When The Phone Rings

Chapter 39

“Your prognosis for concussion is good, and the test results don’t show any signs of other shock symptoms. However, be cautious about inflammation until the stitches are removed, and you’ll likely be discharged next week…”

No…! My time was running out!

Heeju’s restless gaze darted around, reflecting her growing unease. At a glance, there were barely ten days left until the date she could file for divorce.

A quick look at the wall clock showed it was nearing 10 PM.

She started to search for her phone.

“….!”

But where is the negotiating phone? Heeju couldn’t help but shudder.

“Haa…”

Her pale face flushed with alarm as she scrambled off the bed.

After seeing off the doctor making their evening rounds, Heeju locked the door. Thankfully, the hiking bag was on the table before her. Hastily rummaging through her belongings, Heeju sighed in relief as she picked up the negotiation phone.

‘I hope no one saw it…’

Heeju was scared, thinking what might have transpired when she was unconscious. She plugged her dead phone into the fast charger and waited.

If there were issues, the hostage taker should have tried to contact her one way or another. Knowing his volatile nature, it would’ve been inevitable.

‘… none?’

Seeing no missed calls from the blocked number, Heeju thought while scrolling. The only number that flooded her cell phone was Baek Sa-eon’s.

— “Is that so? Because I’m scared to death right now.”

The voice that suddenly surfaced in her mind made her chest tighten painfully.

Heeju shook her head from side to side in anger. It caused her to feel dizzy. But she needed to shake off those feelings.

‘The threatening calls should still be valid…’

The clock ticked down to ten o’clock. Almost reflexively, Heeju picked up the negotiating phone.

Ring! Ring!

As she anxiously bit her lip, a forgotten sensation surfaced. Cool hands contrasting the searing lips against her skin— the vivid intensity of those feelings lingered in her mind.

— “…Hello?”
“…!”

Heeju felt goosebumps and she said while rubbing her reddened nape.

“It’s …… me.”

The other person smirked.

— “I know it’s you, 406.”

“You actually have the nerve to answer the phone. Looks like Hong Heeju didn’t die after all.”
— “Why do you always have to be so sharp-tongued?”
“What?”
— “You shouldn’t say things like that.”

His demeanor shifted a serious tone permeating his voice.

“What do you mean by that?”
— “…Heeju barely made it, according to 406. Try not to be so cruel.”

His tone was strangely conciliatory.

“I’ve always been good to begin with. What are you going to do about it?”

Heeju’s heart skipped oddly, but she responded more rudely.

— “Ah, are you admitting to being a bad person now?”
A soft, ironic laugh slipped through the line.

Heeju felt a strange heat in her chest and swapped the phone to her other ear.

“What’s wrong with you, bro?”
— “…again with b-bro? really…”

His voice became muffled, as if Sa-eon had covered the phone.

She snapped.

“What’s your problem?!”
—“…Ah, my apologies. 406 is just too intimidating.”
“What?”
—“I’m just nervous.”

I felt strangely irritated. I don’t know if it’s because I’m sick, but I was annoyed by every single one of his reactions.

His voice didn’t sound cold, his tone didn’t have a hint of contempt. Most of all, I didn’t like the fact that he didn’t lash out at me.

“Am I a joke to you?”
—“It’s not that. 406 just startled me.”
“Startled?”

— “I re-listened to all our previous calls, and recalled those moments.”
“…”
— “I realized that 406’s way with words is much more impressive than I thought.”

The sudden compliment left Heeju stunned. She had never expected such recognition, never even dared to hope for it. Unconsciously, she closed her mouth.

— “I’m curious who taught you that.”
“…Is it really that good?” she asked, clearing her throat awkwardly.
— “That’s the evaluation of the Blue House spokesperson. It should be credible enough.”
“T- That’s true…”

The unexpected kindness made Heeju wary. Furrowing her brow, she tried to guess his intentions, but the throbbing at the back of her head blurred her vision.

— “406, are you feeling dizzy?”
“…!”

Baek Sa-eon’s pinpoint observation startled her.

—“Your breathing sounds off.”
“It’s not that, I…”
— “You were just as tense as I was, weren’t you? You probably spent the whole day obsessing over Heeju’s location. You must be exhausted. Lie down while we talk.”
“What?”
—“By now, I think we’ve built enough trust for that.”

Trust? Trust?! His sly tone drew her in, even against her better judgment.

A husband warming up to the criminal threatening his wife—how absurd. The realization sent her emotions scattering in all directions.

She ruffled her bangs in frustration.

