperately needed you."
She met her sister's gaze again, a self-mocking smile appearing on her face.
Chapter 49
"Am I really that different from your mother?"
No, it couldn’t be... Impossible... Hee-joo listened to the sound of rain falling on the umbrella, anxiously observing her sister. The surgery was a success, and her hearing should be restored now. Why did she look so hollow? Had her sister always given off this impression? An odd sense of dissonance welled up within her. The current Hong In A seemed even more uneasy and fraught with crisis than when they were children.
"But because of you, I truly wanted to come back."
"..."
"Do you really think the position you stole is truly yours?"
This wasn't a question. The barbed words struck Hee-joo precisely.
"Don't misunderstand."
Her hands trembled slightly, almost like a spasm.
"Children only see what they want to see."
In A handed Hee-joo the umbrella. She then stepped outside of its cover, welcoming the falling rain. Hee-joo moved toward her in a panic, but In A shook her head, rejecting her approach. It was a silent refusal.
"You always loved mermaids when you were little."
"..."
The sudden statement caught her off guard.
"But did you ever think about it? Between the two of us—both unable to speak—who is more like the mermaid?"
Hee-joo tried with all her might to understand her sister, but the meaning of her words remained obscure. She had no answer, yet her sister smiled calmly.
"But this isn't you, Hee-joo."
"...!"
Hong In A's eyes shone with a dark intensity. Hostility. Hee-joo, who had always lived as her sister's window, could not fail to sense it. This hostility was too vivid to ignore. A dull pain spread through her chest.
"Even if you exchange your hair for a golden dagger, if you can't pierce the prince's heart, you will be useless in the end."
It was a cryptic statement. But also, somehow, a declaration of war.
"I was late. Sorry. I meant that from the bottom of my heart."
Her sister turned away, unrepentant in the rain.
"All this time, I’ve asked you many times if you were okay."
She was drenched all day. More than ten missed calls, messages from her sister piling up. But she had no desire to answer any of them.
"Even if I don’t put in the effort... maybe divorce would be easy..."
The light drizzle had somehow turned into a storm. If that was the case, shouldn't she be celebrating instead of feeling so down? Hee-joo forced herself to gather her strength and headed to the kitchen. Too drained to cook, she simply opened the refrigerator and grabbed a can of beer.
To break the silence, she turned on the TV. It was showing the president's special address and the Q&A with the Blue House spokesperson.
"Hong In A, reporter from Myeongji Daily."
The moment Hee-joo opened the beer can, she paused. Silently, she found the remote and pressed the mute button, and the world fell silent again. Hee-joo sank weakly into the chair by the large window that overlooked the Han River. She watched the window, continuously beaten by the rain—the downpour reminded her of that day.
The day she decided she wanted a divorce...
"Cheers...!"
Ten at night, a familiar time. Everything seemed meaningless. Idly playing with the phone she used for negotiations, she suddenly recalled the bruises on Baek Sa-eon's nails that she'd seen during the briefing. Not one or two, but several of his nails had been bruised.
‘What happened...? What about the goldfish heads?’
Lost in thought, Hee-joo finished her beer and picked up her phone. Maybe this would be the last time they spoke.
——...
"......"
Finally, the call connected, but there was no sound from the other side. Both of them simply breathed quietly. Hee-joo spoke first, her eyes still on the blurred window.
"How was your day...?"
A most ordinary question. I feel strange... almost like I want to cry. And you? She only whispered these words in her mind.
——...
"......"
But the only sound on both ends was the rain. And she found she didn’t mind. Thinking this might be their last call made it seem strangely romantic.
——... Since I was young, I've always hated rainy days.
At that moment, a low voice came through.
——Because of the smell of the water, I hate it.
The words struck a familiar chord within her. She vaguely remembered a boy who had said he hated water.
——When I was young, I used to go fishing with my grandfather.
"......"
——He liked fishing, so we often went to the river. Once, I fell in the water...
He suddenly stopped. The storm in her ears—she couldn’t tell if it was from her side or his—all she could hear was the fierce rain.
——Since then, I've had nightmares often.
"......"
——I dream of falling into a river of red, sinking deep down.
For the first time, Hee-joo felt like she was entering his heart.
——On the blurred surface, my grandfather looked down at me. Next to him, a little boy just stood there, watching me drown.
Suddenly, thunder roared. Hee-joo shrank her shoulders a little.
——... Maybe I've been afraid my whole life.
"......"
——Afraid of capsizing again.
Hee-joo couldn't fully understand his nightmare, but today, at least in this moment, she wanted to try. Baek Sa-eon had fears similar to hers, and that seemed to bring them closer together.
"It’s okay."
——... Then sing me a song.
"What?"
——Sing.
"I can't really sing. Why?"
——When I was young, there was a time I couldn't take it anymore. I hid in a back alley, and a child sang me a nursery rhyme.
"......!"
——That night, the nightmare disappeared.
He gave a dry chuckle.
——Maybe because her voice was beautiful.
"Then go find that kid, why ask me to sing?"
——Because 406 and I have already had sex.
"Cough, cough...!"
His shameless words made her choke.
——If we've even done that, what's singing a song?
"...!"
It reminded her of something she'd forgotten. Right... that's how things were with mistresses. Hee-joo frowned slightly.
"I don’t do those kinds of things."
——What kinds of things?
Hee-joo forcefully crushed the empty beer can in her hand.
"Like my father, being manipulated."
...Loving you.
She swallowed back those words.
——Then let's leave it at that.
"...!"
His compliance left Hee-joo momentarily speechless.
—Just live the way you're comfortable.
For no reason, her heart suddenly sank.
—But 406 is so beautiful. Everyone will love you. Even if you don’t live the way your father wanted, you need to find someone who can love you just as much.
Something seemed to collapse, weak and unsteady.
—From now on, when you meet a man like that, only accept that kind of love.
Even if I don’t live like my father, I should only accept that kind of love? This was something I’d never considered. In a strange way, Baek Sa-eon handed Hee-joo the very thing she had tried to abandon.
Though she held the phone in her hand, it was as if he was reflected in the glass window—a sense of being together. It was a mysterious feeling.
"When are you coming home?"
It was a night when she hoped the storm would continue.
—Now.
Not long after, a man, drenched from head to toe, stepped into the living room. Hee-joo was about to open another can of beer. When she heard the noise and turned around, he was already approaching.
"...!"
