< Chapter 23 >

I covered my eyes with my front paws, completely lost in thought.

‘At this rate, there might come a day when I can’t hide my identity anymore.’

Things were getting dangerous. Suspicion always started with something small.

When trivial details piled up one by one, they eventually turned into something impossible to ignore.

Thud. My paw slipped off the banana-shaped cushion and stopped right in front of the untouched dog bowl.

‘It’s different in every webtoon. Usually, there’s some kind of condition to break the spell.’

A condition to break the spell. The one Dog Seori desired most.

Candidate number one: an extravagant memorial meal.

‘Seori, this is the finest dog food from the department store.’

Even if it was technically puppy food, shouldn’t that level of sincerity count for something? Couldn’t she at least restore me to full human form for that?

While I bowed sincerely, a large shadow loomed over my head.

“Madam Song, what’s the dog doing?”

The shadow belonged to Secretary Kwon and Madam Song.

“I’m not sure. Lately, she always puts her paws together before eating.”

“Must be her own little table manners.”

They both laughed, calling me a truly well-mannered Korean dog.

“Anyway, Secretary Kwon, please watch over her today. She’s fine being alone, but she hasn’t been left by herself for long periods yet.”

Madam Song clasped her hands apologetically.

“I’ll look after her while going back and forth from the office. Don’t worry, the director has already approved it.”

“I feel bad for leaving so suddenly though…”

“Your daughter’s in the hospital. You should go right away.”

“She said she went on a trip, but apparently, she broke her finger. Good grief.”

From their conversation, it sounded like Madam Song was leaving early because of a family emergency.

“Be good and listen to Secretary Kwon, alright?”

I raised my paw as if to tell her to go ahead. After a few more worried glances, Madam Song finally left the house.

Once the air turned quiet, Secretary Kwon’s phone buzzed repeatedly.

“Yes, Director. Yes, I’m home. You need me to bring the documents? Which ones? Ah… that’s quite sudden. Yes, I’ll go right away.”

He hung up, went upstairs, and came back down with a brown envelope in hand.

When he noticed me standing by the door, he scowled.

“Stay here and guard the house until I get back.”

That worked perfectly for me. I could finally move around freely without restrictions.

“Woof.”

I nodded confidently. Secretary Kwon shut the inner door behind him. Then, after a moment, the door slid open again.

‘Did he forget something?’

His large foot stepped right up to me. He looked down with a grim face.

“I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Before I could react, my body lifted off the ground.

‘He’s taking me with him?’

To my mom’s company, of all places?

My fur bristled as he shoved me into a pet sling bag. The strap stretched tight across his broad frame, looking like it might snap any second.

“No baby in the world should be left alone.”

That rough face and gentle words didn’t match at all. The dissonance gave me a headache.

Peeking my face out from the sling, I covered my head with my paws. The thought of suddenly turning human inside this tiny space was terrifying.

“Alright, onward we go.”

Please, no…

* * *

The place Secretary Kwon brought me to was the staff office at H Hotel.

“Please keep an eye on her just while I run to the director’s office.”

He repeated his request and hurried out, and the moment he disappeared, the office burst into murmurs.

“Secretary Kwon has a dog?”

“Seriously, didn’t see that coming.”

“What’s more surprising is that he’s a secretary, not a bodyguard.”

“True that.”

Nods all around.

Their curious gazes all landed on me at once, like a pack of hyenas closing in.

I flinched and started inching backward.

If I wanted to avoid turning human, I had to stay calm. Emotional agitation would trigger the transformation.

I repeated the thought like a mantra but then one of them spoke.

“He should’ve at least told us her name.”

“Aw, look at that face.”

“Sigh, is this what company benefits look like now?”

“More like a distraction. How am I supposed to focus when I just want to pet her butt?”

Absolutely disgusting. From a dog’s perspective, humans were far more indecent than expected.

“Can’t you see she’s scared, hiding under the desk? Get back to work unless you want to explain yourself to Secretary Kwon.”

Thanks to the intervention of a higher-up, the employees reluctantly scattered.

Just as I exhaled in relief, something soft fell over my head. It was the puppy sling bag.

