when the phone rings novel

"What is Hong Hee-joo planning to do?"

Baek Sa-eon stared at the words, his face growing darker with each read. Anger surged in his chest.

"Are you insane?"

"...!"

He abruptly stood up and extinguished his cigarette on the piece of paper.

Perhaps it was the nicotine clouding his judgment, but impulsivity took over. His body felt feverish, his thoughts chaotic, even incomprehensible to himself.

"I'll help her escape."

"...!"

He drew the curtains and lowered his voice.

"There's no need for a political marriage. I'll get her out safely."

"...!"

"And without Chairman Hong ever finding out."

Hong In A froze in place, not even daring to blink.

"But you'll have to keep your mouth shut. Whether it's revealing secrets or anything else, keep that mouth sealed tight."

"..."

After a long pause, Hong In A finally nodded.

"You see, this should've been a negotiation from the start, not a threat."

He clicked his tongue impatiently.

"Luckily for you, I'm not like that old man. I'm a reasonable person."

"..."

"Now, let's finalize the deal."

He held up a blank sheet of paper.

"To prevent you from breaking your end of the bargain and exposing my secret—"

For the first time, alarm bells went off in his head.

He realized he couldn't afford to give up the name and identity of "Baek Sa-eon."

"As hush money, hand over your sister."

"...!"

Without the identity of "Baek Sa-eon," he would no longer be Hong Hee-joo's neighbor, tutor, or brother-in-law—he would be nothing.

The thought of her discovering his secret, especially this horrifying scandal, sent chills down his spine.

That was the one thing he couldn't allow.

He couldn't abandon this name; he had to own it completely.

In that moment, his desire erupted.

"Hand her over to me."

Though his goal had unexpectedly shifted, he was now more resolute than ever.

"If you won't, then marry that nobody tomorrow."

It had been three years since Hong Hee-joo had returned.

One day, a threatening phone call came in. He hadn't even suspected Hong In A.

After all, she was the woman who had sold out her sister and fled. She didn't seem to have the courage to reclaim anything.

Before running away, Hong In A had left a message for Kim Yeon-hee. He didn't even need to read it to know its intent.

She must have urged her stepmother to use this card to manipulate Chairman Hong.

And her stepmother wasn't the type to refuse such an advantageous opportunity.

If her biological daughter married instead of her stepdaughter, Kim Yeon-hee would gain much more.

Poor Hong Hee-joo.

Everyone was using her as a pawn.

"Sister, how are you doing?"

"By the way, is my phone working fine?"

"From now on, you'll always have to use my voice, okay?"

"You'll be my messenger."

Choices always seemed to appear suddenly, at unexpected turns.

How was he supposed to keep living like this?

... And how was that bastard still alive?

Baek Sa-eon's name and life had already become his.

But if it was taken away now, what would happen?

What would happen to Hee-joo?

My wife, Hong Hee-joo...

Even someone as emotionally detached as he was felt a chill run through him.

When he realized that the threatening phone call had come from —the real Baek Sa-eon—his carefully constructed life was shaken to its core.

A life built entirely on lies.

Now, faced with the harsh truth, he understood the precarious nature of his existence.

"..."

If the rightful owner appeared, he would inevitably be cast out.

Lowering his head, Baek Sa-eon took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

This time, he didn't look back.

He walked straight to the underground level of the Blue House, swiping his card to gain access.

When the doors opened, the room lit up with the glow of surveillance monitors and hundreds of computers, casting an eerie, pre-dawn light.

"Captain... where's Park Do-jae? Why are you here alone?"

One of the team members seated at a desk looked up, his expression stiff.

"The plan moving forward doesn't include Park Do-jae."

"What?"

"Everyone, gather around."

At last, he stood before the Blue House Task Force.

"At the premiere of the late Baek Jang-ho's special documentary—"

He began to orchestrate everything for one purpose: to protect Hong Hee-joo.

To secure her freedom.

Two people in this world had to disappear completely—Baek Sa-eon.

The other Baek Sa-eon could no longer bind her.

If he couldn't fully own the name, then he would destroy it.

"I can't help it. After all, I share my father's blood," he murmured bitterly, a dry smile on his lips.

But still... it's worth having one person as my pawn, isn't it? Right, Hee-joo?

At the press conference, the flash of cameras was relentless. The jarring sound drilling into his eardrum dragged him out of his immersion in the past.

"—When your reputation is ruined, that name will return to my hands."

"..."

"—The truth that you're a fraud has been exposed, and only then could I seamlessly take your place. So, just quietly accept the humiliation."

That cold, sinister laughter echoed in his ears.