On his face was an expression pushed to its limit. It seemed like restraint, yet also like a kind of violence. Because he usually wore a blank expression, this feeling was even more ambiguous. His suit, soaked by rain, and his hair, dripping like ink. His cold breaths and fiery gaze.
Seeing his pale face and lips made Hee-joo's mind swirl. Today, I just happen to be standing here. And so, when the raindrops slid down his lashes, there was an unstoppable urge to reach out and touch. She didn't know who started it first, but their lips collided.
Yes, at least once, I want to have you too. So that I won’t feel any regret.
It was a moment mixed with both self-destruction and comfort.
"Mm...!"
To her surprise, his lips trembled slightly. Their pressed bodies felt the intermittent shivering. Yet, their lips pressed even tighter, tongues wildly entangled with each other. Despite his body being cold, his breath was searing. He held Hee-joo tightly, almost clinging to her. There was an inexplicable urgency, a desperation she couldn't fully grasp.
His unease seeped into her, and she remembered that boy crying quietly in the corner. The boy whose hands shook as he cursed in front of young Hee-joo. She hesitated, then wrapped her arms around his broad back. She had thought that boy had long since covered himself in an icy shell, disappearing without a trace.
This time, Hee-joo covered his bloodshot eyes with her small palms.
"...!"
Their joined lips paused for a moment. He shuddered slightly and froze. At this moment, it was all she could do.
"...!"
Suddenly, his strong arms lifted her high. Before she could even be surprised, he found her lips again. The fierce desire made her heart feel like it was going to explode. Before they knew it, they had reached the bedroom, falling onto the bed.
Baek Sa-eon pressed his body on top of hers, almost tearing her shirt off, biting at her collarbone, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, and her nose. The tickling touches made Hee-joo's breathing grow ragged.
SENSITIVE MATERIAL
Chapter 50
“Ha, ha…” He bit down on Hee-joo’s neck again, one hand gripping her chest. Her skin deformed under his palm, the peak flattened under pressure. Every time he took that slightly raised flesh into his mouth and sucked, her toes curled involuntarily.
“Ha, ha…” Her body twisted under the nearly maddening sensation, feeling his arousal swelling against her thigh. Every moment burned with heat and urgency.
He pulled down Hee-joo’s pants, pressing gently at the center of her underwear. Slowly, his fingers explored the slightly parted area.
“Ah…!” In that moment, her scalp heated up.
She kept turning her body as Baek Sa-eon’s large frame pinned her down.
“Shh…It’s okay.” Yet, his actions below were far from gentle. Though his movements were slow, they tore through her without hesitation.
“Ah, uh…!” Hee-joo struggled, twisting her body, but Baek Sa-eon didn’t let her go.
“You have no idea how long I’ve held back…”
“Uh, uh…”
“Someone half-hearted doesn’t even deserve to have it—”
Every time his fingers rubbed a certain spot, she was on the verge of tears. It felt entirely different from the sensation, density and pressure when she touched herself.
“Even if it’s dirty and disgusting, I rely on power.”
“Mm…”
“I’m not allowed to have anything, but there is one thing I want.” He added another finger. “Only one thing I want.”
“Mm…” His arousal stood firm like a blunt weapon at that moment.
“To take what belongs to others, I even entertained desires I shouldn’t have.”
“Ah…”
“When I woke up, I realized I was completely captivated, determined to have it no matter what.”
Hee-joo panted, almost unable to breathe.
“So, I intended to wait until everything was over to come for you, but now, there’s no need.”
“…”
“From start to finish, being the bad guy is enough.”
The raw desire seemed as if it would burn her entire body to ashes. As a wife, she had never experienced such a gaze.
“I was overreaching, wanting to be a good person.”
Just as she stiffened, yet another finger pressed its way in. Her body was continuously being torn apart, and his tongue invaded the inside of her lips.
“Mm…” The unfamiliar sensation filled her senses.
“Hee-joo.”
“Mm…!” When he called her name in a low voice, Hee-joo felt an overwhelming pressure, almost unable to breathe. The feeling seemed to pierce from her abdomen straight to her chest.
Hee-joo instinctively opened her mouth almost on the verge of tears. Immediately, a gentle tongue soothingly silenced her cries. His bloodshot eyes stared intently at Hee-joo.
“Fron now on, I’m still a bastard.” His suppressed voice escaped amidst his heated breaths.
“But holding back until now—damn, wasn’t it worth it?”
“Ha…mm, ugh…” Something that felt like a weapon stirred below her.
“I didn’t suppress my feelings to protect you or treasure you. Thinking about it, that was far from mature.”
Baek Sa-eon continued his movements at his waist, finally removing his jacket and shirt. What followed revealed his firm chest and abdominal muscles. With every thrust, the defined lines of his pelvis became visible.
“Afraid of overwhelming you this way—” His broad shoulders once again loomed over Hee-joo.
“Afraid that if I made a move, I’d be the one captivated by you first.”
The lewd sounds that followed made Hee-joo’s entire body flush red.
“You’ve always dragged me back to my unsettled youth,” he said, furrowing one brow and clenching his jaw tightly.
“Made me shameless and greedy.”
Their tightly joined lower bodies continuously struck her vulnerable spot.
“Ha…!”
“Made me want to cry.”
His rough arousal persistently stimulated her sensitive areas. The quick and deep motions made Hee-joo involuntarily tremble, her ears filled with chaotic noise.
“From the very beginning, it was ominous. I knew I’d fall apart before you would.”
“Mm..mm…!”
“I’ve never had someone like you.”
The sensation was overwhelming. Her waist trembled uncontrollably, not knowing what to do. All she could manage was to grip his firm arms tightly. His piercing gaze seemed to cut through everything as he moved with determination, in and out. Her body quivered slightly.
“No one can compare to you.”
“…!”
“Yes, I’ve actually known that for a long time.”
“Ha…mm…”
“Hee-joo.”
“Ah…mm…” It felt like a scorching piece of iron was moving through her abdomen.
Baek Sa-eon’s eyes locked with Hee-joo, his waist moving roughly. She felt as though her body was about to split apart, but every time that happened, his lips would always land softly on her face.
“Mm…mm…!”
“Ha…” With his flickering gaze, he casually brushed aside her falling hair.
Hee-joo’s body had grown so numb that even her toes tingled, yet Baek Sa-eon showed no mercy as he continued to push her to her limits.
