/contains mature themes/

Heeju glanced at the clock, pulled the blanket over her head and checked the time again. She went through a cycle of agony and indecision.

She wanted to confirm Baek Sa-eon's deviance once more, but at the same time she never wanted to know.

"Ugh..."

Heeju groaned and bit her fingernails nervously. Her mind was a chaotic mess now.

But...

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Her curiosity about Baek Sa-eon, her fear as his wife and her burning denial of reality all intertwined and finally forced her to answer the phone.

Ring! Ring!

My heart raced like no other.

Maybe I shouldn't have called him...'

Just then, the ringing stopped abruptly.

"......!"

Heeju's mouth went dry as the connection was made.

'Am I... trembling?'

It was a moment when Heeju instinctively held her breath.

- "Why are you calling again?"

The sharp voice on the other end cut straight to the point, almost accusatory.

- "Last time you couldn't say a word because you were too scared, and now this."

She felt a moment of relief that there was no sound of running water in the background, but his condescending tone made her frown.

- "What kind of spectacle are you hoping to see this time? Should I assume that you don't mind if I stain something else of yours, if I interpret it that way?"

His tone was hard and slow, and I could hear the bitterness in it.

Heeju's eyes flashed sharply.

"If I open my mouth, your political career is over."
- "......"

As if observing the situation, the room behind the receiver fell silent.

No, I need to make it rougher. More vulgar. Like a real blackmailer! Why am I still dilly-dallying when I've already decided to be a rebellious divorcee?
She steeled herself to become 406 again, the blackmailer 406. Even blackmailers have their pride!

Her stubbornness bordered on denial - there was no way, no how Baek Sa-eon could really act like this...

"You bastard! I told you to meet my demands first!"
- "Oh! Is that how you want to play it?"
"Do you really not care if this gets out? Even if everyone points the finger at you?"
- "If we're going to play, I'd prefer something a little more daring."

Mirroring her aggressive tone, Baek Sa-eon's response kept his tempo steady and prevented her from dominating the conversation, which only increased Heeju's feeling of desperation.

"Get everything back to normal!"

Before the conversation gets out of control! Heeju bit her lower lip and gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Do you want me to ruin your reputation? Do you think a power-hungry beast like you could even survive that?"

She was deliberately provocative.

A click, followed by the sound of a lighter flicking open, then the faint crackle of a cigarette being lit reached her ears. He assumed a relaxed posture, his chin resting on his hand, ready to be entertained.

"If you keep this up, I may be forced to do something drastic!"
- "Sorry, but I prefer to take my time. I'm not one to finish quickly."
"That's not what I mean! Do you know how many of your weaknesses I've exposed? What if I spread these recordings far and wide? What about your reputation? Aren't you afraid?"
- "Hmm."
"Show some fear! I'm 406! The blackmailer 406!"

Her desperate cry came out slightly strained, her voice almost cracking.

It was the naive hope of a woman clinging to the idea that this was all a mistake. An attempt, however futile, to erase what had happened during their call last night.

- "There would be no damage."
"What?"
- "Having a woman I desire isn't a weakness. If it's all within an acknowledged, consensual relationship, then what's the problem?"
"......!"

A woman... he desires?

Every word he spoke tore at Heeju's heart, leaving it raw and bruised.

What kind of country would ever tolerate infidelity?!

Her blood pressure soared and the tension in her neck tightened. But Baek Sa-eon continued to speak with his usual composure.

- "If anything, it would backfire as an invasion of privacy. I have nothing to hide. Sure, it might tarnish my reputation a bit, but I could turn it into an opportunity to lead public efforts against digital s3xual crimes. With the right framing, I could even push for changes in the relevant laws.

The audacity of his words.

Heeju buried her forehead in the pillow, her breath catching in her throat.

Three years of a cold and distant marriage. Discovering her husband's true nature under these circumstances felt like a cruel, relentless punishment.

She pressed her nose deeper into the pillow, almost suffocating, before finally lifting her face with a gasping puhah! Tears had stained her face.

"Can a married man behave like that?"
- "No, he can't."

His reply came quickly, short and yet strangely firm.

"Then why are you..."
- "Because you're 406."
"What?"
- "I can only act this way because you are 406."

The vague fear that had been haunting her now took shape, solidified into something tangible. The blood seemed to drain from her face.

- "Let's get back to the point," he said.
"..."
- "406, have you ever done it yourself?"

His bold question left her completely stunned.

You b*stard...!

"D*mn it..."

The curse slipped out involuntarily. It was the only answer she could find. Baek Sa-eon chuckled quietly.
- "You're really impressive. Looks like threatening and cursing, both are your forte."
"Haa...!"
- "Every time we talk, I feel energised."