"—I lived like a fool for a long time—untangling fishing lines, catching bugs, wiping down hooks every single day. Even when customers kicked me, all I did was smile."

"..."

"Do you know? On the day I died, it was that fisherman who pulled me out of the water."

"...!"

The tall, silent man suddenly resurfaced in his memory.

"—They pumped the water from my lungs, but I heard my brain went without oxygen for so long that I became a fool who couldn't remember anything."

He let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

"—One day, I saw Baek Jang-ho on TV. From that moment, my headaches became unbearable. I'd smash the television whenever he appeared, but I never regretted those years."

"..."

"If you hadn't run away, you would've recovered your memories a long time ago. Now that everything's coming to light, the whole nation knows you are – Sibal, Baek Sa -eon..!"

The reporters' questions went unanswered as the flash of cameras continued incessantly. Their growing impatience turned into loud shouts, but Baek Sa-eon remained unperturbed. His focus was entirely on the unstable voice coming through his earpiece.

"—Some people live as fools their entire lives, while others are worshiped by the public. It should've been you fishing, not me! You stole everything from me!"

"..."

"You used my name to study, became a broadcaster, entered the Blue House, and even got married, Sibal!"

For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed Baek Sa-eon's otherwise expressionless face at the mention of marriage.

"That bastard Baek Jang-ho should've been killed by my own hands...! I can't contain this burning rage!"

Baek Sa-eon switched off the microphone he had been holding for the press conference and asked in a low voice, "When did you get in contact with my mother?"

"...!"

Baek Sa-eon's mother ran a crisis negotiation consultancy, a company that accepted institutional commissions to provide advisory services while also offering financial support to the families of crime victims.

Park Do-jae was one of the beneficiaries.

Although Baek Sa-eon had always known about this, he'd turned a blind eye, as he always needed fishing bait.

Suddenly, laughter erupted from the other end.

"You despicable fool. You don't even know what truly matters..."

Baek Sa-eon's eye twitched slightly at the sudden remark.

"That phone... it's going to explode."

"...!"

"The phone I gave to Hong Hee-joo—it will blow up."

The kidnapper mimicked the sound of a clicking timer with his mouth.

"If you want to stop it, you'll have to pay with your words."

"..."

"Confess all your crimes here and step aside. Say you're not Baek Jang-ho's grandson. Say you're just a fisherman's son. Expose how incompetent you really are!"

A thunderous roar erupted.

"Get off my name, you bastard!"

Baek Sa-eon's jaw trembled ever so slightly. He calmly turned the microphone back on, stared directly into live broadcast cameras, and began speaking.

"First of all, I would like to apologize for the interruptions during this Q&A session."

At that moment, the earpiece in his other ear flashed with a red light.

"We've pinpointed the location...! The sound technician currently on standby at the National Theater..."

Baek Sa-eon remained expressionless as he continued to speak. His gaze swept over the reporters present—but no, they were not reporters, they were staff who had been requested in advance to assist at the scene. The reporters, who had pounced like wolves, had now calmed down and were begging to leave in an orderly manner.

"The rumors of an extramarital affair circulating right now are completely false. I deeply regret that the media chose to expose my private life first."

As the staff dispersed like receding tides, Baek Sa-eon stood alone in the now empty space. It felt as if he was confessing to a woman who might be watching from somewhere.

"The other party is not my mistress. I have never betrayed the duties and trust of my marriage. Just these baseless speculations are enough to leave me feel displeased."

Perhaps he had waited a long time for this moment. A strange sense of satisfaction washed over Baek Sa-eon.

"My wife is the 406 referenced in the recording."

Unveiling scandals, discarding names. Next came the final step...

"But please understand, the purpose of this press conference is not to refute the rumors of an extramarital affair."

To show you the real "me."

"Today, I'm here to expose the corruption of the late Baek Jang-ho and his family."

He had once thought of becoming "Baek Sa-eon" for her sake, yet it was precisely because he wasn't truly the real Baek Sa-eon that he could never get close to her.

Knowing the truth about his biological father's murders and the intentional traffic accident, he dared not speak of love.

He could never fully have Hong Hee-joo.

The only thing he could offer her was a shred of conscience.

He found himself terrifying and had planned to hide that side of himself forever.

And yet—

If you knew my filthy secrets, what expression would you wear?

The mere thought of it made his throat tighten.

"I am neither the son of Candidate Baek Yi-ryong nor the grandson of Baek Jang-ho."

Perhaps not seeing the disgust on her face was his only salvation.

"I am the illegitimate son of the late Jang-ho, born when he was seventy years old."