The wet, sticky sounds. His heavy breaths and muttered curses. The wordless night was soaked in the scent of rain.
At the same time—she wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come, as the night grew deeper and heavier.
Q: "Can you have a one-night stand with your husband?"
A: "Yes, absolutely..."
Upon waking, she felt as if her entire body had been beaten. It was a bit of an exaggeration, but it truly felt like the pain she experienced when she had once fallen. The bruises on her body hadn’t even faded, yet he could still get excited over such a battered state. ‘Is he a pervert...?’
She shifted slightly under the blanket, immediately catching sight of Baek Sa-eon. He sat at the edge of the bed, his head bowed, motionless. The occasional twitch of his back muscles gave off a sense of threat, but there was also a hint of loneliness in the way his back curved. Hee-joo held her breath, simply watching him silently.
"......"
"......"
She recalled his scorching body heat from the previous night, clinging to her like moisture, suffocating her.
‘Stop thinking about it...!’
Just as her cheeks started to flush, her eyes met his dry gaze.
"Did you sleep well?"
"...!"
His voice was completely hoarse. He reached out and gently touched Hee-joo's cheek, the slightly lower-than-usual temperature of his skin instantly bringing her to her senses.
‘Honestly, we both went mad last night. He lost it, and so did I...’
Maybe it was because of the storm. After such a crazy night, reality slowly became clearer. Everything had been so intense, so hot, so painful—but that day had passed. It should have passed...
"How are you feeling?"
There was a stinging soreness in places that were hard to mention, but Hee-joo shrugged as if it were nothing.
"Last night..."
Baek Sa-eon frowned. There was a hint of awkwardness in his expression. Was he regretting it? But those chaotic words he had said last night...
"In the middle of it, I suddenly remembered that you were injured..."
"...!"
"So I stopped."
He looked at her directly, his hand caressing her collarbone.
"Meaning we didn't finish."
She couldn't help but get goosebumps. As Hee-joo blinked, his lips were already pressing against her shoulder.
"I'll be away for two days and three nights. There's a forum I need to attend."
"......"
"There’s an urgent outdoor briefing, so I've contacted Director Han Joon. Make sure to eat properly while I'm away, and I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to accompany you to get your stitches removed tomorrow."
"...!"
Wait, wait. She felt like she heard something strange just now?
"We’ll talk when I get back."
His cold gaze fixed on Hee-joo.
"We really need to have a proper conversation."
Yet even with that chill, she felt like she was on the verge of being burned.
Early in the morning, Hee-joo forcefully pushed open the door to the director's office.
"Hello, please come in—"
‘I heard you’re going to the Blue House briefing?’
Hee-joo didn’t even bother with a greeting and got straight to the point. Director Han Joon narrowed his eyes, as if he had expected her to come.
"Actually, I was about to reach out to you as well. We definitely need to talk."
"Assign the sign language interpretation to me!"
"When did you get married?"
Hee-joo paused for a moment in their parallel conversation. Her expression was displeased as she slowly signed.
"...Three years ago."
"Ah, not three months, but a full three years?"
"......"
"Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?"
Han Joon suddenly jumped up from his seat and started looking around. He glanced at the vase, picked up a tissue box, checking for hidden cameras.
"No matter how I think about it, I can't believe this. How could I not know? We've known each other for almost twenty years! I was the only one who could have given a speech at your wedding—you should have invited me—"
"There was no wedding."
"—What?"
"We didn't have a wedding."
Seeing his disappointment growing, Hee-joo quickly explained.
"Isn't his family quite well known? And there was that documentary recently... Plus, it's not like you're poor."
"......"
"Why, did you find out it was his second marriage?"
"Well, it wasn’t a second marriage, but it was... a bit..." She hesitated and moved her hands slightly.
"I got married in my sister's place."
"......What?"
"The real bride disappeared the day before the wedding, and I stepped in at the last minute."
"......"
"That's why I didn't tell you."
Hee-joo lowered her head, rubbing her neck. The remnants of last night’s passion lingered in her body, and the cold words sparked a reckless impulse. It wasn't right, but a faint hope bubbled up inside her.
At that moment, the director furrowed his brows, as if confronted with a puzzle.
"No way... that guy, just by looking at him..."
He rubbed his chin, swallowing his words. Then, his sharp gaze shot towards Hee-joo.
"Are you okay?"
"What?"
"These three years, have you been okay?"
Even though... it’s been spent in helplessness and depression...
"Hee-joo, the way that guy looks is really strange. On TV, he seems rational and calm—perfect for his job, giving a reliable impression. But in person..."
He suddenly stroked his arm, shivering a little.
Chapter 51
"I've met quite a few people at the Blue House. They all appear saintly on the surface, but each harbors a few old foxes inside. And the most cunning among them is Baek Sa-eon."
"...!"
Knowing what his real job entailed, Hee-joo was taken aback. She unconsciously bit her lip, her eyes shifting.
"That guy's gaze, it's really something else. What kind of man looks at a substitute bride with eyes like that?"
Han Joon scratched his head, looking irritated. This kind of man was incredibly selfish. He only cared about himself, going to any lengths, inevitably leaving scars. He cast a complex look towards Hee-joo, who was clear and beautiful. He thought she had been collecting videos of Baek Sa-eon because she was a fan, but it turned out it was because he was her husband.
"I might get divorced."
"What?"
"That's why I came to ask for your help. Let me work. There was no wedding, no photos. At least with the briefing video, there’ll be some record of us being together."
Hee-joo bowed deeply.
"Sigh..."
Han Joon felt the urge to smoke again. Seeing how little confidence she had in her marriage, it seemed Baek Sa-eon really wasn't giving her any chances. Han Joon cursed inwardly. Always fierce with outsiders... sly as a snake. Being too cold-hearted wasn't good for anyone. What a big mess.
The Climate Change Forum in the National Assembly.
The three-day seminar was held to celebrate its 15th anniversary, bringing together members of parliament from both the ruling and opposition parties, as well as representatives from government, industry, academia, research, and civil society, to discuss energy policy.
On the second day, Hee-joo went to the briefing room. She scanned the crowd, searching for Baek Sa-eon. Protesters holding placards were gathered at the entrance, shouting slogans.
"...!"
At that moment, her eyes met Hong In A's, who was interviewing the protesters. Hee-joo instinctively turned and hurried away, her footsteps echoing on the floor. Whenever she stood in front of her sister, she really felt like the "other woman." Her heart pounded violently, almost unbearable.
