"It's an Internet-based American number. But it's untraceable because I manipulated the caller ID myself. The VPN redirects in real time, so you can only use it for ten minutes."
"......"
"Baek Sa-eon... his voice..."

The dialling tone cut off again.

"I want to hear him talk!"

The car went silent after the beeping of countless missed calls.

"Pick up! Pick up! Pick up! D*mmit!"

He dialled again with bloodshot eyes. The man was about to lose control.

At this rate, what would happen if I jerked the wheel? My bag and phone were already pinned under the kidnapper's body. What if I just crashed into something and escaped?

Heeju squinted through the blurred windscreen and looked around. If only she could get out of this desolate place and someone else could report a car accident...

Heeju twisted the wheel and veered off the road.

"D*mn it-!"

The kidnapper staggered to the side and dropped his phone. His eyes flashed with fury as he yanked violently at her hair. A broad blade pressed against her cheekbone.

The monotonous sound of the grip and the rhythmic drumming of the rain merged into a single, unrelenting beat.

"Are you out of your mind, sis?"
"Ugh!"

A sharp pain shot through her scalp, forcing her to gasp for air.

"It's... useless."

Heeju found her own dry voice unfamiliar. There was no more room for hesitation.

"Baek Sa-eon... won't negotiate."
"Why? You're his wife, aren't you?"
"......"
"Aren't you his family?"

As the wheel wobbled and crossed the centre line, the car swayed dangerously.

"If you die, he'll be the one to mourn."

But he was completely wrong.

His wife? His only family? To threaten Baek Sa-eon with something like that was naive.

Baek Sa-eon has no weaknesses.

Using his "wife" to gain the upper hand was a stupid move. Heeju knew that the kidnapper's efforts would be in vain.

At that moment, the insistent dialling tone fell silent.

- "..."

The call was finally connected.

The eyes of Heeju and the kidnapper met in the air.

-"..."
-"...the more I think about it, the more annoyed I get."

Unlike the first, emotionless call, his voice was now tinged with irritation. His voice carried an undeniable note of personal resentment.

- "I just wanted to hear your disgusting voice one more time."

A sinister gleam of triumph flickered in the kidnapper's eyes.

"Sorry. But... um... how do I put this? My voice is..."

He chuckled, a grotesque tune escaping his lips. His distorted and thick voice echoed back.

"I used a voice changer. Do you like it?"

The kidnapper put his arm around Heeju's shoulders and held the phone to her mouth, gesturing for her to 'sing along'.

But the thought that Baek Sa-eon was on the other end left her speechless again.

"You know... Shall we start with the money?"
-"..."
"How much do you think your wife is worth?"

A barely audible sigh hissed through his teeth.

-"I'll be brief. See you in court."
"Did you hear me? Huh? I said your wife...!"
-"There will be no ransom."

Baek Sa-eon coldly silenced the kidnapper.

-You can use a voice filter if you want. You can also sing your little songs. Call me when you find a body."

His voice, sharp as a knife, cut through every word. Then, without a moment's hesitation, he ended the call.

Beep, beep!

The monotonous signal reminded her of a hospital monitor showing flat lines.

"...!"

The kidnapper's eyes bulged with anger, as if they were about to burst. Heeju bit her lip so hard that it turned a hideous white.

No matter what, still... How could he not have the slightest doubt? How could he not even try to listen? How could he...?

To be rejected and dismissed before she could even make a plea was utterly crushing.

"Hey, sis, did you hear that? That rude son of a..."
"B*stard!"

Her voice cracked as it escaped her lips.

A heavy weight settled on her chest as she opened her mouth, but as the words poured out, it became a torrent she could no longer contain.

The most sensitive part of her was being slaughtered.

"...Call him again."

The kidnapper had to stop rolling his eyes when he heard Heeju's words.

"What?"
"I said, call him again...!"

The simple act of speaking was a monumental challenge for Heeju. A wave of heat surged through her, making her skin crawl.

"Sis?"
"Ugh..."

Soon, her fragile resolve crumbled to dust. It wasn't as if she'd ever dared hope for anything.

"Make it 2 billion."
"What?"
"My ransom."

The kidnapper stared at her without blinking.

"No - that's not my ransom, that's the value of his brand name."

