Whispers of the Underworld (SunSun)

Chapter 2

I knew Heeseung would come. I had to believe that, even when every second alone felt like an eternity. My body ached, a deep, throbbing pain radiating through me from the fever of my heat and the weight of the rejection that clung to my heart. The room seemed darker, colder, without the presence of the one who was supposed to love me. Each breath I took felt shallow, as if the air was too thick with despair to properly fill my lungs.

I could still hear the echo of my own voice, raw and trembling, as I begged my husband to stay. The way he turned his back on me, indifferent to my suffering, cut deeper than any wound ever could. My heart shattered further when I heard his phone ring, his voice distant and cold as he answered. Whoever was on the other end of the line meant more to him than I did in that moment. I knew that, but it didn't make the realization any easier to bear.

When he left, the door clicked shut with a finality that reverberated through my entire being. The silence that followed was deafening. The only sound was the beating of my own heart, rapid and uneven, as if it were struggling to keep pace with the storm raging inside me. I waited for him to come back, for some sign that he cared, but deep down, I knew he wouldn't. The tears came then, slow at first, then uncontrollable, spilling over and soaking the pillow beneath me.

In my desperation, I reached for the phone he had left behind. My fingers trembled as I scrolled through the contacts, each name blurring in my vision. There was only one person I could call—Heeseung, my older brother. The one person who had always been there for me, even when I didn’t deserve it.

When his voice finally came through, steady and strong, I broke. "Heeseung, hyung... It's me. I need you to come get me. Please. I can’t stay here alone. I don’t know what’s going on... I... He's cheating on me. I’m just so lost and hurt right now."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, the kind that made my chest tighten with fear. But then Heeseung spoke, and there was something in his tone that gave me a sliver of hope. "I’m coming, Sunoo. Stay right where you are. Don’t move. I’ll be there soon."

I hung up, my hand still shaking as I clutched the phone to my chest. The tears wouldn’t stop, even as I tried to pull myself together. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the things that led up to this moment, about how everything had gone so wrong.

The minutes passed like hours, my mind drifting in and out of focus. I was barely aware of my surroundings, barely conscious of the passage of time. The pain in my body dulled to a distant throb as exhaustion took over, leaving me feeling more fragile than ever. I curled up on the bed, my arms wrapped around myself in a feeble attempt to hold the pieces of my broken heart together.

Then, through the fog of my thoughts, I heard it. A voice—familiar and warm, calling my name. "Sunoo!"

My heart leaped in my chest. Jake’s voice was like a lifeline, pulling me out of the darkness I had been drowning in. I tried to respond, but my throat was too tight, my voice too weak. But he found me anyway. He burst into the room, his eyes wide with alarm as he took in the sight of me, trembling and weak.

“Oh my god, Sunoo! What happened?” His voice was full of concern as he rushed to my side.

The moment I saw him, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I crumpled to the ground, the sobs I had been holding back finally breaking free. Jake was there, his arms wrapping around me, holding me close as I cried into his shoulder.

“Hey, talk to me. What did they do to you?” Jake’s voice was gentle, but there was an edge to it, a protectiveness that made me feel safe, if only for a moment.

The warmth of his embrace was comforting, but it wasn’t enough to chase away the pain. The mention of my husband’s name only made it worse, the sobs coming harder and faster until I could barely breathe. Jake pressed his hand to my forehead, concern etched into his features as he felt the fever burning through me.