‘Am I going mad...?'
Whether as a wife or as someone in an ambiguous relationship with Baek Sa-eon, she felt pathetic, and her mood plummeted.
"Excuse me, how did you get in here?"
A government official at the temporary barricade checked Hee-joo's credentials. She showed her work ID from the publicity office, and the man unhooked the barrier to let her in.
Entering the room, with its green carpet, the air was filled with various promotional materials—legislative forums, policy seminars, practical activities, and information on the Green Climate Award were all printed on the leaflets.
Hee-joo didn't look around but went straight to the waiting room marked "Publicity Office." With a quick glance, she spotted Baek Sa-eon, wearing thin-rimmed glasses, reviewing some documents.
"...!"
Her gaze stuck to him like glue, unable to look away. Even for someone like her, who had observed Baek Sa-eon for a long time, it was rare to see him in glasses. She held her breath, not daring to make a sound.
From the bridge of his nose, straight between his brows, to the neat line behind his ear, down to his sharp jawline—the thin glasses highlighted his sharpness and intelligence. Dressed immaculately in his suit, focused as he marked up the documents, he looked both meticulous and sharp.
"Hey, isn’t this the interpreter?"
At that moment, a familiar voice called out. It was one of the male colleagues who had gone hiking with her before.
"Ah...!"
Hee-joo suddenly snapped out of it, bowing her head.
"What are you doing here? How’s your health? I heard you were discharged early..."
Just as the colleague enthusiastically greeted her, Baek Sa-eon suddenly turned his head. Previously engrossed in his work, he now looked up.
"...!"
Seeing Hee-joo frozen in place, he immediately stood up, his brows furrowed, his expression serious.
"After you were taken to the hospital that day, we were all really worried, but the spokesperson didn’t give any details, and visits were prohibited. We were really worried—"
"Interpreter Hong Hee-joo, what are you doing here?"
Baek Sa-eon coldly interrupted, walking towards them with a stern look. Hee-joo, as if she had anticipated this, pulled out a document and handed it to him. Baek Sa-eon eyed her coldly as he accepted it.
It was an authorization letter stamped by Director Han Joon.
As Baek Sa-eon quickly scanned the contents with his eyes, Hee-joo noticed his tightly clenched jaw and promptly looked away.
"Director Han is really irresponsible." His voice was low, laced with discontent. "Sorry, but I'll need to find another interpreter."
Baek Sa-eon quickly turned to the employee beside him, instructing, "See if you can immediately find a sign language interpreter."
After the employee ran out, Hee-joo took a deep breath, staring nervously at him.
"Why that expression?"
"......"
"Just having you beside me distracts me, even if you do nothing. If you insist on gesturing while unwell, I won’t be able to focus on the script."
He pressed his temples, shaking the script in his hand. When Hee-joo remained unresponsive, Baek Sa-eon’s expression grew darker.
"Hong Hee-joo, stop being stubborn."
However, Hee-joo seemed to have anticipated his reaction, and she handed over another document. This time, it was a written authorization directly from the head of the publicity department.
"Ha...!"
Baek Sa-eon sighed helplessly upon seeing it.
"I didn’t expect you to be so thorough."
Despite the sarcastic tone, it almost sounded like praise, and Hee-joo couldn't help but smile. Baek Sa-eon tightly closed his mouth, frowning at her, with an expression that bore a resemblance to the one from the night before...
When Baek Sa-eon took off his glasses, pressing his nose bridge anxiously, Hee-joo instinctively stepped back. She thought it was a sign for her to leave, but suddenly, her arm was grabbed.
"Where are you going? I want to kiss you."
"...!"
He lowered his head, pressing his lips firmly against Hee-joo's.
"Mmm...!"
The usually cold man, once in contact with her skin, burned like fire. Hee-joo was completely consumed, overwhelmed. His tongue slid between her closed lips. He held her waist tightly, as if trying to devour her whole. His rough tongue twisted deeply with hers, then slowly pulled away.
"There’s not much time until the briefing—will you be alright?"
He supported Hee-joo’s shoulders, looking her directly in the eyes. Seeing her flushed eyes, he eventually lowered his head, almost in surrender. As he said, time was tight. Even so, Hee-joo nodded resolutely. As long as she could seize this moment, she asked for nothing more. It was a faint resolve, as if preparing to face the final stance. Because everything she had been through would be revealed in this interpretation.
The blue podium set up outdoors.
"I didn’t expect we’d be entering together..."
Baek Sa-eon reluctantly pulled Hee-joo along with him onto the podium. As they took their first step, Hee-joo's heart raced to its peak.
"Today's briefing will be accompanied by the Blue House's sign language interpreter."
The clear voice echoed in the air. The eyes of the reporters and audience instantly focused on Hee-joo. Faced with so many curious gazes, her mouth went dry. Among them was Hong In A, her expression stiff. Hee-joo felt her palms slightly sweating, but at that moment on the podium, she didn’t avoid anyone's gaze.
"Is this a dream...?"
Could she really be interpreting beside Baek Sa-eon? Hee-joo felt an overwhelming excitement she could hardly contain. At that moment, Baek Sa-eon’s gaze met hers. Now, even without speaking, they could clearly feel each other's thoughts. Hee-joo raised her hands, ready to sign—almost in unison with the spokesperson.
"Despite facing challenges such as war, climate crises, and pandemics, the Asia-Pacific countries must take bolder steps to tackle climate change..."
Hearing his calm statement, Hee-joo began to interpret. Though she had interpreted almost all her life, at that moment, it still felt as fresh as the first time, her heart racing. Standing side by side with him, speaking the same words, filled her empty heart.
"It is now the time for our citizens to contribute to the green recovery. We have renewable energy, climate technologies, resource cycles..."
Hee-joo kept up with his words more smoothly than during practice. It wasn't a desperate chase but rather a natural rhythm.
‘Is he speaking more slowly than usual today?’
Everyone knew Baek Sa-eon’s tone—blunt and aggressive—but today his speech was gentle and measured.
‘It’s like... he’s matching my pace.’
Even if it was just an illusion, it didn’t matter. The feeling was so sweet that Hee-joo forgot the eyes around her, focusing only on one voice. Gradually, everything around her blurred, leaving only Baek Sa-eon’s voice echoing in her mind. That voice left a trace, like a line, becoming Hee-joo's guide and everything she could see.
