/contains suggestive text/

<I'm here for a visit.>

Showing the phone screen with these words, Heeju elicited a bright smile from the nurse.

"Heeju, it's been a while!"

Heeju nodded politely and walked down the corridor. Thanks to the glass walls replacing the concrete, a lush green garden came into view at a single glance.

This was one of the top nursing homes in Korea.

Stopping in front of a familiar room number, Heeju adjusted her outfit before opening the door.

Inside, an elderly man sat staring blankly at a distant point in the garden. Heeju gently pulled the blanket back over his shoulders.

"Father, I'm here."

Her voice was a whisper.

"Have you been well? Are you eating well?"
"..."

Despite her warm tone, her father's eyes remained unfocused and distant.

The only time Heeju spoke out loud was when she visited her biological father. But even then it wasn't a conversation - it took two or more people to talk. He was like a man trapped in a tank.

"Dad, do you like it here? Does it feel good?"
"..."
"Say something, please. Dad..."

Her father had once been a quirky host in a rundown club. He was the kind of man who could make his young daughter laugh with nothing more than cherry tomatoes, and Heeju adored him.

Even though they lived in the basement of the club, she never felt lonely because they were together.

Until her mother caught Hong's eye.

It was around this time that her father developed lung problems. His breathing became difficult, his tongue dried up and his shallow breaths had a sour smell. Her mother felt disgusted and stopped even talking to him.

Heeju watched as her father slowly disappeared from her life.

Her mother soon became someone else's lover.

The man who once made people laugh with just a microphone began to dissolve, like foam disappearing into nothingness.

Even as her mother left, her father's gaze remained blank, reflecting a profound emptiness.

"Why didn't you say anything then? Didn't you earn your living with your words? Why didn't you get angry? You could've cursed them or said something."

Heeju stroked her father's frail, twig-like hand.

"But father... I don't want to live like this."
"..."
"I've decided that I do. So I'm sorry."

Her wrinkled father was still looking out the window, as if waiting for someone.

"...We may have to move you to another home."

He had given up everything.

Still, the luxury of his later years was only possible thanks to her mother's money. Heeju had begged her mother to take care of her father in exchange for taking care of her stepsister.

If we get divorced, the support will stop.

Although Heeju had held out as long as she could for her father's sake, her resolve had long since broken.

Her father, who had been staring into space, suddenly moved his lips.

"Yeon-hee... Yeon-hee..."
"...!"

Heeju's face twisted painfully.

"Just like this... every time...!"

She could never escape her role as a messenger.

Her father saw her as a reflection of her mother, while her mother used her as a shield. Her deaf step-sister tried to reconnect with the world through Heeju, who had become a sign language interpreter and spent her life speaking other people's words.

People always looked through her, never at her.

"Yes, dad. That's what I do best..."

Her eyes suddenly hardened and she decided to make the second call that very night.

 

***

 

10:00 PM

Riiiinggg!

It was the same time as the day before.

The countdown timer, set to nine minutes, began its reverse march as Heeju took a deep breath.

I won't be nervous today.

Her peace of mind had long since been shattered.

The moment the ringing stopped, she pounced on the opportunity with the speed of a bullet.

"Have you decided?"
- "Is there a reason for your precise timing?"
"Because I feel like it? Not that you can call me first."
-"... "
"You don't even know my real number."
- "... "

"Just shut up and listen."

I can't believe I'm commanding my husband. It feels almost unbelievable.

Overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all, Heeju felt a sense of victory.

"So, have you decided? To make things normal again or to pay the 2 billion?"
- "Before that, I have a few questions."

The voice on the other end softened slightly, its tone drawn out.

- "Hong Heeju."
"...!"

Hearing her name spoken so clearly sent a shiver down her spine.

Did... did he call me by my name?

- "How do you know that name? How do you know she's my wife?"
"H- what?"
- "I locked all her personal information."
"..."
- "Where could it have leaked from?"
"..."
- "There's no way Heeju would have leaked anything..."

His words, heavy and deliberate, hung in the air, carrying a sense of unease. Still, Heeju was relieved that Sa-eon hadn't noticed it was her.

