DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 1.3

“Chief Nam. So impatient, aren’t you?”

 

– Director Yeon! Are you really doing this to me?

 

“And what exactly have I done?”

 

Director Yeon slowly raised a corner of his mouth, greeting the person on the other end with a casual air.

 

“Who was it that ignored Secretary Kim’s calls?”

 

– Well… it was supposed to be a surprise gift. No fun in spoiling it early, right?

 

“For someone giving a gift, you seemed pretty anxious, considering you kept calling the moment I checked the ‘item,’ didn’t you?”

 

For the first time, Director Yeon revealed a hint of displeasure. Though his tone and expression retained a playful edge, Kim Chulwoo, standing nearby, recognized it as a mocking stance toward the other person. Chief Nam, who had known Director Yeon for a long time, would understand that too.

 

“You went to quite the trouble to get a dominant omega. Are you worried I’d already been enchanted by those pheromones and had my way with him?”

 

– What? Haha. Director Yeon, if you knew who that kid was, you’d want to cut out your own tongue for saying that.

 

Despite the sharp tone, Director Yeon felt no particular interest. Instead of continuing the banter, he got straight to the point.

 

“So, what about the item?”

 

– It’s being held up in Incheon. I’ll have it cleaned and sent through another route soon….

 

“Chief Nam. I’d prefer our deal here not be our last.”

 

– Relax. You think I’d be reckless enough to steal from you?

 

“Good, then.”

 

– How’s my gift?

 

At the woman’s confident tone, Director Yeon leaned slightly to look inside. Through the window, he saw the omega he had trapped there.

 

“I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to do with this fluffy kid that you sent me.”

 

A pause filled with the sound of labored breathing came from the other end. Though Director Yeon was typically patient, his tolerance didn’t extend to trivial matters. He was about to end the call without a second thought when—

 

– That kid, he’s Chairman Jung’s grandson. He’s Jung Heeyeon!

 

With a calm expression, Director Yeon stared intently at the omega in the car, Jung Heeyeon. Jung Heeyeon had his eyes half-closed, gazing absently at the back of the front seat. Despite being in an unfamiliar alpha’s car, he showed not a single sign of anxiety.

 

“He’s Jung Heeyeon?”

 

– Didn’t I say it was a surprise gift?

 

Contrary to the excitement in the other person’s voice, Director Yeon’s face remained firm.

 

“I didn’t think you’d actually manage to find him.”

 

– Keep what you promised me. Once I found Chairman Jung’s grandson, you’d move the plan forward, right?

 

“Fine. Got it.”

 

Director Yeon straightened his body, holding out his hand. The short end of his cigarette rested between his fingers. Kim Chulwoo quickly offered a portable ashtray, and Director Yeon tapped off the ash before stubbing out the cigarette. At the same time, the call ended.

 

“…Sir.”

 

“The gift that Chief Nam prepared is interesting, isn’t it?”

 

Though his mouth was twisted into a grin, his face didn’t look particularly amused. After a brief silence, seemingly lost in thought, he opened the car door and got into the back seat.

 

Kim Chulwoo refrained from taking his usual spot in the front passenger seat, instead stepping back. The car carrying Director Yeon and Chairman Jung’s grandson soon set off.

 

Kim Chulwoo stood there, rooted to the spot as if nailed in place, until the car following his boss came to a stop in front of him. That mysterious omega being Chairman Jung’s grandson was shocking enough—but what amazed him even more was how unfazed his boss seemed by it.

 

***

 

Director Yeon sat slightly askew, observing Jung Heeyeon. The fair omega gazed quietly out the window, maintaining a serene expression despite the strange situation. Because of his only slightly-turned head, it wasn’t difficult to take in the details of his face.

 

Even in the dimly lit container, it had been clear—he had a youthful face. Though he was slightly thinner than average, and his face didn’t carry much weight, there was still a touch of softness, almost like baby fat.

 

Director Yeon studied Jung Heeyeon’s face meticulously, as if searching for traces of someone else. Despite his intense focus, his movements were relaxed.

 

Tap, tap.

 

The rhythmic sound of his long fingers tapping on the car door trim filled the air. The omega sitting beside him remained expressionless, as indifferent as he’d been from the start. With gentle eyes and long lashes, his lack of expression radiated a kind of gentle warmth—perhaps due to his fair skin, which made him seem as if he was raised untouched by sunlight. Yet, Director Yeon could not find any trace of Chairman Jung in him.

 

“Is that….”

 

Jung Heeyeon slowly turned his head to look at him and spoke. Despite being caught staring, Director Yeon showed no sign of embarrassment and looked back unabashedly, almost as if asking, ’What?’

 

“Is that the ocean?”

 

Though his expression was still devoid of a smile, something glimmered in those light brown eyes, as if reflecting the waves of the night sea visible through the window.

