Chapter 2 — The End of an Affair, Part 1 (2)

"It's not easy today, is it?"

"What did you say?"

How could Sarah Kim possibly describe the turmoil inside her at that moment?

Was it like being caught mid-theft? Whatever the metaphor, her face was unmistakably one of deep disappointment. But then the older woman quickly added:

"Don't be so disappointed. I already made arrangements before coming."

"With who?"

"Who do you think? The owner."

"The owner does things like this?"

"I didn't know either. I accidentally heard about it from a friend who runs a beauty salon. I looked into it, and sure enough, it was true. You're surprised, aren't you?"

"Really? Is that true?"

"He'll probably show up soon."

"Who?"

"Who else? A man—someone who'll make things exciting for us."

Silence.

Sarah Kim stayed still. She couldn't utter a word. Her conscience reared its head once more, but it was violently crushed by a stronger, instinctual craving rising within her. And then, shortly after—

"Excuse me."

She turned. Two men stood there, smiling broadly, watching them.

As Sarah Kim froze in sudden panic, the older woman swiftly asked,"Are you from the owner's place?"

"Yes, we are."

"Come, sit down. Let's have a drink and talk."

"Sure."

The two men sat tightly beside each woman—one next to the older woman, the other right beside Sarah Kim.

Soon, the four moved into a private room, settling together for drinks. This was the true beginning—the spark that ignited everything that followed.

The men skillfully led the women, clearly professionals at what they did. Without realizing it, both women were drawn deeply into their rhythm. This wasn't just a casual drinking session. It felt more like a hostess bar, where men indulged freely with women on their arms.

In a daze, almost dreamlike, both women passively accepted the men's escalating advances—without even noticing how it had happened. It was strange.

Sarah Kim felt the man's hand slip beneath her skirt, yet she no longer had the strength to resist the heat building in her body. Instead, she welcomed it, trembling unconsciously as if lost in a fantasy. The night's indulgence deepened, time slipping away unnoticed.

Before long, Sarah Kim became completely his plaything. The older woman was already writhing in the man's arms, twisting her body in surrender. Sarah Kim was no different.

Then came the next step.

They paired off and headed to an empty room in the owner's house. There, Sarah Kim became a woman possessed. It was her first time like this since her husband had gone abroad.

Overwhelmed by the man's expert technique—so professional it bordered on predatory—she cried out like a wild animal, sinking completely into the mire of corruption. That day, she abandoned all sense of self, all morality, losing herself entirely in physical ecstasy until she nearly fainted from exhaustion, climaxing again and again as dusk fell.

After that night,

Sarah Kim began visiting Yongchu Valley frequently. Always with the same man.

Little did she know he would be the one to destroy her life in an instant.

When they met again, they embraced fiercely, violently. Sarah Kim moaned obscenely, ecstatically, welcoming him deep inside her body. As she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts, grinding against him wildly, their passion intensified beyond control.

Like a storm-wracked sea, their bodies churned in a whirlpool of sensation. Afterward, they clung tightly to each other, gasping for breath. Their hearts pounded wildly, refusing to calm even after the final release.

The man gently pulled back slightly, draping one leg over hers, and softly caressed her cheek. In her eyes—a gaze full of tender affection, warmth, and bliss—was the look of a female who had feasted completely, gazing at the male who satisfied her.

He had masterfully found every erogenous zone on her body, skillfully stimulating her sensitive spots, keeping her fire burning endlessly. Sated and fulfilled, Sarah Kim felt happiness in surrendering her starved body to him.

But now, the predator revealed his true nature.

This was after their second sinful encounter.

"I need some money,"

That was how it started.

At first, it was small amounts—tens of thousands of won, pocket money. Then it rose to hundreds of thousands, then millions. The price for her physical satisfaction was now racing toward its corrupt end.

One day—

"I can't keep living like some idle thug forever."

They had just finished their second round. Sarah Kim lay sprawled, languid as cotton, while the man smoked casually, showing no sign of fatigue.

"Yeah… being unemployed isn't good."

Still unaware of his intentions, Sarah Kim asked,"Are you going to get a job?"

"A job? At my age?"

"Well?"

"I need to start a small business."

"A business?"

Sarah Kim studied him carefully, still clueless.

"A man like me dealing with petty jobs? No. There's one perfect business—something only I can do, something that suits me perfectly."

"What kind of business?"

"Hard to explain simply."

"What is it?"

"In simple terms, it's a type of export business. Especially with Eastern Bloc countries or the Soviet Union—it could boom soon."

After speaking convincingly, he turned to her and said,"What do you think? If I succeed, everything will change. I won't have to beg you for pocket money anymore. Good, right?"

It was a question with hidden meaning. All Sarah Kim could manage was a vague reply:
"That'd be nice."