Heeju stepped on the accelerator, pushing the car to its limit.

Beep, beep!

As the beep sounded again, Heeju gritted his teeth.

"I'm not Baek Sa-eon's weakness."
"What?"
"So this kind of emotional blackmail won't work on him."

Her husband treated her like nothing. He was always indifferent, cold and didn't even acknowledge her existence.

His total disregard for her was so thorough it bordered on obsession. In fact, it made Heeju feel paranoid.

Maybe it's because I'm not Sangyeong's biological daughter. Because I'm just a young woman who is temporarily standing in the shoes of his real fiancée...

Becoming Baek Sa-eon's wife had always been an unattainable dream. Heeju had resigned herself to her fading hopes long before they could even begin.

His callous indifference was no longer painful, it was just exhausting and predictable.

-Call me if a body is found.

But then why? Why does it hurt me so much? Why does it feel like my world has fallen apart?

"He hates anything that might tarnish his reputation."

Why do I feel so devastated and broken?

"He hasn't set foot in his residence for five years because he doesn't want any political entanglements. He's the kind of man who would break blood ties to achieve his goals.

To such a man, a mere woman meant nothing.

"You chose the wrong hostage from the start."
"......"
"You should have taken his reputation, his public image, as a hostage instead."

Heeju's knuckles turned white as she gripped the wheel.

"You should've d*filed that perfect image of his."

The kidnapper's eyes narrowed as he saw Heeju speeding.

"You're contradicting yourself, sis. Didn't you say he has no weaknesses?"
"......"
"Then how am I supposed to tarnish him?"
"If there isn't one, you can make one."
"What?"

Baek Sa-eon was an ambitious man. Like most political figures, he was cunning and deeply ambitious. He despised relying on his parents' influence and wanted to build his own power base.

His self-discipline was impeccable and he allowed no mistakes to tarnish his image.

Perhaps this hunger for power was in his blood.

When he announced his sudden move to the Blue House, Heeju immediately understood what Sa-eon really wanted.

For five years, he had become the public face of the Blue House without a single scandal. At times, he enjoyed more recognition and trust than the president himself.

The way to implicate such a perfect spokesman was...

"Hey, sis, are you helping me? Why are you helping me? What about Baek Sa-eon?"
"That's..."
"What?"

Heeju looked at the phone the kidnapper was using to negotiate.

"Is the voice filter on?"
"Yes. People wouldn't notice even if we took turns talking."

She licked her pale lips nervously.

Her sister, who had lost her hearing in an accident, took Heeju everywhere. A young Heeju, still carrying her recorder-filled schoolbag, had to sit between the two adults and act as a bridge for almost a decade.

Whether through written notes or sign language, she spent years as a messenger.

So don't provoke me. I'm barely holding on to my sanity. Please!

When did I start chanting this like a mantra?

The in-laws, her own family, Baek Sa-eon - they all treated her like she didn't matter. Every single one of those bastards who refused to even acknowledge her...!

Beep, beep!

The tone stopped.

"Don't hang up, you piece of sh*t!"

A hoarse, trembling voice, fuelled by rage, escaped Heeju's lips.

She could no longer bear the weight of the injustice she had suffered, and her pent-up anger exploded.

"If you don't want to be humiliated in front of the whole nation, you'd better talk!"

Tears spilled unexpectedly and she wiped them roughly with her sleeve. She was lost in a whirlwind of emotions she couldn't comprehend.

She had never imagined that she would raise her voice, let alone talk to him in such a way...

Heeju felt a pang of shame and a dull pain in her chest.

-Sir...! Wait, I sent the wrong...

A new voice, nervous and stuttering, interrupted.

-What is this? Is this another threatening call? Hang up. It's not even worth listening to. It's just another obvious voice phishing scam...
-But, sir, the person speaking is...
-Assistant Park, I told you to hang up. I don't have time for this nonsense...

The familiar voice faded and the breathless assistant hurried to catch up.

Even without seeing it, Heeju could vividly imagine the scene.

Don't go! Don't just walk away!

Heeju yelled after him, "Baek Sa-eon, you'll regret this. I will expose your dirty private life...!"

As her voice rose to a crescendo of anger, a mocking laugh cut through the air.