when the phone rings novel
On the second floor of a hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, Hee-joo felt overwhelmed the moment she stepped inside.
The room was filled with influential figures: the Deputy Prime Minister of Economy, ministers, senior government aides, and leaders from politics, business, finance, labor, arts, media, and academia. Even a cursory glance at those lining up revealed an intimidating presence.
"Oh, Baek son-in-law!"
At the entrance, Kim Yeon-hee, greeting guests, lit up as she spotted them. She seemed far more delighted to see her son-in-law than her own daughter.
"I heard Baek Representative and Mountain View Daily are joining forces—is it true?"
"Is this the first time you've brought your wife to an event?"
"Baek Representative must be seriously preparing to run for president..."
Whispers and murmurs rippled through the crowd, drifting into Baek Sa-eon's ears. Curious gazes soon shifted to the woman holding his arm.
Though Hee-joo felt goosebumps rising, she kept her gaze fixed firmly forward, maintaining composure. She reminded herself of her singular purpose tonight:
Just a decoration. That's all.
At that moment, Kim Yeon-hee pushed her way through the crowd to reach the couple.
"You both came together? I thought you wouldn't make it."
"How have you been?" Baek Sa-eon asked politely, though his tone was indifferent.
"Of course, I've been well. Why wouldn't I be?" Kim Yeon-hee smiled brightly, unbothered by his detached greeting.
"But, Baek son-in-law, could I borrow my daughter for a moment?"
Baek Sa-eon frowned slightly but eventually gave a small nod.
However, Hee-joo instinctively tightened her grip on his arm.
"...!"
Her unintentional action made his cold expression shift slightly as he looked at her. Startled, Hee-joo quickly let go, but his frown deepened as he scrutinized her.
In a low voice, he murmured, "Don't go?"
"..."
Their eyes met. His gaze was still icy, as usual, but there was something different about it—a subtle undercurrent.
As if...
As if he would grant any request she made.
Hee-joo shook her head to dispel the absurd thought.
"What a ridiculous idea...!" she whispered to herself, shaking her head again.
"Hee-joo!"
Her mother's voice broke the moment, cutting through the atmosphere. She stepped between them, instantly shattering the delicate tension.
"How could you trouble Mr. Baek like that?"
Pulling Hee-joo to her side, her mother gave Baek Sa-eon a reassuring smile, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
Baek Sa-eon remained where he was, his expression stubborn, as Hee-joo turned her head to glance at him.
"You...!"
Her mother dragged her to a corner, lowering her voice but maintaining a poised smile as she greeted passing acquaintances.
"What's going on with your father?"
Her expression darkened dramatically, like a wrathful demon's, as soon as they were alone.
"I heard he's moved into a nursing home."
"..."
"Why does Mr. Baek know about your father? Did he... find out?"
Hee-joo hesitated but eventually nodded, only to face her mother's sharp reprimand.
"You've finally exposed your pitiful father," her mother hissed, her lips trembling.
"What's there to show off about letting Mr. Baek find out?"
"..."
"If people think you're some sneaky woman secretly taking care of her ex-husband, what do you think will happen? What will Chairman Hong do if he finds out? I've been supporting you behind his back. This is my final act of leniency," her mother said, gripping Hee-joo's arm tightly, her hand trembling slightly.
Hee-joo could tell her mother was suppressing her anger, but she also felt the sharp sting of Kim Yeon-hee's shame.
Before becoming madam, her mother had survived her first marriage by working as a voice actor. It was a past she detested recalling, a memory worse than death itself. That intense denial cut deeper into Hee-joo's own wounds.
"If you make me any angrier, I'll send your father to a psychiatric hospital instead of a nursing home."
"...!"
Hee-joo widened her eyes in stubborn defiance.
"Whether it's brawling or calling the police, don't cause a scene. After all, he's just an old man. What's the loss if he loses a few teeth? Try dragging Chairman Hong's name into this mess and see what happens."
Faced with the threatening warning, Hee-joo clenched her teeth hard.
"What is wrong with you..." Kim Yeon-hee sighed deeply, shaking her head.
"You still don't know what's more important."
"..."
"You either handle your father's situation quietly or bury it entirely."
Her gaze was icy, though she casually adjusted her hair with an air of elegance.
Soon, her mother's eyes locked onto someone in the distance—Baek Sa-eon, surrounded by a group of admirers.
"This position was already too high for you. Now that you know, you'd better act accordingly."
Among all the men, Baek Sa-eon stood out—strikingly handsome and composed.
It was a scene Hee-joo knew well. The layout, the distance—it had always been this way and showed no signs of changing.
"Before you lose everything."
"...!"
Her mood sank to its lowest point as her mother once again greeted others brightly:
"Oh, Mrs. Jung—!"
Hee-joo stepped behind a pillar, quietly trying to steady her chaotic breathing. The pain in her scratched wrist couldn't compare to the hurt of being treated like an unwelcome guest by her own mother.