"Not 'that'd be nice'—it will be good."

His tone shifted, suddenly confrontational, pressing her.

Sarah Kim stared straight at him. At that moment, she was still naked, her body still flushed from the intense heat they'd shared. Her entire body was soaked in a languid euphoria, too exhausted to move even a fingertip.

Partly because of his peculiar habits during sex.

For some reason, he hated being under the sheets. He preferred raw, bare-floor encounters with nothing covering them.

He also favored the woman-on-top position. Once, in their frenzy, Sarah Kim's knees scraped raw against the floor. Another odd habit—he watched her face intently throughout, studying every tiny expression, as if hunting for the slightest flicker of pleasure.

At first, Sarah Kim was too absorbed to notice. Only after several encounters did she realize it.

"Hey, why are you staring like that? It's creepy. I can't enjoy it if you do that."

It made no difference.

Soon, she'd begin to burn up again, and in her loss of control, every expression spilled out—her mouth half-open, chin tilted back, head shaking; later, teeth clenched, groaning in strained ecstasy—all displayed openly before his watchful eyes.

Once, afterward, he mocked her:
"You really loved it, huh? Acting like you were about to die."

"I don't know. Who doesn't? You were panting like you'd pass out any second—what's your problem?"

That was the kind of exchange they had.

He especially liked the seated position.

He'd sit cross-legged, and she'd straddle him, legs wide, sinking deep onto him.

Gradually, Sarah Kim grew to love this position too. The penetration was deepest, and their upper bodies pressed close—so even the slightest movement sent powerful waves through her. In this position, he could study her changing expressions up close, deliberately adjusting the intensity of his stimulation.

Often, even after sex ended, they remained seated like that.

Just like now.

Sarah Kim, drained from exertion, sat there without cleaning up.

Then the man reached out, stroking her intimate area.

"So? If I start a business and make money, wouldn't that be good?"

As he spoke, he deliberately began to fondle her with his fingers.

"Stop that."

After such intense pleasure, she was hypersensitive—even a touch made her recoil.

She leaned back, pulling away from his hand, and repeated,"I don't know what kind of business it is, but I hope it works out."

"Of course. But it's a capital-heavy venture."

"So businesses that don't need funding exist?"

"Well, yes. But as you know, I don't exactly have that kind of capital. Luckily, friends helped arrange most of it."

"Then it's settled."

"But once it starts, I might not be able to meet often. I'm worried. What'll I do without seeing you?"

"You'll be that busy?"

"Probably."

Up to this point, nothing seemed suspicious.

Everything was part of his plan—and Sarah Kim had no idea.

His demeanor today was different.

"Since we might not meet often from now on…"

Using that excuse, he began touching her body again.

At first, she resisted slightly—but soon, under his skilled hands, her body flared with heat once more. Her flesh, ripe and insatiable, was impossible to restrain.

Sarah Kim began to crave his body desperately. When they finally joined, she was far more aggressive than before. It was precisely then that the man's true scheme began to unfold.

As she clung to him in blind passion, he suddenly stopped moving.

"There's something I mentioned earlier," he said, deliberately prolonging her torment.

"I don't care. Just… hurry…"

"Let's talk first."

"Ugh, we can talk after! Just a little more—I'm almost there. Hurry!"

But the man insisted,"Talk first," teasing her mercilessly.

He didn't let her flame die—just moved slightly, making her desperation worse as he continued speaking.

"Why are you doing this? Seriously!"

She clung to him in frustration, but it changed nothing.

She tried moving on her own, but he held her down firmly, making her agony even sharper.

"The thing is… my friends arranged everything, but I'm still short."

"Money?"

She asked urgently.

"Not just any money. Business capital. Not something I'll waste—real investment."

"It's all the same."

It was clear he was exploiting her desperate state to the fullest.

"So here's the thing—I need you to help me just one last time."

"How much this time?"

"This time… it's a bit more."

"What?"

"I need one hundred million."

"One hundred thousand again?"

"No."

"What?"

"One hundred million—with two zeros added."

"……!!!?"

Sarah Kim was stunned. One million was already a huge sum.

But he was talking about one hundred million won. As she sat in shock, he launched into aggressive motion again, reigniting her urgency. At that moment, even if the sky collapsed, she wouldn't have wanted to escape.

And then he asked, pressing her:
"So? Will you help me?"

Sarah Kim was in no state to answer rationally. Finishing before he stopped again was all that mattered.

"Answer me."

True to form, he suddenly froze again.

"Why are you doing this? Just go!"

"Answer first."

"What?"

"Just help me with one hundred million one last time?"

"Where would I get that kind of money?"

"You must have it."

"I don't."

