Chapter 1

My best friend's dog kept bowing to me, its little rear end pointed in the air.

The cleaner muttered, "This dog's bow looks pitiful, like it's begging for mercy."

That night, I found a note hidden in its fur. It said: Run.

Meanwhile, my best friend, smoothing my wedding dress, smiled and asked, "For the wedding in three days, why don't you pick the crown veil?"

*****

I clenched the note tightly in my palm, nodding absentmindedly as I glanced at the big dog next to my best friend, Lucy Merritt.

A month ago, Lucy adopted this stray dog and named him Chubby.

The first time I saw Chubby, a chill ran down my spine.

There was just something about him; his face looked disturbingly human.

I asked Lucy if she was sure about adopting him, but she just got all superstitious and insisted Chubby would bring her a fortune.

I just couldn't figure it out. How could a dog possibly bring anyone good luck or fortune?

But that night, when I watched Lucy's livestream, I finally understood why she said so.

On camera, Chubby was showing uncanny intelligence, bowing with folded paws and mimicking Lucy as she flattered her top donor.

That night, her livestream viewership shot past 500,000, and Lucy, who was just a small-time influencer before, suddenly went viral.

All the major streaming platforms started courting her, and Chubby instantly became the hottest viral internet celebrity dog in the livestreaming scene.

After that, Lucy started streaming all sorts of new content with Chubby, taking him to the market for groceries and even bringing him swimming.

In just half a month, she was raking in cash thanks to Chubby.

Every time Chubby saw me, he'd stick his butt up and bow in that weird way, but for some reason, it always sent a chill down my spine.

I couldn't shake the feeling that behind that dog's face, there were human eyes watching me.

Today was the day of my wedding rehearsal with Wyatt Lawson.

Lucy, my bridesmaid, showed up at the hotel as usual, bringing Chubby along.

Chubby seemed even sharper than before; whenever he saw a guy, he'd go nuts wagging his tail and bowing, trying to please them.

The wedding planner was rocking a red skirt, directing Wyatt and me on where to stand and when to exchange rings.

I caught sight of Chubby, who was always strutting around like he owned the place, suddenly trembling and ducking behind Lucy as soon as he spotted the wedding planner. But Lucy didn't notice a thing.

By the time the rehearsal was over, it was already evening. The three of us and Chubby had dinner together, and then Lucy said she needed to head over to the streaming company. Her manager wanted to discuss her new direction.

"Alice, could you take Chubby home with you for now? I'll come pick him up later, pretty please?" Lucy asked.

I glanced at Chubby, who was fixing me with a creepy, drooling stare. I instantly wanted to say no.

But Wyatt just grinned and answered for me, "Come on, it's no big deal. We'll take Chubby with us. Just swing by and pick him up later, okay?"

Lucy didn't even wait for my answer; she just turned around and walked off.

Wyatt grabbed Chubby's leash like it was second nature, and we headed home together at a relaxed pace.

As soon as we walked in, he made a beeline for the bathroom, leaving me stuck alone with Chubby.

I watched Chubby plop down on the floor, his eyes glued to me, creepier than ever.

I poured myself a glass of water, hoping to calm my nerves, but Chubby started coming straight at me.

My first instinct was to bolt, but then that note Run flashed through my mind. I forced myself to stay glued to the couch, too scared to move.

Chubby kept inching closer, and my palms were sweaty. Just as I was about to freak out, he plopped down in front of me and rested his big, fluffy head on my lap.

My hand was shaking as I tugged at his fur. It was so smooth and soft. Lucy must really take care of him.

Chubby's fur was so soft that the more I stroked him, the less scared I felt.

He had a collar around his neck, and in the light, I caught some small writing reflecting off it. Curious, I leaned in to check it out.

It was a string of phone numbers, kind of smudged, but definitely not Lucy's.

Lucy and I were ride-or-die besties. I knew her number by heart.

Unable to resist my curiosity, I dialed the number. After just a couple of rings, someone answered. "Hello, this is Nohelia Funeral Home. How can I help you?"