This was his final briefing.

"What is Hong Hee-joo planning to do?"

Baek Sa-eon stared at the words, his face growing darker with each read. Anger surged in his chest.

"Are you insane?"

"...!"

He abruptly stood up and extinguished his cigarette on the piece of paper.

Perhaps it was the nicotine clouding his judgment, but impulsivity took over. His body felt feverish, his thoughts chaotic, even incomprehensible to himself.

"I'll help her escape."

"...!"

He drew the curtains and lowered his voice.

"There's no need for a political marriage. I'll get her out safely."

"...!"

"And without Chairman Hong ever finding out."

Hong In A froze in place, not even daring to blink.

"But you'll have to keep your mouth shut. Whether it's revealing secrets or anything else, keep that mouth sealed tight."

"..."

After a long pause, Hong In A finally nodded.

"You see, this should've been a negotiation from the start, not a threat."

He clicked his tongue impatiently.

"Luckily for you, I'm not like that old man. I'm a reasonable person."

"..."

"Now, let's finalize the deal."

He held up a blank sheet of paper.

"To prevent you from breaking your end of the bargain and exposing my secret—"

For the first time, alarm bells went off in his head.

He realized he couldn't afford to give up the name and identity of "Baek Sa-eon."

"As hush money, hand over your sister."

"...!"

Without the identity of "Baek Sa-eon," he would no longer be Hong Hee-joo's neighbor, tutor, or brother-in-law—he would be nothing.

The thought of her discovering his secret, especially this horrifying scandal, sent chills down his spine.

That was the one thing he couldn't allow.

He couldn't abandon this name; he had to own it completely.

In that moment, his desire erupted.

"Hand her over to me."

Though his goal had unexpectedly shifted, he was now more resolute than ever.

"If you won't, then marry that nobody tomorrow."

It had been three years since Hong Hee-joo had returned.

One day, a threatening phone call came in. He hadn't even suspected Hong In A.

After all, she was the woman who had sold out her sister and fled. She didn't seem to have the courage to reclaim anything.

Before running away, Hong In A had left a message for Kim Yeon-hee. He didn't even need to read it to know its intent.

She must have urged her stepmother to use this card to manipulate Chairman Hong.

And her stepmother wasn't the type to refuse such an advantageous opportunity.

If her biological daughter married instead of her stepdaughter, Kim Yeon-hee would gain much more.

Poor Hong Hee-joo.

Everyone was using her as a pawn.

"Sister, how are you doing?"

"By the way, is my phone working fine?"

"From now on, you'll always have to use my voice, okay?"

"You'll be my messenger."

Choices always seemed to appear suddenly, at unexpected turns.

How was he supposed to keep living like this?

... And how was that bastard still alive?

Baek Sa-eon's name and life had already become his.

But if it was taken away now, what would happen?

What would happen to Hee-joo?

My wife, Hong Hee-joo...

Even someone as emotionally detached as he was felt a chill run through him.

When he realized that the threatening phone call had come from —the real Baek Sa-eon—his carefully constructed life was shaken to its core.

A life built entirely on lies.

Now, faced with the harsh truth, he understood the precarious nature of his existence.

"..."

If the rightful owner appeared, he would inevitably be cast out.

Lowering his head, Baek Sa-eon took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

This time, he didn't look back.

He walked straight to the underground level of the Blue House, swiping his card to gain access.

When the doors opened, the room lit up with the glow of surveillance monitors and hundreds of computers, casting an eerie, pre-dawn light.

"Captain... where's Park Do-jae? Why are you here alone?"

One of the team members seated at a desk looked up, his expression stiff.

"The plan moving forward doesn't include Park Do-jae."

"What?"

"Everyone, gather around."

At last, he stood before the Blue House Task Force.

"At the premiere of the late Baek Jang-ho's special documentary—"

He began to orchestrate everything for one purpose: to protect Hong Hee-joo.

To secure her freedom.

Two people in this world had to disappear completely—Baek Sa-eon.

The other Baek Sa-eon could no longer bind her.

If he couldn't fully own the name, then he would destroy it.

"I can't help it. After all, I share my father's blood," he murmured bitterly, a dry smile on his lips.

But still... it's worth having one person as my pawn, isn't it? Right, Hee-joo?

At the press conference, the flash of cameras was relentless. The jarring sound drilling into his eardrum dragged him out of his immersion in the past.

"—When your reputation is ruined, that name will return to my hands."

"..."

"—The truth that you're a fraud has been exposed, and only then could I seamlessly take your place. So, just quietly accept the humiliation."

That cold, sinister laughter echoed in his ears.