"You've got money from your husband. Just lend it to me temporarily. I'll return it fast—once the business starts, funds will flow."

"How can I trust that…?"

Mid-protest, he suddenly thrust hard and deep. Sarah Kim gasped sharply, overwhelmed.

"Fine! Just hurry!" she begged, clinging to him.

"You should've said so earlier. Good. Today, I'll make you die from pleasure."

To which Sarah Kim, delirious, cried back:
"Yes! Kill me! Hurry…!"

And indeed, his skill was extraordinary.

Unlike ever before, Sarah Kim experienced the longest, deepest climax of her life, convulsing endlessly in waves of ecstasy—something she'd never known possible.

Then came the aftermath.

For a moment, Sarah Kim completely forgot what had just happened—a testament to how deeply she'd fallen into depraved desire, becoming a slave to her flesh. After a brief rest, when the man said,

"If you help me this one last time, I'll never ask again,"

she was jolted back to reality.

"What are you talking about?"

"What?"

"What did you just say? Who helped whom?"

"Now you're playing dumb?"

Suddenly, the man's face twisted into a harsh glare.

"You said it yourself just now—why pretend otherwise?" he snapped.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you want to hear it again? I told you I'm starting a business."

"Yes, I remember that."

Sarah Kim recalled that part.

"And when I said I was short on funds and asked you to cover one hundred million, you said yes."

"What?"

Her heart dropped like a stone.

"You're not seriously trying to back out now, are you? Pretending you didn't say it?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Then who else is here? Who else could've said it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about! I never said that!"

"You're driving me insane. I should've recorded this. You said it with your own mouth—don't act innocent now. This isn't child's play."

Sarah Kim was deeply embarrassed.

Now she remembered—she'd blurted out "Fine!" in her frantic, desperate state.

But what could she do? She was trapped—forced into denying it, just like a criminal retracting a confession.

She kept insisting,"I don't know when I said that. Think about it—hundred million won? Like it's someone's nickname? Do you just casually agree to that?"

Her stubbornness was all she had left.

"You're making me crazy. Are you serious? Are you trying to turn me into a madman?"

His attitude grew rougher, more hostile than before.

"Ten million? Fine, I understand. You've taken that several times already—this is the third time!"

"I know, I know! That's why I said this is the last time! It's different when you're moaning and shaking your ass than it is now!"

"What?"

Suddenly, Sarah Kim felt disgust toward him—for the first time.

Before, even when he demanded ten million, she hadn't felt this way. The total amount he'd taken—or rather, extorted—was nearly forty million won. She'd been stripped bare, body and wallet, all for fleeting lust. Yet she'd never felt true revulsion.

Perhaps because he'd never resorted to lowly threats like:
“If you don't pay, I'll expose everything.”

Until now.

But in that moment, hearing him mock her vulnerable state, she felt deep humiliation—and hatred. His words weren't just taunting—they were cruel.

"How can you say that?"

"Stop nagging. Just answer."

Sarah Kim began gathering her clothes. Once fully dressed, she said firmly,
"I can't do it."

"Are you serious?"

"I can't."

"Really?"

"Yes. Where would I get that kind of money?"

"Why are you acting like this? You already agreed. Now you're taking it back? Don't think I won't remember that."

"What?"

"Hmph! You think I'm a joke? Think again. You know what I mean—no more words needed."

Sarah Kim glared at him, terrified.

Until now, he'd never used such despicable threats. But in this moment, no matter what he did, she felt only disgust.

"I don't care."

"Do whatever you want. But you will regret it. You'll come crawling back to me, begging in tears—I guarantee it."

"No chance."

"You're kidding yourself!"

"I don't want to hear it!"

Shouting, Sarah Kim stormed out of the room.

That was the beginning of the disaster.

That night, the phone rang without fail.

"Have you reconsidered? If you don't want to regret it later, you'd better decide wisely."

It was a threat.

Regretting giving him her number was useless now.

The situation was like spilled water—impossible to gather back.

Several similar threatening calls followed. Each time, Sarah Kim alternated between cold refusal and desperate pleading, but nothing worked. He clung on relentlessly.

"This is the last time. I won't call again. I'm giving you three days. If you still dare to defy me, it's over—completely. Understand? Don't come crying to me later, no matter what happens."

That was the final warning.

Then the real tragedy struck.

It happened when Ji-hyun—her daughter—was home.

The man showed up at her house. He barged in, smashed furniture, and worst of all—he touched her daughter.

Ji-hyun, violated and broken, wrote a suicide note to her father and jumped from the rooftop of their apartment building.

Sarah Kim was divorced by her husband, who rushed back from abroad. Overwhelmed by guilt and grief over her brief, reckless affair, she followed her daughter's path—taking her own life by poison.