But maybe that was the problem. Only then did she realize that the reporters sitting there suddenly stood up, shouting, while the security guards rushed forward.
Chapter 52
"Our employees are starving, while those who handle state affairs stand here spewing nonsense. Damn it!"
A man suddenly rushed onto the stage, a knife glinting in the sunlight. In an instant, Hee-joo recognized him—he was one of the protesters she saw at the entrance.
‘Ah...?'
As Hee-joo sluggishly lifted her arms, the knife-wielding man suddenly fell. It happened just as her small nose collided with Baek Sa-eon's chest. He grabbed Hee-joo and, without hesitation, kicked the man to the ground.
"In order to achieve a green recovery and transition to a low-carbon economy, we must actively develop the required scientific and technological capabilities—"
Baek Sa-eon's kicks were precise and fierce, and eventually, security managed to subdue the man who had rolled across the ground. Even as he was dragged away, the man continued shouting loudly, but Baek Sa-eon remained unfazed. He truly hadn’t lost his composure. From the beginning, his pace never faltered; even while kicking, he continued the briefing.
Thus, Hee-joo's hands moved naturally. Her well-trained sign language skills kicked in almost instantaneously. Despite her ears ringing and her legs going weak, Baek Sa-eon's steady voice acted like a guiding thread for her.
"—It is our mission to share these technologies with developing countries."
Yet he never let go of the arm wrapped around her shoulders, his eyes fixed solely on Hee-joo—not on the reporters—as he continued his briefing. His breath was slightly uneven, and his tone sharp, even as his gaze roamed angrily over her face.
Without realizing it, they were no longer standing side by side but were now facing each other during the briefing—an unusual position.
"To achieve these sustainable development goals, it’s difficult to do it alone, and that’s why partnerships are crucial."
This abnormality didn’t escape notice—both the reporters and the onlooking citizens were left stunned, murmuring among themselves.
After the briefing ended, applause rang out with various meanings. Hee-joo nodded a little absentmindedly, only for her face to be held roughly.
"Are you scared? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Only then did she let out a sigh of relief. Her breathing was rapid, her vision spinning. Baek Sa-eon checked her pulse near her ear and then muttered under his breath, "That lunatic..."
"Take a breath. You did well in the briefing."
Just those few words of recognition made warmth surge through Hee-joo. Baek Sa-eon led her off the stage, taking her to the rest area and locking the door. Then he tightly hugged her, comforting her as her emotions ran high from the shock.
"Since I met you, there hasn't been a single place in this world that isn’t dangerous. Even if I left you at an amusement park, I'd worry myself sick."
He rested his chin on the top of her head, hugging her tightly. Immersed in Baek Sa-eon’s embrace, his familiar scent enveloped her.
"Maybe it'll always be like this."
He let out a gentle sigh, a strange sweetness in his voice. His smooth cheek slowly rubbed against Hee-joo's head. The sound resonating from his chest was as deep as a heartbeat, giving her a sense of connection to the vast world.
‘Ah...’
Suddenly, a wave of emotion surged within her. Even in complete darkness, she was instinctively drawn to that sound. It was a beam of light guiding her forward.
A realization hit her, unexpectedly.
‘I... toward you...’
Stripping away her stubborn exterior, her inner self became transparent. Eventually, it was 406 who had glimpsed into his heart, slowly, bit by bit, unraveling the wounds that had hardened like stubborn scars.
The more Hee-joo tried to hide or approach him, the more exposed the man became.
Do we have... another path?
She remembered his rough confession spoken in the heat of passion. Though the subject was unclear, from beginning to end, his gaze never left one person.
The person trembling beneath him.
‘If there’s still a place for me—’
Could we become different?
‘If I reveal that I am 406... will you accept it?’
Just then.
Hee-joo suddenly paled and grabbed his arm tightly.
"...!"
The thick suit sleeve had been slashed by the knife. Seeing the thin red line on his skin, her heart sank.
"It's nothing, just a scratch, really."
He casually turned his arm away, his expression indifferent. Then, seemingly dissatisfied with the space between them, he pulled her back roughly.
"Where are you going?"
Hee-joo obediently snuggled into his embrace.
As Hee-joo stepped outside to head home, several pairs of eyes were on her. She tried hard to ignore those stares, their gaze falling on her flushed face, and quickened her pace. The strange redness on her face refused to fade away.
Rrrr, Rrrr—
The sharp ringing startled her, and Hee-joo frantically rummaged through her pocket. The caller ID displayed a restricted number. The moment she saw the screen, her heart raced wildly.
‘Of all times... now?!’
While Hee-joo hesitated, her face turning pale, someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the emergency staircase. The grip was strong enough to make her bones ache faintly. Thrown into the corner, Hee-joo hurriedly rubbed her sore wrist.
"Hong Hee-joo, you...!"
Facing her sister's cold expression, she felt as though her thoughts had been completely laid bare, her very blood draining from her body.
"Is this real?"
Her sister pressed her with an unclear question.
"You... you can't possibly be what I think, right?"
But Hee-joo couldn't say a word. There were too many things she couldn't say, especially the things she had just come to understand.
"That look on your face on the stage..."
Recalling something, Hong In A let out a bitter laugh.
"Could it be that you've really fallen for Baek Sa-eon?"
"......"
Hong In A ran her hand through her hair, biting her lip.
I'm not ready to have this conversation with her...
Hee-joo silently lowered her head, and Hong In A quickly changed her question.
"When did it start?"
There was no escape. Hee-joo slowly moved her hands.
‘...It’s been some time.’
Hearing this, Hong In A looked up at the ceiling, laughing, then kicked the wall with force before sitting down, her hands covering her face. The intensity of her demeanor left Hee-joo shrinking into herself. Should I apologize for falling in love with my sister's fiancé?
For shamelessly taking something that belonged to her... should I apologize for that too...?
Hee-joo bowed her head low, struggling to organize the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind.
Suddenly, her sister stood up abruptly, her eyes blazing.
"If the Little Mermaid... hadn't saved the drowning prince but instead saw something terrible on his ship, would she still love him?"
Emotions surged through her like a torrent, yet she couldn't identify what they were. It was all too fast, too intense. Only Hong In A's anger and fear emerged with clarity.
"Hee-joo, I disappeared before the wedding because—"
"......"
"I ran away."
"......!"
"Because neither Dad nor anyone else believed me. There wasn't a single person I could trust, so I left everything behind and ran away...!"
