when the phone rings novel
She glanced at the clock, pulled the blanket over her head, and checked the time again, plunging into endless torment. At times, she wanted to confront Baek Sa-eon's indulgence directly; at other moments, she wished she could remain oblivious forever.
"Ugh..."
Hee-joo bit her nails, letting out a sound of frustration. Her mind felt like a chaotic swirl of alternating hot and cold emotions.
But then...
Beep, beep. Beep, beep.
Her curiosity about Baek Sa-eon, her fear as his wife, and her boiling denial of reality tangled together, ultimately driving her to pick up the phone.
Beep, beep. Beep, beep.
Her heartbeat was more erratic than usual.
'It'd actually be better if he didn't answer...'
And then, the ringing stopped.
"...!"
As the call connected, her mouth suddenly went dry.
Am I... trembling?
She held her breath.
"—Why are you calling again?"
His sharp voice rang through, like a rebuke.
"—You're so scared you can't even say a word."
Though relieved not to hear the sound of water, the contempt in his tone made her frown.
"—What do you want to see this time? Do you want me to smear a little more of you on myself?"
His cold, slow speech carried unmistakable dissatisfaction.
For a moment, Hee-joo's eyes flickered.
"If I say a single word, your political career is over."
"—..."
The line went silent for a moment, as though he were gauging the situation.
No, I have to be tougher—cruder. I have to speak like a real blackmailer.
'If I've decided to be a rebellious divorcee, why am I still playing the novice here?'
She snapped back into the role of 406. Even blackmailers had their pride...!
Her stubbornness was her way of denying reality.
It's impossible. There's no way Baek Sa-eon could really...
"I told you, you bastard! Didn't I demand that you meet my terms from the start?!"
"—Ah, so this is how you want to play?"
"Do you really not care if this gets out? Even if everyone points fingers at you?"
"—If we're doing this, let's make it more exciting."
Hee-joo's one-sided shouting was met with Baek Sa-eon's unshaken responses, making her anxiety grow. The man never lost his rhythm, which only intensified her unease.
"I told you to put things back the way they were!"
Before this conversation could spiral any further into chaos!
Hee-joo bit down on her lip, her jaw clenched tightly.
"Do you really want me to smear shit on your face? How long can a power-hungry man like you endure?"
Her words were deliberately sharp and biting, her anger spilling out uncontrollably.
A faint click of a lighter echoed over the line, followed by the sound of a cigarette being lit. It was as if he were leaning back, calmly enjoying the show.
"If you keep dragging this out, I don't know what I might do..."
"—Sorry, but I prefer to take my time. I'm not that fast."
"That's not what I meant! Now... do you know how much dirt I have on you? What if I release all these recordings? What happens to your reputation then? Aren't you afraid?"
"—Hmm."
"Can't you show a little fear? I'm 406... the blackmailer 406!"
Her voice pitched high, cracking with emotion. She was losing control, her desperation evident.
This reckless attempt came on the heels of their conversation the night before—a desperate bid to reclaim some semblance of power.
And yet, somewhere deep inside, there remained a flicker of foolish hope—that this might all just be a misunderstanding.
"—But that doesn't affect me."
"What?"
"—Having a woman I want doesn't count as a weakness, does it? If it's a publicly acknowledged relationship, then there's no issue."
"...!"
A woman he wants?
Each of his words stabbed painfully at her pride.
No country in the world condones infidelity!
Her blood rushed to her neck and the back of her head, but Baek Sa-eon remained calm as he continued speaking.
"—If it's framed as an invasion of privacy, it could backfire. It wouldn't harm me much. My reputation might take a slight hit, but I could easily lead a public campaign against digital sexual crimes. Who knows, I might even push for legislative changes."
His shamelessness was unbelievable.
Hee-joo buried her forehead in her pillow, breathing heavily.
Three years of a cold, distant marriage.
To see her husband's true nature in such a state was an unbearable torment.
She pressed her nose against the pillow, feeling suffocated, before jerking her head up. Her face was flushed, mottled like it had been stained.
"Can a married man behave this way?"
"—No, he can't."
His reply came quickly, curt yet strangely firm.
"Then why are you..."
"—Because you're 406."
"What?"
"—I only act this way with 406."
The ambiguous fear in her heart took form, becoming something much more concrete.
"—Let's get back to the main point," he said.
"..."
"—406, have you ever done it yourself?"
His audacious question left her utterly stunned.
Bastard, bastard...!
"Damn it..."
The curse slipped out, involuntarily. It was the only response she could muster.
Baek Sa-eon chuckled softly.
"—You're truly impressive. Threatening and swearing—both are your forte."
"Ha...!"
"—Every time we talk, I feel energized."