Her tense posture relaxed and she leaned forward, struggling to swallow the sigh that threatened to escape.

- "Are you someone related to me?"
"...!"
- "I can block the media, but I can't control old classmates or acquaintances. Maybe our paths have crossed".
"Why are you making a fuss over a name?"

Heeju's voice rose in annoyance.

The one who was being blackmailed was now the one who was closing in on her identity. It grated on her nerves that the balance of power was slipping away from her.

"Don't you get it yet? I'm going to bring you down with a red notice!"
- "I understand."
"What?"
- "I understood that some lunatic crashed into my wife's car."
"Seriously? That's all you care about right now?"

She frowned, annoyed at the erratic direction of the conversation.

He couldn't care less whether I live or die, and now this...?

- "There will be no negotiation."
"So you don't care what happens to your reputation?"
- "I can't stand filth like you."

What are you trying to say? The conversation went on and on.

Heeju suddenly looked at the timer and wasn't surprised - it seemed like his goal was to drag things out.

"So that's it."

Baek Sa-eon was the type who would want to catch a blackmailer without spilling blood. He wasn't just sitting quietly on the phone, he was undoubtedly working on tracking her down. For a moment, she almost mistook it for concern for her.

Losing her remaining composure, Heeju's gaze sharpened.

So she made a second plan.

"You know, I found something interesting. Turns out there's still enough dirt to bury you under."

She pulled the phone slightly away from her ear and sent him a photo. Her fingertips trembled slightly, but she had no regrets.

"How's that, brother? Can you see it clearly?"
- ...!
"Do you s-still think there's no room for negotiation?"
- "What... is that?"

His voice turned sharp in an instant, and for some reason it made her want to laugh.

"Come on, you're her husband. Can't you see it?"
- "Explain. Properly."
"Don't you think you're being a little too obvious about how little you care for your 'real' wife?"
- "I hope I'm wrong."

His tone dropped an octave, but Heeju's lips curled into a smirk.

"It's your wife's thigh."
- "...! "

The second scenario was meant to corner him.

"See? I told you to decide quickly."

Interestingly, scandals weren't just reserved for the person in question. Sometimes family members were the cause.

Heeju was ready to take the blame. She had already used her voice - what was a photo compared to that?

The photo composition in question was daring.

The picture showed her groin area fully exposed, as if she wasn't wearing any panties at all. Her legs were slightly parted, revealing her inner thighs in stark detail.

But what really caught the eye was the black garter belt stockings attached to her underwear.

The scandalous nightlife of a civil servant's wife would make a great headline!

And on top of that, she was the wife of a spokesman.

A real blackmailer always needed that kind of trump card in his arsenal.

"I won't say anything else for now.
-" ... "
"But you might want to think about how this photo could be used and what stories could go with it..."
- "... "
"It's better if you imagine the consequences yourself."

Suddenly, Heeju felt like laughing coldly.

But there was no real emotion in the sound - it was just the faint rustling of clothes, nothing more.

"I'll ask again tomorrow. Are you going to deal with Hong Heeju quickly, hand over 2 billion, or kiss your dreams of being a member of the assembly goodbye?"

- " ... "

"See, I'm so nice. I even gave you an extra option. So make an effort, will you?"

Of the three, everyone would agree that the easiest choice was number one. But Heeju couldn't understand why Baek Sa-eon was dragging out such a simple problem.

"Brother, I'm not negotiating either."
- "And what proof do you have that this is my wife's photo?"
"What a strange thing to ask as her husband."

Her voice tightened into a snarl before fading into a mocking sneer.

"Didn't you know there was something special about Hong Heeju's thighs?"
- "..."
"How could you not know?"
- "..."
"Is it because you never paid attention, or... you never spread them apart before?"

A giggle escaped her. Baek Sa-eon remained silent for a long time.

So this is the feeling of triumph over Baek Sa-eon.

When else in her life would she be able to silence Baek Sa-eon?

The strange silence was sweeter than she expected. For the first time, she felt like she had given that cold, unyielding man a taste of his own medicine, and the bitter frustration in her chest began to dissolve.

As she rubbed her flushed cheeks, savouring her small victory, something unexpected happened.