She seemed to have retained her habit of using sign language, gesturing angrily in the air, her voice laced with rage. Then, Hong In A nervously grabbed Hee-joo’s shoulders.
The sister Hee-joo remembered had always been a calm person, so seeing her this agitated felt incredibly foreign. Faced with this unusual scene, Hee-joo clenched her fists.
"I pretended not to know the reason for your mutism because—" In A hesitated for a moment, her mouth opening and closing.
"Not only because of my selfishness but also because staying silent seemed better."
"......"
"It was... safer that way."
The statement was hard to comprehend. Hong In A looked around, her gaze trembling, before lowering her head. As her face drew closer, Hee-joo saw her sister's bloodshot eyes. In A spoke softly.
"When I was little... I said something I shouldn't have."
Her pupils still trembled slightly, conveying deep fear.
"That brother wasn't Baek Sa-eon."
"...!"
"His face was different, Grandpa."
Hee-joo's eyes widened at the unexpected name. Hong In A's face was pale as a ghost, and she mimicked a child's tone.
"I said that to Representative Baek Jang-ho. I told him that the face in front of me wasn't the same as the one I'd seen before—"
She anxiously licked her lips.
"At that moment, the look on Representative Baek Jang-ho's face..."
Recalling that moment, Hong In A's shoulders trembled involuntarily.
Everything happened in that meticulously groomed garden, in the instant she introduced her fiancé. When In A had proudly pointed her finger at Baek Sa-eon—the once light-hearted air instantly sharpened like a blade, aimed directly at the little girl.
The kind grandfather had approached her, smiling, and pinched her face tightly. The wrinkled texture of his hand on her tender cheek had been deeply unsettling. With a ghostly grin, his face twisted, his mouth curving upwards.
Later, Hong In A realized that the words of blessing spoken as he touched her cheek were actually a warning. It all began from that moment, because of her careless words. A childish heart wanted to boast, indifferent to the story about all her education being completed through homeschooling.
So, she recalled the face she had once glimpsed, pointing out that the boy standing before her was completely different from the Baek Sa-eon she had once seen.
Chapter 53
"Then, there was the car accident, Hee-joo."
"...!"
"The car we were in... I was injured, and my brother died in that accident."
Hee-joo felt her mind go blank.
"It happened the day after Representative Baek Jang-ho smiled at me."
Her sister’s words echoed in her mind, refusing to fade. The screech of brakes, the truck crossing the center line, the crushing impact—everything flattened in pain. Her younger brother, who had died before even having the chance to cry, the vivid red blood, and the pungent smell of gasoline. The chaotic scene seemed as if it had happened just yesterday, vividly reappearing in her mind.
At the same time, the puzzle pieces slowly came together.
So, every time In A saw Baek Sa-eon, she would get tense? And that’s why her expression was always so stiff? How had her sister managed to hide this secret for so long? Hee-joo had only been nine years old when the accident happened, meaning her sister had harbored doubts on her own for nearly twenty years. The sense of unease had grown as she did—a kind of invisible punishment.
"And as time passed, I once told our father—" Hong In A clearly remembered that day.
"Our father acted like it was nothing. At that time, Representative Baek Jang-ho was still alive. He provided the Sankyung Daily with scandalous material on government officials and news tips. Thanks to him, Sankyung Daily got all the exclusives and grew stronger."
"......"
"The two families were already in a mutually beneficial relationship. Naturally, my father ignored my words. The only thing he cared about was his ambition of becoming a 'kingmaker.'"
"......"
"That's why I ran away." Hong In A bit her lip. "Because I couldn't marry a man I knew nothing about."
Those words brought an inexplicable pain to Hee-joo's heart.
Hee-joo signed, "So... you saw him the day before the wedding?"
Her sister seemed a little surprised but nodded.
"Yes, I was determined to come back to you."
"...What do you mean?"
Her sister's face suddenly turned cold.
"The last time I saw Baek Sa-eon, I was trying to break off the wedding, even intending to threaten him."
"...!"
"I threatened to expose his secret."
Hearing the word "threaten," Hee-joo couldn't help but tremble.
"I went to him just to threaten him."
"...!"
Hong In A clenched her teeth.
"Even when I threatened to expose his identity, he didn’t even blink. Instead, he brought up the car accident—and smiled."
"...!"
"He's a complete lunatic."
In A breathed heavily, anger and hatred clear in her clenched jaw. At that moment, I finally understood where her hostility came from. It wasn't directed at me—it had been aimed at Baek Sa-eon all along.
"That was when I became sure that a careless sentence I said as a child had truly killed my brother." A deep sense of guilt appeared on In A's pale face.
She then lowered her head, as if confessing.
"But... it ended up being me who got threatened instead."
Three years ago, Hong In A had been deeply agitated. Her mind was a mess, and when she confirmed the truth she had suspected all along, her fighting spirit crumbled. Even communicating through written notes had its limitations. From beginning to end, In A was in a weaker position, while Baek Sa-eon seemed effortlessly in control. It felt like facing a knife without emotion, merely disguised as a human.
Back then, Baek Sa-eon made a suggestion: hand over your sister.
"He said if I handed you over to him, he would let me leave safely."
"...!"
"He said he would ensure I left without our father finding out."
As she looked at Hee-joo with pained eyes—a sense of foreboding overwhelmed her. It was an instinctive feeling, something she didn’t want to hear.
"As hush money, Baek Sa-eon demanded you as collateral."
It felt as if someone had pierced her throat with a nail.
"I knew it was despicable, but I was truly terrified back then..." Her voice shook like a storm.
"He said if I handed over Hong Hee-joo, he would let me leave safely, and free me from the political marriage. At that time, what he wanted was you."
"......"
"That man is a total madman, completely unhinged."
Hee-joo's vision grew blurry. He had said he’d let her escape from the political marriage? That had always been Hee-joo's wish. However, learning that Baek Sa-eon had proactively made this offer to her sister, while Hee-joo had only come to know about it through a threatening call, ignited a deep anger within her.
What had these three years of marriage been like? It was more akin to living as a hostage, per Baek Sa-eon's demands. Hee-joo felt not only incredibly unfortunate but also powerless, accustomed to being ignored. Although she had once loved him, this wasn't the kind of life she had wanted. An indescribable sense of emptiness surged through her heart.
At the same time, a violent urge to tear something apart spread like wildfire. Her sclera turned bloodshot.
