Chapter 17
“I wiped off most of the blood…”
The caregiver added apologetically, avoiding Heeju’s gaze.
The moment Heeju saw the familiar care home on the screen, she bolted out of her seat.
On her way there, her mind was a mess. She was screaming silently, swallowing the cries until her throat felt raw.
At the same time, urgent messages from the nurse flooded in like disaster warnings blaring from a megaphone. A vague sense of terror tightened around her chest.
“Who should I even…”
Who could she possibly turn to for help in a moment like this?
The name of her husband briefly crossed her mind, but he was the last person she could count on.
Heeju gently wiped her father’s face with trembling hands.
“Are you a family member?”
A police officer approached, holding a towel. When Heeju nodded, the officer hesitated before opening the towel to show her its contents.
“Ugh…!”
Her stomach churned.
“We’ll need you to come to the station and file a report.”
Inside the towel were four bloody molars, uprooted completely. This was the source of the blood that had soaked her father.
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
The messy room represented how much her father had tried to escape. The bed, walls, floor, and even the windows bore bloody streaks.
“When I came back, his face was already covered in blood…”
The caregiver’s voice trembled. She was on the verge of tears.
“Dad…”
The shock was impossible to process. No one but him… could have committed such a brutal, violent act.
All of this… over phone calls?
Because she hadn’t made threatening calls to Baek Sa-eon for a few days? For such a petty reason, he had done this to her father?
Heeju’s eyes were burning with rage.
“Ah…”
Her father’s swollen cheek twitched faintly. And he opened his blurry eyes. Suddenly, his wrinkled lips moved. Heeju instinctively leaned closer to hear what he was trying to say.
“Call… make the call… call…”
“…!”
“Sis… call… make the call…”
A single tear slid down her eyes.
This was the exact moment she collapsed to the ground.
***
Heeju slumped against the back seat of the police car. She was half in a daze and half numb.
It wasn’t until the officers climbed into the front seat that she remembered she had agreed to go to the station. During this time, she did everything like a soul-less puppet.
Her last clear memory was watching her father fall asleep after receiving a painkiller.
Staring out the window, she rubbed her fingers against one another, trying to rid them of the non-existent blood. The metallic scent that seemed to linger only to her made her stomach churn again.
“W-What’s going on with this thing?”
“What happened?”
“It’s n-nothing, Officer Kim.”
“Just focus on driving.”
Though Heeju squeezed her eyes shut, it didn’t help her calm down. Closing her eyes only brought back the vivid images of her father’s teeth, the culprit’s smile, and the inappropriately bright blue sky.
Her palms were slick with sweat. Spiraling thoughts were abruptly interrupted when the radio crackled.
At the same time, the driver banged the dashboard in frustration.
“What is it doing..?”
“Hey, stop messing with it!”
“No, it’s just…”
And then, it happened.
<“This is JBS Radio, 10:07 AM… Cause baby, you’re a firework…”>
The radio distorted again with a strange mix of news and pop songs. Heeju trembled at the déjà vu.
“W- What’s going on with this?”
“I’ll fix it.”
The officers kept slapping the dashboard, but it was no use.
Of course, it wouldn’t work.
Heeju alone broke out in a cold sweat. She gripped her seatbelt tightly as her breathing quickened.
“… I don’t understand why this is happening?”
“Let me handle it.”
While the officers fiddled with the controls, the walkie-talkie they carried let out a sharp crackle.
Officer Kim picked it up casually, only to hear the unmistakable tune of an old pop song.
<“You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell. You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell.”>
“What the…!”
Officer Kim fumbled with the device, but it was futile.
This whole incident was to send a message to Heeju.
<“You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell. You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell.”>
“This crazy piece of sh*t…”
Heeju unconsciously scraped her neck with her nails.
The fact that the hostage-taker had control over the police car was terrifying.
The trunk, the seats, the floor—everything felt oppressive and suffocating. She couldn’t stay inside any longer.
Heeju was driven to the edge. Soon she started pounding the windows. The officers’ eyes met hers through the rearview mirror.
“Let me out.”
“Sorry?”