Heeju slammed her face back into the pillow, realising the extent of the situation. It was more humiliating than the years of neglect she had endured.

It was undeniable now - Baek Sa-eon was really trying to have an affair with 406 without Heeju realising it.

She thought she had uncovered another of his weaknesses, but her spirits were sinking. Worse than the days of being ignored by her husband was the realisation that things could still reach new depths of humiliation.

She gritted her teeth, almost grinding them. How am I going to deal with this b*stard? Just how...

The anger inside her began to swell again, that familiar feeling of rage she thought she had buried long ago now rising like sediment stirred up from the bottom of a still pond.

"I was thinking of playing on my wife's bed tonight," he muttered.

Something inside her snapped at that moment.

"Fine."
- "......."

The tension in the air thickened, choking them both.

"Go ahead."

Her mind was too heated to allow for any rational thought. But one thing was clear.

I have to make sure we get a divorce.

Her eyes glittered with determination, shining like an oil slick catching the light.

Do you think I couldn't play the mistress if I wanted to?

"Start j*rking off," she dared.
- "I would have grabbed 406's breasts if you were in front of me right now. Lift up the dress.. Haah... and then s*cked on it..."

The sound of something wet echoed repeatedly, sharp and deliberate.

- "If you were here, that's exactly what I would have done."

I can't stand it anymore. This is unbearable.

- "Men can release fluids too," he continued, his voice slow and sultry. "I want to smear this on 406's tongue, or even... apply it somewhere deeper. But I suppose the innocent 406 would be frightened by that."

Heeju felt ashamed.

I wanted him to get started, not start this obscene mess...!

Her resolve wavered in less than a minute.

There was a faint rustling - was he undressing? Pulling back the sheets? The lack of visuals only fed her imagination, allowing it to run wild.

She pictured long, stretched legs, firm abs leading down to his pelvic line, and a man, lightly draped in white sheets, standing tall in the centre.

The image sharpened: her husband leaning against the bed, his hand moving rhythmically.

- "406 keeps insulting me, haah..."

His breath hitched, and she could hear his jaw clenching.

- "Are you tough down there too?"

Her face burned so badly she thought she might faint. The real problem was the heat spreading inside her, starting deep in her abdomen and radiating outwards in soft, pulsating waves.

- "I didn't get an answer earlier. Has 406 ever done it alone?"
"...!"

The deep, provocative tone scraped against her ears.

- "Like I'm doing now. Have you ever touched yourself?"
"I... haven't," she admitted, swallowing hard.
- "Never let anyone else touch you either? Like... your husband?"
"No, no one..."
- "No one, huh..."

The condescending tone in his voice made her bristle.

"What about you then? Did you ever touch your wife?"
- "..."

The silence on the other end was almost suffocating. Then came the rhythmic sound of increased friction, accompanied by a low chuckle.

- "I never slept with Heeju."

The bluntness of his statement made her stiffen.

- "My wife... still has some baby fat on her face. Sometimes I still see glimpses of her younger self. The girl who barely reached my chest, no matter how much she's grown now... hah... I'd have to be crazy to..."

His voice trailed off into a groan, deep and filled with frustration.

- "Fragile things crumble too easily. But 406... I don't need restraint with you. That's what makes it so good."
"!"
- "You are a vicious blackmailer, after all," he said, his voice carrying a dark amusement.

She felt herself sinking deeper into the quagmire of his words, a quagmire she couldn't escape.

As if reaching a climax, his breath came out ragged and exhausted. The sticky remains of his words clung to her ears.

"Did you really... do it in Hong Heeju's room?" she asked, dazed.

His reply was quick, almost nonchalant. "Yes. And when she is discharged, she will probably lie here without a clue."

"...!"
- She won't notice that I've been here. Smelling her scent, I had... let myself go."
"Why...?" Her voice cracked, barely audible. "Why are you so disgusting?"

Her face burned as she rubbed her cheeks, her eyebrows knitted in disapproval.

"I thought you at least cared a little for your wife. How could you... have this kind of conversation with me behind Hong Heeju's back?"

There was a faint, creeping tone of reproach in her voice. She was disappointed - not only as his wife, but as a person watching his degradation.

There was a soft crackle - he had taken a puff on his cigarette, the ember eating away at the filter. A faint laugh followed, carrying the smoke with it.

- "And who do you think is pushing me to this point?"
"What?"
- "Do you think I can get upset about anything?"
"T-That..."

As she stammered, he delivered the final blow.

- "Next time, 406 will have to strip too."
"...!"
- "I'm warning you."

Heeju stared at her phone, her eyes closed.

The space between her legs felt uncomfortably wet. Every shift in her posture caused her underwear to brush against her, reminding her of her unwanted arousal.