"I admit, back then, I only thought about myself and left you behind to run away. But... he killed our brother, and pushed you to that extent. I couldn’t stand it... Even after running away, I couldn't bear it."
"......"
"So, I made up my mind to restore everything to how it was."
"......"
"That’s why I came back."
Even as she listened to her sister's apology, Hee-joo’s mind was blank.
"We were never a real couple."
"You were just a 'hostage' sent to my side."
Was that it? So it really was like that. Knowing the truth made her realize how naive her heart had been.
"So, don’t fall for that man, Hee-joo."
"......"
"He can’t be trusted."
The bit of confidence Hee-joo had finally regained plummeted once again. Today’s interpreting had been perfect—so perfect, it felt like they were spiritually in sync.
"But how could you fall for someone like him?!"
The emotions she had managed to piece together shattered once more, leaving only a deep sadness. Hee-joo didn’t even know how she had walked to this place. Looking at the asphalt road ahead of her, she didn't know how long she'd been walking.
From the start, this political marriage had been woven out of threats—a perilous venture. Whether it was the pact between families or the secret agreement between her sister and Baek Sa-eon, Hee-joo had been used, inside and out. Why did this unsurprising reality suddenly feel so despairing?
Her sister knew Baek Sa-eon's most fatal weakness, and Hee-joo was used as a hostage to keep her sister silent.
"Ha ha..."
Even now, Hee-joo felt as if she had been pushed outside once again. The sense of loss drained all her strength. She had walked until her heels were bleeding without realizing it, only snapping back when her phone vibrated continuously.
A restricted number.
Seeing those long-unseen words made her breath quicken. She had completely forgotten about the call while talking with her sister. Looking around, she found herself standing in a desolate place without any road signs.
With a dazed expression, Hee-joo answered the phone, her hand holding it trembling.
"Sister, how have you been lately?"
"......"
Just the simple greeting made Hee-joo take a deep breath.
"You didn't pick up for so long, I almost got angry..."
"......"
"Things got really interesting while I wasn't around, didn't they?"
He chuckled, the cold wind blowing her hair into a mess.
"Do you remember our promise?"
"......"
"You promised to say what I wanted to hear."
"......"
"Debts must be settled."
Hee-joo looked up at the sky, nodding silently. Strangely, she no longer had the strength to respond. She merely bit her cold, bluish lips. She was completely lost.
"We even practiced our lines, and your sister helped by enduring all the harsh words."
For a moment, the kidnapper's mocking laughter echoed in the air. Then, he slowly stopped laughing and spoke in a low voice.
"This is my confession. Please accept my confession."
"......!"
Hee-joo's aimless steps came to an abrupt halt.
"At that time... when Baek Sa-eon died, I was just watching."
"......!"
"As the only witness."
"......"
"When you watched me die, what were you thinking?"
What does this mean?
Hee-joo's gaze was lost and shaken. The twilight slowly approached the horizon.
"This is what I’ve always wanted to hear."
"What do you mean... I, I..."
"Still don’t understand?"
"......"
"Didn't you say you wanted to go back to your old life?"
"......!"
"My lost name, position, and honor... Even though it’s late, I will take them all back."
The kidnapper's voice became slightly unsteady.
"Baek Sa-eon, that name was originally mine! Damn it, that was my name!"
"......!"
It felt like a sharp stab inside her chest, the pain unbearable. Hee-joo could only shake her head helplessly, facing the truth that shattered the only name she had liked.
The kidnapper laughed again and asked:
"Sister, you don't really want to live with me, do you?"
Her thoughts slowed down, her eyelids trembled, and her ears buzzed. But finally, a boiling groan escaped her lips.
"If I become Baek Sa-eon again, technically, you would be my wife."
"...!"
"Could you live like that?"
It was terrifying. Hee-joo's pupils trembled violently, as if someone had grabbed her neck from behind.
"So, damn it, hurry up and end it. Hm? Quickly, quickly, damn it."
"..."
"When I become Baek Sa-eon again, I won't take you with me. Didn't you say you were just a burden?"
Though his voice was low, it was full of excitement.
"If you can't bring me a confession, this time it won't be your father who dies; it'll be your husband... the guy who stole my life will die."
"...!"
"I never joke around; that's why you fell off that mountain."
Hee-joo couldn't help but shudder.
"Remember? Who was it that pushed you?"
No, no way... It couldn't be that. Hee-joo shook her head desperately.
But the long-forgotten feeling resurfaced in her mind—the feeling of a heavy arm shoving her. It all happened too fast. They had taken a group photo together, raised their hands, and shouted slogans.
"No, it couldn't be..."
There was no one there besides the publicity office staff...
Her recently healed limbs began to tremble. In the final moment of the fall, whose face had she seen?
Hee-joo instinctively tried to remember, but everything remained blurry.
"It's time to hand over the phone, Sister."
The confession—this was the kidnapper's final order.
Chapter 54:
Baek Sa-eon. The eldest grandson of the late Representative Baek Jang-ho. The next presidential candidate and the only son of Professor Shim Kyu-jin from Korean University. The man she had watched for nearly 20 years, secretly liked, and even married... was actually not Baek Sa-eon?
"And... that person who threatened me is the real Baek Sa-eon."
Goosebumps rose all over Hee-joo's body. Everything was in chaos, but at the same time, all the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together. The entire world had deceived her. When she heard that her sister had returned, Hee-joo expected nothing more than a clean divorce, and that was it.
"But a confession...?"
Everything she knew and believed in had been turned upside down. The real Baek Sa-eon, whom she had thought was dead, had appeared. Her entire world was shattered.
Because of this shock, even though she was in the same city, Seoul, it took her over five hours to get back home. Her mind was still in utter turmoil. Nothing seemed clear.
"This isn’t like The Prince and the Pauper..."
At the memorial that day, someone had said that the late Representative Baek Jang-ho was particularly fond of Baek Sa-eon, so much so that he had never been seen in public until middle school. Therefore, none of the relatives had witnessed Baek Sa-eon's growing-up process.
So, could the child have been switched without anyone noticing?
But what about his in-laws, the ones who lived with him? Did they know all along and keep it hidden flawlessly? Why? For what purpose?
Hee-joo clasped her phone with both hands, sitting in the dark.
"So, who exactly is Baek Sa-eon...?"
No, the man who had always pretended to be Baek Sa-eon—the man I fell for—what kind of life had he been living?