“I can’t stay here… Please, let me out here.”
She somehow managed to get the words out. The officers exchanged baffled glances, but Heeju could focus on only one thing.
“Do you think this is a taxi or something, Ma’am?”
“Let me out. Just let me out!”
“Look, we’re in the middle of the road, you can’t just—”
“If I get out, everything will be fine. Just let me out, and it’ll be okay.”
“Ma’am… wait, hey—what are you doing?!”
Heeju yanked at the door handle, banging and even kicking at the door in desperation.
The walkie-talkie continued playing the song without a break. Heeju was close to losing her mind.
“Pull yourself together! Just calm down!”
“Please, I’m begging you! I.. ugh—!”
“Hey, Officer Kim, something’s wrong with her. Should we take her to the ER?”
“Just let me out! Please, just let me out!”
Her soaked bangs clung to her forehead as she pleaded. Noticing her worsening state, the driver slammed on the brakes.
The moment the lock was released, Heeju stumbled out and doubled over.
“Haah… Ugh…”
She wanted to vomit, but nothing came apart from bitter bile.
“Be my voice? Be my messenger?”
What would he demand of her next? What could he possibly want from Baek Sa-eon, to go this far?
The hostage-taker had completely overwhelmed her. Her judgment was slowly crumbling.
She had faced countless trials in her life, but this helplessness, this sense of being utterly lost— it had been a long time since she had felt anything like it.
Tears streamed down her face as she knelt on the cold ground.
‘If that’s what it takes, I’ll make the d*mn calls.’
To protect her father, to finally end the sham of a marriage; she had to.
If she didn’t comply, everything would be ruined. The erratic, dangerous person could detonate at any moment.
“…Huh?”
The officer who had followed her out made a strange noise. He adjusted his glasses, staring intently at something. His eyes were almost popping out of his sockets.
On the side of the road, a large black vehicle had appeared.
Its presence alone was suspicious, but the man stepping out of the backseat drew even more attention.
Dressed in a sharp suit, polished black shoes, and a perfectly tailored jacket, he exuded authority.
The reaction didn’t come from Heeju but from the officers.
“Gasp! Isn’t that the spokesperson from the Blue House? I’ve seen him on TV!”
“My God, you’re right! Sir, good afternoon!”
“Hello.”
A low, curt voice could be heard.
“Wow, is this a dream or reality…?”
“My goodness, you’re as impressive in person as on TV.”
Baek Sa-eon brushed off the compliments effortlessly, glancing briefly in Heeju’s direction. His gaze met her tear soaked red eyes.
For a fleeting moment, an unreadable emotion flickered across his otherwise impassive face. Fixing his gaze on Heeju’s swollen, tear-stained eyes, he spoke.
“You can head back now.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m her family.”
“…!”
The one who flinched wasn’t the police— it was Heeju.
His words, abrupt and devoid of context, held no trace of concern or explanation. She immediately realized he was deliberately withholding any clarification. This wasn’t the behavior of someone in even a nominally functional relationship.
“Thank you for your efforts.”
His polite but unmistakable dismissal left no room for argument.
The younger officer glanced between the two of them, clearly skeptical. Baek Sa-eon stepped forward, blocking the officer’s view, and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
“I’ll handle the case filing personally.”
“And the two of you are…?”
The officer subtly shifted his gaze toward Heeju, waiting for clarification.
“She’s in no condition to speak right now. She should be taken to a hospital immediately.”
“You seem quite concerned.”
“Sorry?”
“Should I assume that level of interest is part of your official duty?”
Baek Sa-eon’s tone was measured yet sharp.
“I mean, sure… She seemed really distressed in the car,” the younger officer answered , scratching his head in confusion.
“I am responsible for her well-being.”
“P-Pardon?”
“She’s my wife.”
“Oh…!”
The officer was surprised.
His gaze darted back to Heeju, now filled with curiosity rather than concern. Seeing the officer turn to Heeju, Baek Sa-eon swiftly moved to create distance between them.
Once again, the officer’s view was blocked by Baek Sa-eon’s imposing presence, his hand firmly planted on the man’s shoulder was conveying a silent warning.