Hee-joo slammed her face back into the pillow, realizing the extent of the situation.
Baek Sa-eon wasn't planning to cheat on her unknowingly with "406"—he was fully aware of his intentions.
She thought she had caught him in a moment of weakness but was instead consumed by an uncontrollable despair.
It was more humiliating than the years of neglect she had endured.
Her teeth ground together audibly as anger continued to build.
This wasn't unfamiliar rage; she was used to it, even if she thought it had long subsided. Now, it welled up again like sediment stirred in water.
"Thinking of playing on your wife's bed tonight," he said casually.
At that moment, Hee-joo snapped.
"Fine."
The room fell into a heavy, tense silence.
"Then let's see you try."
Her head felt hot, her mind blank, but one thing was certain:
I'm going to end this marriage.
That resolution remained firm, even as her emotions surged.
Her eyes gleamed, slick with determination.
Let's see if I can't handle this mistress of yours.
"Grab the post and shake it," he said, his tone thick with implication.
...If you were in front of me, I'd grab your chest. Lift the underside, and... lick it.
The wet sounds that followed were incessant.
...If this were your chest, that's what I'd do. But I can't, can I? Can't do it. But a man reacts to things too.
I want to spread this across your tongue, deeper even, but—mm—it'd probably scare your innocent self. I just asked you to shake it, who told you to say such filthy things...!
Hee-joo rubbed her burning face furiously.
Within just a minute, her resolve began to falter.
The first sounds she heard were the rustle of fabric and the shifting of sheets.
The unseen made her imagination spiral.
Long legs, firm abs, the defined V-line of his hips—white sheets draped lightly as a man stood strong.
She imagined her husband leaning against the bed, moving rhythmically.
"You always speak ill of me... huh..."
The sound of his throat trembling, the gritting of his teeth.
"It's probably rough down below too," he muttered.
Her face burned so hot she thought it might catch fire.
The worst part was that Hee-joo's body was beginning to react as well.
Heat spread from her lower abdomen, rippling outward like waves.
"You didn't answer earlier," he said, his tone heavy with implication.
"Have you never tried it yourself?"
The low, resonant voice brushed past her ears.
"Have you ever done it yourself, like I have?"
"I... haven't."
Hee-joo swallowed dryly.
"Has anyone ever touched you? A husband, for example?"
"N-no."
"Ah, no, huh..."
His peculiar tone carried a teasing undertone as he seemed to look down at her, and she couldn't hold back her retort.
"Have you ever touched your wife?"
...
The other end of the line went silent for a moment, but she could still hear the friction sounds quicken, making her ears burn.
A low chuckle filled the air.
"I've never made love to Hee-joo."
His blunt admission made her stiffen.
"My wife still hasn't shed her baby fat. Sometimes, she still looks like the child she once was. That little girl who barely reached my chest—no matter how much she's grown, I wouldn't go crazy enough to lay a hand on her. Tsk... huh..."
His final groan was heavy, laced with irritation.
"Soft things break too easily. But you don't have to worry—I won't lose control."
"...!"
"You're a wicked blackmailer."
The excitement in his voice mixed with an insidious, mocking pleasure.
Hee-joo felt herself sinking deeper, unable to resist the pull of his words.
Right as he seemed to reach his climax, his ragged breathing intensified. His wet, sultry words clung to her ears.
"Have I really done it... in Hong Hee-joo's room?"
In a daze, she asked, "What?"
Her question earned a soft laugh.
"Yes. And when Hee-joo is discharged, she'll lie in that bed again."
"...!"
"—You have no idea what I've done while inhaling your scent, do you?"
"Why...?"
Her voice came out low and raspy.
"How can someone be so... shameless?"
Rubbing her flushed cheeks, Hee-joo frowned deeply.
"I thought you'd at least care a little about your wife. How can you make these calls to me behind Hong Hee-joo's back?"
Her voice carried a faint trace of weak resentment, curling around him like ivy.
Baek Sa-eon, though always cold, had never been this vulgar. Even from a non-wife's perspective, his behavior was deeply disappointing.
At that moment, he seemed to take another drag from the cigarette he had set aside earlier. The faint sound of its filter burning reached her ears, followed by a derisive laugh and the scattering of smoke.
"—For whom do you think I've sold my body?"
"What?"
"—It's unfair. Who else can I rely on or falter for?"
"Ah..."
Hee-joo was still reeling when his voice delivered a final ultimatum.
"—Next time, even room 406 needs to strip."
"...!"
"—You'd better remember that."
The call ended with a cold click.
Hee-joo stared at her phone, her eyes tightly shut.
A strange discomfort settled between her legs. Each time she shifted her position, the fabric of her underwear felt damp.