That boy who once hid in the corner, unable even to cry freely.
That boy who was frail, pale, hated eating, and always spoke harsh words.
The one I loved...
"Finally, I thought I had reached him..."
I had thought we could have a different future...
Hee-joo rubbed her swollen eyes and picked up her phone. When the clock pointed to 10 p.m., she instinctively reached for it.
"Maybe it's a misunderstanding..."
Until she heard his explanation, nothing was certain.
Beep... Beep...
Ask him, find out...
"Hello, 406."
The voice on the other end was exhausted but also a little familiar. There were so many questions to ask, yet her throat tightened in an instant.
All the suffocating emotions, her sister's silence, and his hostage-like demands—they were unbearable. But the most painful thing of all was the unspoken words that had yet to be conveyed.
Hee-joo covered her swollen eyes with her arm and asked, "I... heard something unbelievable."
Her lips trembled slightly.
"A spokesperson for the Blue House spreading rumors is surprising enough—"
"...!"
"Baek Sa-eon... isn't Baek Sa-eon."
"......"
"Is that... possible?"
Hee-joo whimpered like a child, pouring out her feelings. But there was silence on the other end. Though she was used to the silence, now it felt terrifying.
"Say something...!"
She raised her voice, shouting sharply.
"This is grounds for divorce...!"
"......"
"Now Hong Hee-joo has a valid reason to file for divorce!"
She was practically yelling.
"If I get divorced."
Then, a low, rough voice spoke, like scraping against iron.
"If I get divorced and go to 406, will you accept me?"
"What?"
"I'm asking if I come to you, will you accept me?"
"What does that mean..." She frowned in disbelief.
"...Are you really going to meet with 406?"
"Can't I?"
Her eyes twitched slightly.
"You... you bastard... what about your wife? What about Hong Hee-joo...!"
"......"
"I know you're a hypocrite, two-faced! But Hong Hee-joo... Hong Hee-joo..."
What else could she say?
Say that she likes him? Say she wanted to trust him? Say she thought they could have a different ending? But those words couldn't come from a woman who was utterly broken. The truest feelings at this moment were perhaps the most fragile. Her pride bristled like thorns. Hee-joo was all too familiar with the sorrow of pleading and begging.
"No, I won't meet you," she said with wide eyes, as if making up her mind.
"Even if you give up everything, get divorced, and come looking for me."
"..."
"I still won’t, I hate you, Baek Sa-eon, I hate you."
"..."
"From the very beginning, from the first time I met you, I hated you. If it wasn't like this, I wouldn't have made all those meaningless, harassing calls."
Suddenly, Hee-joo’s heart felt like it was being torn apart, and tears sprang from her eyes. She didn't know what the searing sensation rising to her throat was. Perhaps it was anger, or perhaps resentment, but no matter what it was, all she wanted to do was cry.
However, she couldn't stop talking.
"I shouldn't have called you from the start. I shouldn't have gone through this even if it meant living a dull, empty life. I shouldn't have said so many things to you. I should’ve stayed ignorant..."
The harassing phone calls had become a bridge for me to learn so many of my husband's secrets. The calls had also subtly changed our marital relationship. But now, all that was left was pain.
Hee-joo changed her position and walked into the man's bedroom. Her gaze stopped at the jacket hanging on the chair by the bedside table.
—"Those things we did together... do you regret them?"
"......"
Hee-joo silently wiped her tears, picked up the jacket. Just a few hours ago, it had carried his scent. She buried her face in the fabric.
"Who... are you?"
—......
"If you're not Baek Sa-eon... then what are you?"
Her voice sounded like it came from the depths of an abyss, but the man still didn’t offer any defense or explanation.
Hee-joo only hugged his jacket tightly and closed her eyes. Then she asked a difficult, terrifying question.
"Did you... were you there when Baek Sa-eon died?"
—You've figured it out this far.
"......!"
Hearing the confirmation, Hee-joo froze.
—When did you first make contact with that person?
"That person?"
—Baek Sa-eon, the one who helped you change your voice.
"......!"
Hee-joo kept denying it in her heart, unwilling to believe that she had been controlled by the whispers of a devil. Her neck stiffened, her fingers lost feeling, and her head drooped.
So it's true... It really is true...
—Did that person threaten you?
"...No."
—Baek Sa-eon is a dangerous person. Getting involved with him recklessly...
"I said no!" Hee-joo shouted, almost as if arguing.
She hated the way he spoke about "Baek Sa-eon" as if it were someone else. You are Baek Sa-eon, why do you keep speaking like this...?
A living, breathing confusion filled her eyes.
"No matter what, I..."
Hee-joo yelled, her eyes and neck turning red.
"Even if it's only once, even if it's a mess, I want to live my life my own way! I didn't do these things because I was threatened, I did them because I wanted to break free."
Free from her family, from her in-laws, from Baek Sa-eon, and from that foolish version of herself who couldn't even speak.
Every time she picked up this phone, she felt like she was getting just a little better.
"But you... you..."
It was you... You were the one who shook my resolve.
A long silence settled between them, heavy, as if something had ended.
Today had been a long, exhausting day.
As she touched her dry cheek.
—If I confessed everything to you, 406, would it change anything?
His restrained voice pierced through sharply.
—What could I say to a woman who wanted to be free?
"......"
—My words might just become another shackle.
His voice trembled violently.
—Or, if I won your sympathy, would you distance yourself from that Baek Sa-eon?
"What are you talking about..."
—When Baek Sa-eon died, yes, I was there. Baek Sa-eon drowned, and I just watched. In the clear river, I watched him drown—
"Stop talking."
—I saw everything, from beginning to end—
"Stop it...! I told you to stop talking!"
Hee-joo fell to her knees, her forehead resting on her knees. The heavy breathing of both of them merged through the phone lines.
She felt a wave of nausea.
Now she seemed to understand the true nature of the nightmare he had been having ever since childhood.
The face this man had always seen in his dreams was actually Baek Sa-eon's perspective of his own face—a recurring nightmare.
"Ugh..." Hee-joo struggled to hold back her tears, hugging herself tightly. With a sense of despair, she asked, "What are you thinking? Why did you do something like that..."
On the other end of the phone, a soft chuckle could be heard. The response gave her a sense of unease.
"Why indeed..." His voice was low, as if it had been trampled on, devoid of any emotion. It was the driest, coldest voice she had ever heard.
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