 

“Yes.”

 

Director Yeon replied curtly. He now understood why Jung Heeyeon had asked such a random question back in the container. It was because his grandfather, Chairman Jung, had raised the small omega in isolation.

 

Chairman Jung. 

 

The face he could never forget, even after 15 years, surfaced in his mind. Though he was now known as ‘Chairman’, the man had once been addressed by other titles. Director Yeon was more familiar with those.

 

He was the man who had sold Director Yeon off.

 

Before he was sold, Director Yeon had been raised by that man like a fighting dog.

 

Together with other dogs.

 

In a rusty hutch.

 

The car glided smoothly out of the harbor. The square metal structures had long disappeared from view, but the distinctive metallic smell seemed to linger, like an unwelcome memory of the rusty hutch from his past.

 

Director Yeon looked at the omega seated beside him as unpleasant memories surfaced. Jung Heeyeon smiled faintly and lowered his head slightly in response to his brief reply.

 

“Thank you for telling me.”

 

The gentle curve of his eyes followed his small smile, exuding a natural grace. It seemed like it was out of habit—a polite smile and a practiced word of thanks.

 

While Jung Heeyeon turned his gaze back to the passing ocean outside the window, Director Yeon leaned his head in the direction of his raised elbow, using his fingers to press against his temple in a leisurely pose.

 

Jung Heeyeon.

 

Director Yeon let his tongue roll over each syllable of his name. Chairman Jung’s grandson sat quietly beside him, wrapped in the wealth his grandfather had amassed by exploiting countless alphas and omegas.

 

But he felt not the tiniest emotion toward Jung Heeyeon. His target for revenge was Chairman Jung, not this naive omega who didn’t even know the sea.

 

Suddenly, he recalled Chief Nam, the one responsible for the current situation.

 

‘Chairman Jung fled to China! Are you going to let that slide?’

 

Her face had been flushed with rare anger.

 

‘Wouldn’t it be more entertaining to tighten the leash slowly? He won’t even be able to sleep properly, wondering when I’ll strike.’

 

’No, I can’t leave it like this. I won’t be satisfied until he suffers as much as I did.’

 

‘And just how am I supposed to bring back that bastard who fled to China? Chief Nam, you go ahead and do it.’

 

‘That bastard, Chairman Jung, he deserves to be torn into shreds… I’ll find a way, somehow.’

 

Chief Nam had shouted like a madwoman, roughly ruffling her hair, a crazed gleam in her alpha eyes.

 

’Ah! Right, I know. There’s still one of Chairman Jung’s blood relatives left in Korea.’

 

‘Blood relative? …I think he had an omega son, but isn’t he dead?’

 

‘The son’s dead, but the grandson’s alive. I heard he carefully raised him to sell to some alpha in the Sunha Group. Rumor has it only one butler’s ever seen his face—apparently, he’s never left the house even once.’

 

’So what?’

 

Though uninterested, Director Yeon lightly humored her.

 

‘Chairman Jung fled to China, leaving his grandson here. I bet he plans to sell him off at a high price as soon as he turns twenty. I heard he’s a dominant omega. I’ll take him out of there and use him to lure Chairman Jung back to Korea.’

 

’Fine, do it then.’

 

It was a promise made with little weight.

 

He hadn’t made that promise expecting a situation like this to arise. It wasn’t that he underestimated Chief Nam’s determination and skills; he had simply thought it would be a nearly impossible promise to keep. After all, if Chairman Jung had gone to such lengths to conceal his grandson, getting him out would be next to impossible. Yet, she had really pulled it off.

 

Recalling Chief Nam’s voice, thick with excitement, Director Yeon twisted his lips slightly. He knew well why she was so hell-bent on revenge.

 

Chief Nam was an alpha, like him, raised as a fighting dog. She, his secretary Kim Chulwoo, and several other alphas, now holding high positions at Jiwoo (馶遇), had all shared that brutal upbringing. 

 

Chairman Jung could never have imagined that the children he abused would grow up this ‘well’. Most of the alphas and omegas he sold off met the tragic fates expected. But Director Yeon had survived, crawling up from the bottom and now enjoying his current life.

 

Though officially the head of a private security company, his main business was actually in advanced weapons trading. Legally, the title of Director belonged to someone else, but in the industry, everyone knew that he was the true owner. The mere child, whose birth had never even been registered, who had neither a real name nor age, had grown into an untouchable heavyweight.

 

Besides him, there were a few other alphas and omegas who had also grown up ‘well’, and one of them was Chief Nam. She was the one who had whisked Jung Heeyeon away from Seoul, making him into a bait.

---

Become a member in my ko-fi to get early releases!

Make me feel happy and supported by leaving a comment!

---