Chapter – 02
Heeju was forced into a humiliating marriage contract, one that completely put her at a disadvantage.
There was no wedding dress, no bouquet, just lawyers and paperwork.
The bride cannot initiate divorce.
- Divorce is especially prohibited during the presidential election period.
- If she broke even one of these terms, she would incur a 2 billion won penalty.
As Baek Sa-eon said, Heeju was a hostage.
She was just used as a filler to decorate the void her sister had left. But as a substitute, she was never equal to the real thing.
“Honey, just support your father-in-law. After all, l that’s the only thing you can do.”
“…”
“I plan to officially announce that our daughter-in-law is a sign language interpreter.”
Heeju’s fingertips twitched suddenly.
“Then our family’s reputation will also shine, making us more relatable to the public. Not to mention the general sentiment.”
She felt stuffy and reined her drawn-out anger. Helplessness overcame her, as Heeju didn’t have the strength to break out of this suffocating aquarium.
“Moreover, honey, you can’t speak. I heard you lived alienated in your room during your childhood.”
Heeju’s mother’s hand, which had been lifting the teacup, paused slightly.
“Isn’t that perfect?”
“…”
“Having a flaw that people can sympathize with is quite an attractive trait for a politician.”
Heeju didn’t show any fluctuations. Her apathy was fortified and emotions long scraped away after becoming the second daughter of Sangyong Daily at the age of nine.
She found it amusing that even her misfortunes could be a trophy for someone.
“I heard your aphasia improved quite a bit since you were young.”
She replied, “Yes,” but no sound came out. Her mother-in-law smiled as if it was okay.
“It’s better if you can’t speak.”
“!”
Heeju glanced at her mother, but Kim Yeon-Hee ignored the words and kept sipping her tea. It was interesting to see her keep a facade even when recalling the incident that caused Heeju to become mute.
“It will be in a month, so be prepared.”
30 days… A month.. There’s only a month left…
Suddenly, her heart felt heavy. Even after her mother-in-law left, her heart kept pounding. As her body throbbed with pain, she realized she had forgotten her medicine.
“……!”
Instantly, the symptoms of suffocation and disorientation kicked in, but she clenched her eyes shut, trying to ride out the moment.
‘It’s nothing. Just keep taking breaths.’
It takes a lot of effort to breathe freely, but Heeju wanted to brush it off as nothing mentally. She wanted to make her belief a reality.
“You…,” a strong hand grabbed her forearm.
“What did you do at the broadcast today?!”
“…”
“Why are you making me embarrassed in front of your in-laws?”
All she wanted was to take her medicine and sleep. Heeju glanced at the clock with a weary expression.
Her longtime therapist had diagnosed her with chronic apathy and episodes of speech blockage as a result of depression.
Even her digestion issues and chest pains were attributed to suppressed rage, but Heeju felt nothing.
She had been burdened with those weights since she was too young to know any difference.
“All you have to do is live quietly. Is that so hard for you to do so? You’ll be the President’s daughter-in-law in a few months…”
“……”
“Why are you spacing out? What’s your problem?”
Her arm was shaken vigorously.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you… And you couldn’t even snag Baek Sa-eon yet!”
Haeju suddenly swatted her mother’s hand away. The defiance triggered an even sharper reaction.
The enticing curve of her mother’s lips twisted with venom. “You must have inherited half of your mother’s fate.”
Her fingertips turned cold.
She could endure anything else, but it was difficult to endure words that hit the mark. Heeju felt like she was barely holding back a bomb that was about to explode.
The fact that she resembled her mother or the fact that she wasn’t loved by her husband, unlike her mother- Heeju didn’t know which was harder to bear.
Heeju’s answer, which immediately brought Baek Sa-eon to mind, was very clear.
Her torn heart was so insignificant that only her throat felt sore.
“Quit your job as soon as possible and just follow your in-laws. I’ll talk to him and try to get today’s video deleted. So…”
Why do they keep pushing me?
I’m trying so hard to keep myself together.
I’m trying to live quietly even though it makes me feel sick.
I’m so tired of suffocating myself in this abyss.
At that moment, her mother stopped mid-sentence, casting an odd look at Heeju. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Heeju looked at her own outline reflected in the polished marble wall.
‘Ah-.’