"Ah... I've stopped taking the medication..."
Whenever she saw her mother, that stubborn depressive feeling clawed its way back.
It was now 9:50 p.m.
But as her thoughts shifted to what she had to do, her expression changed rapidly. Weakness gave way to energy, despair morphed into determination, fueled by the weight of the phone in her purse.
Something more important than maintaining the facade of a marriage.
Hee-joo grabbed a passing glass of champagne and downed it in one gulp. Then, clutching her purse tightly, she headed toward the restroom.
"Did you see Hong Hee-joo today?"
"Ah, yes, I did."
A strange nasal tone caught her attention—it came from the dressing room across the way.
Hee-joo paused mid-hand wash to listen.
"She's so shameless. She stole In-ah's position and doesn't feel a shred of guilt."
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Sa-eon-oppa in ages. He's different now—more mature, wouldn't you say?"
"That position was meant for In-ah!"
The sharp accusation made Hee-joo flinch.
"I told you she was odd from the start, didn't I?"
"Your theories are always ridiculous."
Despite the bickering, their laughter sounded close-knit.
"From the moment she started tagging along with In-ah, handling her schedule, I found her strange. She doesn't talk much, her gaze flits around, and she's got no presence—a gloomy little thing."
"Do you think she learned sign language on purpose? To stick close to the eldest daughter of Mountain View Daily and take advantage of every opportunity?"
"But who would've thought she'd even steal her sister's fiancé?"
Hee-joo let the water run as she stood motionless.
From the elite preschool to the prestigious high school attached to a university, In-ah's circle of friends had always dismissed Hee-joo's presence.
As her sister's bridge to communication, Hee-joo had frequently mingled with them. But after In-ah's disappearance, the rumors began to swirl.
The twisted tales and the "dirty secrets" she now used to threaten Baek Sa-eon? Much of the inspiration had come from those very women.
"Where do you think In-ah went? Still no news?"
"Hopefully she didn't die somewhere..."
"Don't say such scary things...!"
Hee-joo raised her head and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Her wounded face looked as gloomy as they'd described, much like the acts she'd committed behind the veil of a voice changer.
It was now nearly 10 p.m.
When the elevator doors opened, the pitch-black night sky poured in.
The rooftop terrace, while open, was deserted due to the biting cold.
Ring, ring. Ring, ring.
Though the glittering nightscape beyond the railing was dazzling, Hee-joo found it uninteresting. Each breath sent a frosty puff dissipating into the air.
"—Hello."
"..."
"—406, speak."
"..."
Strangely, her nose stung, and tears threatened to form.
Hearing that familiar, steady baritone, Hee-joo felt a sharp sting in her eyes, as though she'd been stung by bees. She wanted to say something but found herself pressing her lips tightly shut.
"—What is it?"
He seemed to interpret her silence as a bad omen, reacting with sharp concern.
"—406."
Under his stern urging, she finally opened her mouth, unable to hold it in any longer.
"When your fiancée disappeared, and Hong Hee-joo replaced her... how did you feel?"
Her words felt like a knife she had chosen to wield against herself, as if she had made up her mind to deepen her own wounds. She hoped the sharper pain might make the faint, lingering ache vanish entirely.
"Hmm... I understand. It must've been hard for you at the time."
"—Something like that," he replied.
Hee-joo closed her eyes tightly.
"—To be precise, I was blank at first."
"...!"
"—A young kid ruined all my plans."
"..."
"—At that moment, I had to replan everything. It was troublesome."
It was exactly the kind of cold and calculated response she had expected from him.
Hee-joo smiled bitterly and sat on the railing. If gossip was the key to opening his guarded persona, it was also a way to keep her own thoughts flowing.
"...He had his reasons too. She had no money, no connections, no company shares. Her professional skillset was limited, and as a daughter-in-law of a political family, she had zero social aptitude. People only saw her as someone unworthy of respect. She was just..."
She gazed distantly at the pitch-black sky, her expression vacant.
"...just an appendix to Hong In-ah."
She let out a short, bitter laugh, the sound edged with self-deprecation.
"And the funniest part is, he must've known that too."
Her voice trailed off as the champagne she had downed earlier coursed through her veins, spreading a dull warmth throughout her body.
"But every time I tried to escape, I always hesitated. Because I lacked the courage... because the comfort of wealth was too seductive. Hong Hee-joo is just a coward who surrenders to money."
"—..."
"It's probably better that I didn't say any of this to his face. If I did, I'm sure smoke would've started coming out of his ears."
She dangled her legs over the edge of the railing, kicking them lightly.
Baek Sa-eon remained silent.
It suddenly dawned on her that she had been rambling alone for quite a while.
"Hey?" she called out cautiously.
The sound of teeth grinding came from the other end of the line.