A Call from Dad
Evan was still staring at his laptop screen when his phone vibrated on the table. He glanced at the screen. Dad.
Not from the secretary, not from the company admin, but directly from Mr. Nathaniel William, the owner and CEO of this company.
Evan took a deep breath before answering the call.
"To my office. Now."
Just two words, cold and firm.
Evan clenched his teeth. He knew this wasn't about work. With heavy steps, he walked toward his father's office. When the door opened, he found the middle-aged man standing near the window, his back turned. Mr. Nathaniel's right hand held his phone, while his left was resting on his hip—a telltale sign he was angry.
"Sit."
Evan obeyed but said nothing.
Mr. Nathaniel turned around, staring sharply at him. There was something different in that look. Not just anger, but also… disappointment?
"I just got some news…" His voice was heavy. "You have a child."
Evan stiffened. His eyes widened, but he held himself back from overreacting.
"Who told you that?"
"A friend of mine," Mr. Nathaniel replied, crossing his arms. "The doctor treating the child."
Evan cursed inwardly. So this is how Dad found out? From a doctor?
"Do you have something to explain?" Mr. Nathaniel continued.
Evan took a deep breath. "Dad, I just found out about this too."
Mr. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "Really?" His tone was flat, full of skepticism.
Evan nodded. "I only recently met Ayla again. I truly didn't know I had a child."
Mr. Nathaniel stared at him for several seconds before walking over to his desk, pressing his fingers against the wooden surface.
"You know, Evan…" His voice was quieter now. "I've turned a blind eye to a lot of things you've done. Whether you wanted to work or not, I let it go. Whether you were serious or just playing around, I let it go. But a child?" He exhaled, his gaze sharpening. "That's not something you can ignore."
Evan swallowed hard. He wanted to defend himself, to say this wasn't entirely his fault. But on the other hand… what was the point?
"So, what are you going to do now?" Mr. Nathaniel asked, his tone demanding an answer.
Evan clenched his fists on his lap. One thing was certain—he couldn't run from this.
—
Turning Point
Evan stared straight at his father. He didn't want to argue, but he also didn't want to be blamed for something he couldn't even remember.
"I honestly don't remember, Dad." His voice was calmer, though his chest still churned. "I don't even remember being close to Ayla, let alone having a child with her."
Mr. Nathaniel sighed heavily. His gaze softened, though the hard lines on his face still showed he was weighing the truth of Evan's words.
"Do you remember your accident at the end of 2015?" he asked finally.
Evan fell silent. Accident?
Of course he remembered what happened in December 2015. That was the night of the curse. The night Hendra committed suicide in front of him.
But… accident?
"I remember… I wasn't in an accident," he said quietly.
Mr. Nathaniel looked at him with a strange expression, as if he'd just heard something impossible.
"That was your turning point, Evan." His voice was softer. "Before that accident, you…" He paused, choosing his words. "You weren't like you are now."
Evan tensed.
"You were reckless, didn't care about work, didn't take life seriously." His father sighed. "But after that accident, you changed."
Evan remained silent.
"I thought the accident made you realize something," Mr. Nathaniel went on. "But if you're saying now you don't remember… do you really not remember, or do you just not want to remember?"
Evan clenched his fists on his lap.
This curse was truly messing everything up.
If it was true he had an accident at the end of 2015—and lost part of his memory—was that part of the curse too?
—
The Curse's Doing
Evan clenched his fists tightly. He knew there had been no accident in late 2015.
There had only been that night—when Hendra committed suicide in front of him. The night the curse began.
But now, everyone believed he had been in an accident that changed his life. An accident that took away part of his memory.
This wasn't a coincidence.
The curse didn't just keep his official age at 25 on every document. It erased part of his memory. Reshaped his past.
The acquisition of Hendra's company? Not his doing.
His past as a playboy? He couldn't even remember a single woman he was supposedly close with.
Ayla? A child? All of it was completely foreign to him.
Evan took a deep breath.
"Dad," he said finally. "I know this sounds crazy. But I'm sure that accident wasn't just an ordinary incident. I'm sure…" He looked directly into his father's eyes. "It's the doing of something bigger."
Mr. Nathaniel stared at him for a long time. His face didn't show anger, but neither did it show belief.
"You sound like someone who just refuses to face reality, Evan."
Evan gave a small, bitter smile. Isn't that exactly the case?
The reality he remembered wasn't the same one everyone else believed.
And the only logical explanation was…
This curse had truly ruined his life.
—
The Donor Test Result
Evan sat in the hospital waiting room chair, arms folded across his chest. Ayla sat beside him, silent.
They had just completed the compatibility test as donors for Raka.
A nurse appeared, carrying a folder with their test results.
"The doctor would like to see both of you in his office," she said briefly.
Evan glanced at Ayla, then stood. "Let's go."
They walked toward the doctor's office with an unexplainable feeling. Ayla looked tense, biting her lip. Evan appeared calm on the outside, but his heart was racing.
Inside, their pediatric hematology specialist, Dr. Arif, was already waiting. He looked at them briefly before speaking.
"The compatibility test results for the bone marrow transplant are in," he said while opening the folder. "Unfortunately…"
Ayla held her breath.
"Evan is not a match as a donor."
The room fell silent for a few seconds. Ayla looked down, disappointed.
"But," Dr. Arif continued, "this isn't uncommon. That's why we need to consider other options. Biological parents have a higher likelihood of being a match. Since Ayla isn't, then…"
The doctor's gaze shifted to Evan.
"We'll run additional tests on you, Evan. Even though the initial results don't match well, there are some procedures we can try to increase the success rate of the donation."
Evan sighed. "So I still need to continue testing?"
"Yes," the doctor replied. "If you're willing."
Ayla finally spoke, her voice trembling. "If there are no other options, what will happen to Raka?"
The doctor looked at her gently. "We can look for other donors, but that will take time. And in Raka's case, time is incredibly precious."
Ayla bit her lip, her eyes welling up.
Evan glanced at her, then took a deep breath. "Alright," he said finally. "I'll continue with the tests."
For the first time, Ayla looked directly at Evan, really looked at him. As if she had just realized something.
And Evan, for no clear reason, felt his heart skip a beat.