She was grinning, but her face was frozen in a grotesque smile. And her eyes appeared lifeless.
***
As soon as she got into the car, an unknown chill swept over her.
It was forecasted to be a record-breaking downpour.
She opened the glove compartment and found the medicine bottle first. She swallowed the pills without water and turned on the navigation.
[ Starting navigation to destination ]
A monotonous mechanical sound made her chuckle.
Destination? The cold, loveless newlywed house was no different from a coffin. So this navigation system was guiding her to her d*ath.
Heeju turned the steering wheel with a dark expression and turned on the radio. But-
‘…why isn’t it working?’
The radio was completely dead. Is this radio also mocking me?
“Sigh…”
She focused on the road instead of letting frustration consume her.
Resignation and surrender were what she excelled at, and everyone expected it from her.
After all, she wasn’t Sangyong’s real daughter.
She was the child brought in by a remarried mother. And now a stand-in for her sister, whom she has no blood ties with.
All these rumors made her a laughable target.
That was when-
[ Now you’re hearing JBS radio station. Even if you’re stuck inside, I’ll make your day happier… ]
The announcer’s voice, the station’s theme song, pop music, commercial jingles—they all mixed, randomly skipping, sounding like some kind of corrupted file.
“!”
Heeju tapped the panel board in surprise, but it had no effect.
[ Listen… Hello, This is DJ Shin.. Today’s Blue House spokesperson.. Hostage… Murder.. ]
Strangely, the volume seemed to grow louder and the disjointed frequencies sounded like a single ominous message.
She tried turning it off, but nothing worked.
‘What is going on today…!’
The day felt unending. From the studio to now, nothing had gone right.
After frantically tapping the control panel, she slumped into her seat.
[ The Blue House spokesperson today…Jack Kays’s “Outrun Myself” is up next, hostage… hostage… ]
She angrily pounded the dashboard, triggering the wipers.
‘Why is this happening?’
[ You’ve deviated from the route. ]
Simultaneously, the GPS reset, blaring a red alert.
[ You’ve deviated from the route. ]
[ You’ve deviated from the route. ]
[ You’ve deviated from the route. ]
The stern voice echoing repeatedly felt eerie.
Heeju’s face grew pale.
‘What the h*ll…!’
She tried to pull over, but the car was no longer under her control. The relentless rain made it impossible to see ahead.
Though the wipers swept continuously, the water kept flowing. The car drove toward an unknown destination, then abruptly screeched to a halt.
The car spun half a turn on the slippery road, sliding across the wet pavement. Heeju’s body slammed into the steering wheel.
“Ouch…”
She winced while rubbing her chest. Just then, she heard a distinct sound.
Click. Click.
“…!”
The backseat lock clicked open and then closed again.
‘But I didn’t touch anything.’
Her neck stiffened, and her whole body froze.
‘Could I be… am I trapped? Am I being…’
Suddenly, the heavy sound of rain, like a barrage, filled her ears, drowning out all other noises.
That sound was a trigger—Heeju, now in panic, frantically grabbed the door handle, yanking it as if she had gone mad.
But every button, every mechanism, was completely malfunctioning.
The lock wouldn’t release, and her hands grew red from pounding on the window. She even threw her frail body against the door.
“Ugh!”
But the isolation was too intense to ignore. She would have given anything just to reach that cold newlywed house.
“Ah…!”
Suddenly, Heeju stopped ramming herself against the door and instinctively grabbed the steering wheel.
A line from a script she had once translated into sign language on a broadcast suddenly flashed through her mind.
TL/N:
I tried to look up the song the radio was playing, it’s “Outrun Myself” by Jack Kays & Travis Barker. Here’s a snippet of it-
How comeEvery time I try to outrun myself ICan’t moveFeeling like I’ll never make it to the other sideChokingCan’t breathe in so I just close my eyesBrokenTry to rebuild but I’m so dead insideHollowNothing but a shell I ain’t what I used to beSwallow
If you’re curious here’s the YouTube link-
https://youtu.be/qZdUGdz-rgA
Poor Heeju 😭 The novel is very captivating. I can’t wait to read the interactions between Heeju and Saeon.
Thank you for your hardwork 💓
Thank you for reading!❤️
Thank you for translate this novel.
Hope you enjoy reading!!❤️