"—I lived like a fool for a long time—untangling fishing lines, catching bugs, wiping down hooks every single day. Even when customers kicked me, all I did was smile."

"..."

"Do you know? On the day I died, it was that fisherman who pulled me out of the water."

"...!"

The tall, silent man suddenly resurfaced in his memory.

"—They pumped the water from my lungs, but I heard my brain went without oxygen for so long that I became a fool who couldn't remember anything."

He let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

"—One day, I saw Baek Jang-ho on TV. From that moment, my headaches became unbearable. I'd smash the television whenever he appeared, but I never regretted those years."

"..."

"If you hadn't run away, you would've recovered your memories a long time ago. Now that everything's coming to light, the whole nation knows you are – Sibal, Baek Sa -eon..!"

The reporters' questions went unanswered as the flash of cameras continued incessantly. Their growing impatience turned into loud shouts, but Baek Sa-eon remained unperturbed. His focus was entirely on the unstable voice coming through his earpiece.

"—Some people live as fools their entire lives, while others are worshiped by the public. It should've been you fishing, not me! You stole everything from me!"

"..."

"You used my name to study, became a broadcaster, entered the Blue House, and even got married, Sibal!"

For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed Baek Sa-eon's otherwise expressionless face at the mention of marriage.

"That bastard Baek Jang-ho should've been killed by my own hands...! I can't contain this burning rage!"

Baek Sa-eon switched off the microphone he had been holding for the press conference and asked in a low voice, "When did you get in contact with my mother?"

"...!"

Baek Sa-eon's mother ran a crisis negotiation consultancy, a company that accepted institutional commissions to provide advisory services while also offering financial support to the families of crime victims.

Park Do-jae was one of the beneficiaries.

Although Baek Sa-eon had always known about this, he'd turned a blind eye, as he always needed fishing bait.

Suddenly, laughter erupted from the other end.

"You despicable fool. You don't even know what truly matters..."

Baek Sa-eon's eye twitched slightly at the sudden remark.

"That phone... it's going to explode."

"...!"

"The phone I gave to Hong Hee-joo—it will blow up."

The kidnapper mimicked the sound of a clicking timer with his mouth.

"If you want to stop it, you'll have to pay with your words."

"..."

"Confess all your crimes here and step aside. Say you're not Baek Jang-ho's grandson. Say you're just a fisherman's son. Expose how incompetent you really are!"

A thunderous roar erupted.

"Get off my name, you bastard!"

Baek Sa-eon's jaw trembled ever so slightly. He calmly turned the microphone back on, stared directly into live broadcast cameras, and began speaking.

"First of all, I would like to apologize for the interruptions during this Q&A session."

At that moment, the earpiece in his other ear flashed with a red light.

"We've pinpointed the location...! The sound technician currently on standby at the National Theater..."

Baek Sa-eon remained expressionless as he continued to speak. His gaze swept over the reporters present—but no, they were not reporters, they were staff who had been requested in advance to assist at the scene. The reporters, who had pounced like wolves, had now calmed down and were begging to leave in an orderly manner.

"The rumors of an extramarital affair circulating right now are completely false. I deeply regret that the media chose to expose my private life first."

As the staff dispersed like receding tides, Baek Sa-eon stood alone in the now empty space. It felt as if he was confessing to a woman who might be watching from somewhere.

"The other party is not my mistress. I have never betrayed the duties and trust of my marriage. Just these baseless speculations are enough to leave me feel displeased."

Perhaps he had waited a long time for this moment. A strange sense of satisfaction washed over Baek Sa-eon.

"My wife is the 406 referenced in the recording."

Unveiling scandals, discarding names. Next came the final step...

"But please understand, the purpose of this press conference is not to refute the rumors of an extramarital affair."

To show you the real "me."

"Today, I'm here to expose the corruption of the late Baek Jang-ho and his family."

He had once thought of becoming "Baek Sa-eon" for her sake, yet it was precisely because he wasn't truly the real Baek Sa-eon that he could never get close to her.

Knowing the truth about his biological father's murders and the intentional traffic accident, he dared not speak of love.

He could never fully have Hong Hee-joo.

The only thing he could offer her was a shred of conscience.

He found himself terrifying and had planned to hide that side of himself forever.

And yet—

If you knew my filthy secrets, what expression would you wear?

The mere thought of it made his throat tighten.

"I am neither the son of Candidate Baek Yi-ryong nor the grandson of Baek Jang-ho."

Perhaps not seeing the disgust on her face was his only salvation.

"I am the illegitimate son of the late Jang-ho, born when he was seventy years old."

This was his final briefing.