— “Let’s talk about something you like.”
“I’m only interested in messing with you.”
— “I like that as well. But we made a deal, didn’t we?”
“What?”
— “Why haven’t you sent the photos?”
“…!”
— “The ones of Heeju.”

Heeju’s breathing hitched.

“That… I’ve changed my mind.”

Cold sweat trickled down her back. Admitting this terrified her, but she had no choice now.

“I recalculated. Twenty billion isn’t enough. Turns out, I coincidentally came to know something more interesting about you.”
— “Is that so? Even better, then.”
“What?”
—“Because I’ve discovered 406’s secret, too.”
“…!”

Her body tensed up and her wrists were trembling from the pressure. Still, she raised her voice to avoid backing down.

“If I reveal this, you’re going straight to jail!”
— “Then shall we go together?”
“What? W- Where…?”
—“Let’s be cell-mates.”
“…!”

Baek Sa-eon’s audacious retort only rattled her further.

—“Although, that might be tricky.”

His voice dropped an octave, chillingly calm.

— “After all, 406 doesn’t have one.”
“…!”

Heeju froze, her mind went blank like an untouched canvas.

“I-I do have one!”
—“That’s just a stereotype you projected onto me. If you’re so offended, send me a video of yourself…proving otherwise. But you can’t. Because you don’t have a…well, you know.”
“…”

Her throat tightened as he continued in a voice laced with insinuation.

— “I figured it out when I stripped away the modulation from your voice.”
“…!”
— “I know what you sound like.”

Wait.. Wait a minute…!

Heeju couldn’t keep up with the torrent of his words.

—“Now for my real purpose.”

His tone suddenly turned icy and a sense of foreboding washed over her.

—“Stop calling me from now on.”
“What?”
—“If you ignore this warning and call me again, you’ll regret it.”
“What…?”
—“Didn’t I tell you? I have no problem dealing with such things.”
“…!”
—“If you think you can handle it, try me.”

In that moment, the roles of predator and prey had completely reversed.

***

“I’m doomed…”

I can’t remember what I was thinking all night.

I thought he would never get rid of the voice modulation, never once in my dreams…!

She chewed on the tip of her blunt thumb.

‘He didn’t seem to realise it was me though, did he?

His demeanour had changed subtly, but the hostile, sneering nature of it hadn’t changed. Instead, we were back to square one, each holding on to the other’s secrets.

Especially the warning he nailed down before hanging up. The negotiations weren’t over yet.

Heeju’s stitches throbbed, but the headache was worse.

It was early in the morning while tossing and turning in frustration, the door suddenly creaked open without warning.

“…!”

Gasp—! Heeju yanked the blanket over her head in a flash.

The man who had haunted her thoughts all night walked in, perfectly dressed in a tailored suit.

“Do I need to pry your lips open to hear you speak again?”

His gruff mutter carried with surprising clarity, as though amplified by a megaphone. With little effort, he pulled away the mound of blankets she’d buried herself under.

When she avoided his gaze and clung to the fabric, he suddenly leaned in, close enough to make her flinch like the night before.

His intense stare landed on her lower lip.

“That wasn’t my doing.”

Unconsciously, Heeju licked her swollen lips. His brows twitched in dissatisfaction.

“Why were you biting them?”

Her eyes darted nervously.

“What could have happened overnight to make you do that?”
“…!”

Heeju still felt reluctant to speak openly. It reminded her of the judgmental stares she endured at the start of every school year. Those moments when dozens of pairs of eyes would bore into her as she hesitated, unable to introduce herself properly.

When looks of anticipation would twist into annoyance. That cycle had repeated well into adulthood, never truly leaving her.

Feeling a familiar sense of déjà vu, her hands and feet turned cold.

Fortunately, Baek Sa-eon didn’t ask again. Silence lingered, but the tranquility between them was somehow more natural than any conversation.

Ironically, both wore eerily calm expressions.

“For now, I’ve filed for sick leave with the PR secretary’s office. You’ll return to work immediately after you’re discharged.”
“…!”

She had secretly worried her appointment might be revoked…

Baek Sa-eon tapped her pale nose lightly.

“Why are you so surprised?”
“….”
“You said you’d tell me everything if I hired you… how much and in what ways you’ve studied me.”

He spoke casually as he adjusted the IV line with practiced ease.

“I won’t let you go till then.”

Standing with his back to the window, his silhouette cast a shadow over her face.

---

TL/N:

During the calls, Heeju addresses Sa-eon as hyung, a male-male word. But when Sa-eon realized the person on the other side was a woman, he imagined what it would be like for the same voice to call him “Oppa.” This is why he’s ‘kind of’ fixated on that word.