SACCHARIN
CHAPTER 33

As he continued to show thoughtful concern for me, I began to feel like I could endure this lonely and painful life just a bit longer. That’s why I sincerely hoped that this kind and gentle man would truly be the one to save me.

And so, day by day, the short messages and conversations gradually piled up. At first, it felt like keeping in touch with a friend living abroad whom I couldn’t see often. But recently, something had started to change.

“Do you think I can really go back to Seoul?”

— I’ll take responsibility and get you out of there. Just trust me.

“I heard from someone that the Chairman is extremely violent.”

— Now do you understand why I sent you there?

“A little…”

— You think I feel okay about leaving you there?

Honestly, I had started to wonder more and more if Shin Chi-woo liked me. And if he did, I couldn’t deny I had the selfish urge to use that to my advantage.

After all, Shin Chi-woo had used me for his own safety and career too. If I used him just as much, I wouldn’t feel guilty. We had only joined hands because we needed each other.

That’s why I kept trying to deny what I was feeling. This was just the suspension bridge effect. I was stuck in a miserable pit, and a bit of kindness had softened me up for a moment.

The only reason he’d become important to me was because he was my lifeline. I wanted to believe there were no other impure emotions involved. No—I had to believe that.

Looking at my phone screen, I started typing a message with a faint smile. Now that I had finally heard news about my dad, I felt I should at least send a thank-you note.

“Thank you for letting me know about my dad. If anything happens, please don’t hide it and let me know. I’m ready for it. Oh, and I finished decorating the tree—it turned out beautifully. It’s a shame I can’t show it to you.”

But almost immediately after I sent the message, a call came through. He must have been waiting, knowing that I usually had my phone on at this hour.

Even though I knew no one was in the bathroom, I still hesitated. Was it okay to answer here? But I had a strong feeling. I couldn’t miss this call.

— Shh. Don’t speak.

As soon as I answered, I heard his voice—quieter than ever, like he was also speaking in secret. He spoke faster than usual too.

— If you can hear me, tap near the mic twice with your fingernail.

I briefly pulled the phone from my ear and tapped the bottom of the device twice with my fingertip. Shin Chi-woo’s low voice came through again.

— Say hello to your father.

“……!”

— Wan-yi… it’s Dad. You’re not hurt, are you? I’m so sorry for what you’ve had to go through because of me…

“Uh… huhuh…”

— Wan-yi! Don’t worry about me… No matter what happens, I’ll get you out of there. I don’t have time—here, I’m passing you back to Chief Shin.

My dad hadn’t abandoned me. And Shin Chi-woo really was protecting me.

As soon as I heard Dad’s voice, everything I’d been bottling up burst all at once. I barely held back my tears and focused on Shin Chi-woo’s voice again.

— It’s time to start reaping what we’ve sown. I’m sending someone tomorrow, so hang in there just one more day.

I tapped the bottom of the phone twice again to signal I understood.

— Tell them you’re pregnant. The sooner the rumor spreads, the better. The timing fits perfectly. The ballerina will be by your side to keep suspicions at bay.

So that’s why he’d pretended we’d slept together—because they needed this move in their game. I tapped the phone again to show I understood, even though my fingertips were trembling.

— Once this is all over, we’ll find a way to quietly make it go away. Don’t worry too much.

Tap, tap. I needed to think about now, not later. But since I’d have to fully deceive everyone, a tidal wave of anxiety started rising within me.

— I have to hang up now. Be careful. See you tomorrow.

Right after I tapped twice again to say okay, the call ended. I turned off the phone and checked the battery. Good thing I had charged it ahead of time.

Swoosh—

I tucked the phone securely inside my coat, flushed the toilet for show, and waited about ten seconds. My heart was pounding as I opened the door, but thankfully, no one was there.

Even though it felt like I was carrying a time bomb in my chest, I had to stay calm and manage my emotions. With a composed expression, I washed my hands lightly, glanced around once more, and headed into the shower.

Honestly, my heart was pounding so hard, I didn’t think I could actually shower. But the others knew I’d gone in to wash, so I hurried through it and quickly returned to my spot.

“……”

I lay down pretending to be tired, but there was no way I could sleep. My heartbeat thudded like a drum against the pillow in my ear.

If I was going to fake a pregnancy, I’d have to start with morning sickness, right? Let’s see… it’s been about three months since I was caught by Chairman Pyeon, so the timeline lines up.

Come to think of it, I had skipped my period last month—just remembered that. There had been no actual reason, probably just stress, but that would make the lie more convincing.

But would Chairman Pyeon really let me leave the island? Shin Chi-woo seemed confident he’d get permission, but what if I was summoned to Seoul and got caught meeting Dad?

If I thought only about Dad, maybe it was safer for me to stay here. One wrong move, and both the fake pregnancy and Dad’s location would be exposed.

Ah… so that’s what it was.

I finally understood what Shin Chi-woo and the ballerina meant all along when they told me I needed to know nothing. Knowing halfway only invited fear.

Crushed under the weight of secrets and lies, I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep even for a moment.

* * *

“Are you not going to focus?”

“Ah, sorry. I’m feeling a bit sick.”

Even though I’d gotten used to the repetitive task of packing boxes, I still had a long way to go. I hadn’t yet reached the level where I could move automatically while zoning out.

The factory manager snapped at me, annoyed, but I couldn’t talk back. Because of me, an entire line could fall behind, so I tried to shake myself awake and refocus.

“If you’re that tired, just switch out and go rest.”

“No, I’m okay.”

“If the defect rate goes up because of you, that’s a bigger problem.”

“……”

“Just work until noon and take the afternoon off.”

“Okay.”

Leaving work in the middle of the day—this hadn’t happened since I was really sick back when I was still in the lab. A drug factory and employee welfare… could those even be said in the same breath?

It was ridiculous, and yet I started to understand why people willingly became accomplices even knowing this was criminal. They were given conveniences like this—and on top of that, paid well. What better job could they hope for?

But today, the way the factory manager let me off felt strangely deliberate. Had he been tipped off about something?

“It’s time to harvest what we’ve planted.”

If all this was part of a plan Shin Chi-woo had put into motion, then maybe they were covertly preparing to frame me as pregnant and needed me to stay out of sight. I decided to just follow the manager’s advice and go rest.

“Alright, I’ll take it easy today and come back fully focused tomorrow.”

“Eat something solid and get some rest.”

“Okay.”

Was the factory manager always the kind of person to worry about my lunch? Once the suspicion took root, everything around me started to feel like part of a scheme.

“Thank you for today.”

I finished my morning shift and bowed to the people I worked with before leaving the factory. I pulled up the hood on my padded jacket and stuffed my hands into my pockets.

…Sigh. What do I do now?

Back at the dorm, I cautiously checked the room again just in case. Nothing had changed since this morning, but what if they suddenly said the Chairman wanted me brought to Seoul? What if that happened before Shin Chi-woo had a chance to act?

I took off my padded coat and work uniform and changed into something more comfortable. As I lay down in bed, my anxiety swirled with all kinds of thoughts.

I was terrified that my fake pregnancy would be exposed before I even got to Seoul. The infirmary had pregnancy tests—just a drop of urine would reveal the truth.

Should I try to escape now, maybe to the other side of the island? But even if I stole a boat, I didn’t know how to operate it. If I got lost at sea, I’d become fish food.

Enough with the pointless thoughts. Someone would come for me soon. I just had to play the role I’d been given.