‘Huh?’

Peeking inside, I saw the brown envelope Secretary Kwon had taken from home sticking out.

Wasn’t that supposed to go to the director’s office?

He must have forgotten it in the chaos earlier.

Panicked, I dragged the sling toward the door and slipped out of the office.

But Secretary Kwon was already gone.

Looking around the empty hallway, I scratched my cheek awkwardly with my paw.

‘He’ll come back for it soon.’

I was about to turn around when a pair of shoes blocked my path. A tall figure cast a dark shadow over me.

* * *

H Hotel intern Go Jinseung, whose heart beat for money, fame, and power, was deep in thought.

Because of the strange creature he found clutching a bag in the hallway.

At first, he thought it was a stuffed toy. But then it moved. A dog.

‘How did a dog get in here?’

Had the security team missed it?

He debated whether to carry it out, then froze.

‘This scent.’

Beep. His promotion radar went off.

Slowly, cautiously, he approached and lifted the dog.

Put me down.

I bared my teeth silently, letting out a low growl.

“Oh, sorry, sorry.”

He laughed awkwardly, pretending to soothe me, then sniffed near my back.

‘As I thought…’

His expression hardened.

That cool, faint scent. The one that lingered like air over water.

The same scent that always followed Seok Haewon, the only son of Director Han Eunsoo.

I smacked him across the face with my paw. It didn’t hurt him, but the point was clear.

‘And that attitude…’

Proud and sharp, yet unafraid.

He also noticed the initials stitched onto the sling: “Seok Daengdaeng.”

And the brown envelope peeking out.

Go Jinseung was certain. This wasn’t just any dog. This was an heir’s dog. No, a jackpot.

He didn’t know how it had ended up alone in the hallway, but one thing was clear.

‘You’re lost, aren’t you?’

Ding. The elevator to the lobby opened.

“Woof!”

Ignoring my protests, Go Jinseung held me tightly and spoke politely to the air.

“I’ll take her upstairs.”

The elevator began to rise toward the royal floor, where the director’s office was located.

* * *

In the director’s office of H Hotel.

Eunsoo’s fingertips trembled with irritation.

“Director Han, if this is how you intend to handle things, I’m truly disappointed.”

Christine’s sly, twisting tone skirted the edge of provocation, making Eunsoo press her temples.

Christine was an American investor with ties to Eunsoo’s mother and one of the most unpredictable people she knew.

Ever since she’d discovered that Eunsoo wanted a piece of her land, she’d made it her mission to toy with her.

It was obvious she’d come today just to stir trouble, knowing Eunsoo couldn’t risk saying the wrong thing about the property.

And to make matters worse, Secretary Kwon had forgotten the documents she needed for this meeting.

‘He’s not the type to make that kind of mistake. Why today of all days?’

Christine stood, clearly enjoying Eunsoo’s discomfort.

“Let’s discuss the contract another time.”

“Christine, wait—”

Just as Christine moved to leave, there was a knock at the door.

“Director.”

Eunsoo’s other secretary, Yoon, peeked in with a rare look of confusion.

“What is it?”

Yoon leaned closer and whispered.

“Do you have a dog? Intern Go Jinseung claims this is yours.”

Her eyes flicked down toward the door.

It wasn’t urgent enough to interrupt the meeting, but the sealed envelope the intern had brought along made her hesitate.

‘A dog?’

Eunsoo followed her gaze, and her eyes darkened. A large furry head was poking through the crack of the door.

Of all places to show up.

Before Eunsoo could say anything, Christine spoke first.

“Is that your puppy, Director Han?”

A glint of mischief flickered in her blue eyes.

Eunsoo, who had been about to order the dog out, hesitated. Christine’s expression was far too interested.

Choosing her words carefully, Eunsoo smiled thinly.

“…For now, yes.”

“For now?”

“I’m only fostering her temporarily.”

Listening to the two women speak in English, I wiped the sweat from my brow.

I didn’t understand everything they were saying, but I recognized the same dangerous look in Christine’s eyes as the hotel employees from before.

The kind that made even a dog want to run for its life.