Evan waited anxiously. Every second felt like an hour. He tried to focus on work, but his mind kept drifting back to Sienna.
A few minutes later, his phone vibrated.
"Why does Uncle Evan want to meet?"
He replied quickly.
"I just want to talk, that's all."
"I'm busy with work."
Evan clenched his fists. He couldn't let Sienna slip away just like that.
"I'll pick you up after work."
No reply.
Evan sighed and set his phone down. Regardless, he was going to see Sienna. This time, he wouldn't let the only person who still remembered him disappear.
—
Evan opened his chat app and typed a message to Reza.
"Z, give me the contact and address of the catering company from the wedding yesterday."
Reza replied quickly.
"Why? Ordering catering for your harem now?"
Evan snorted but ignored the jab.
"It's important."
"Important, or just an excuse to meet the catering girl you were eyeing yesterday?"
Evan froze.
"How do you know?"
"Rumors spread fast, Van. Especially when they're about you."
Evan rubbed his face in frustration. Reza always had a way of staying in the loop.
"Look, I just need her contact. Do you have it or not?"
Reza sighed before finally sending over Laras Catering's details.
"Van, if this really is about a girl, be careful. She's still in high school. I'm serious."
Evan typed back quickly.
"I know what I'm doing."
He closed his phone and stared at the address Reza sent. Sienna was there. And he was going to see her.
Then another message came in.
"Don't get yourself into legal trouble. You're a 25-year-old man, and she's underage. I'm warning you as your superior—and someone who respects your father."
Evan scoffed. Reza never sugarcoated things when he saw something going wrong.
"It's not what you think, Z."
"Oh really?" Reza shot back. "That's what you said the last time you messed up. Don't make another mistake, Van. A lot of people are already disappointed in you."
Evan didn't reply immediately. Reza's words cut deeper than they should have.
What had he really done in this timeline? How bad was his reputation now?
Evan leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face, suddenly feeling hot. In 2017, before this curse erased his achievements, he had been someone people respected. Now? Even Reza saw him as a walking liability.
"I know my limits, Z. This isn't what you think it is."
"I hope so."
Evan set his phone down and stared blankly at his computer screen. He still had the address. Sienna was there—the only person unaffected by this curse.
And he had to see her.
—
Evan pulled up in front of a modest house in a quiet neighborhood. Far from the luxury he used to live in. He took a deep breath, stepped out of the car, and walked to the front yard.
A woman was sweeping outside—Laras.
Evan approached. "Excuse me, Mrs. Laras?"
She straightened up, eyeing him suspiciously. "Yes? Can I help you?"
Evan swallowed hard. In this 2018 version, Laras didn't recognize him. Unlike Sienna, who remembered everything, Laras seemed to have no clue who he was.
"I'm Evan. Do you remember me?" he asked, taking a chance.
Laras studied his face and shook her head. "Sorry, I don't think we've met."
Evan scratched his neck awkwardly. "Right, maybe you don't know me… But I know Sienna."
At the mention of her name, a familiar voice called from inside.
"Uncle Evan?"
He turned to see Sienna standing at the door, her eyes wary.
Laras looked between them, her gaze sharpening. "How do you know Sienna?"
Evan hesitated, scrambling for a reasonable explanation. He couldn't exactly say he came from a timeline where he once took over her father's company and ruined her life.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Sienna beat him to it.
"He's Nathaniel Evan, Auntie."
Laras's expression shifted instantly. Her eyes widened, filled with shock and anger.
"Nathaniel Evan?" she repeated, voice trembling. "Son of Nathaniel William?"
Evan held his breath. He couldn't tell if that recognition made things better or worse.
Laras's gaze turned ice-cold. "What do you want with Sienna?"
Evan swallowed hard. In this version of 2018, maybe he didn't directly take over Hendra's company. But he was still William's son—the man who destroyed Sienna's family.
To Laras, Nathaniel William's name meant ruin.
She stepped forward, voice frosty. "If I had known that wedding was hosted by your father's company, I wouldn't have taken the catering job."
Evan stayed silent. He couldn't blame her for reacting that way.
"Mrs. Laras," he finally said, trying to ease the tension. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk to Sienna."
"Talk about what?" Laras snapped. "If it's about your father's company, she has nothing to do with it. And if it's about work, she's just helping during her school break. She's still in high school, Evan."
"I know."
"Then why are you trying to get close to her?"
Sienna stepped in. "Auntie, I can speak for myself."
"Sienna—"
"You can listen, but I want to talk."
Laras hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. "Alright. But if he says anything weird, I'm kicking him out."
Evan gave a small smile. "Fair enough."
Sienna crossed her arms, her sharp gaze locked on Evan. "So, Uncle Evan. What do you want to talk about?"
—
Evan took a breath, choosing his words carefully. "I just wanted to know how you're doing, Sienna."
She scoffed, eyes burning with anger. "You want to know how I'm doing? Want to hear what it's like to lose a father because of your family's greed?"
Laras turned sharply to Evan. "See? Even without my reminder, she knows exactly who you are."
Evan lowered his head. He had never had a good relationship with Sienna—not in his old life, not now. To her, he was part of the family that destroyed hers.
"I know you hate me," he said at last. "I won't defend myself, Sienna. But I want you to know… I don't want to make your life harder."
Sienna laughed bitterly. "That's rich. You think I need your pity? Don't flatter yourself. I can live just fine without your charity."
"And I'll make sure she stays fine—without help from anyone related to William," Laras added.
Evan didn't respond. He looked at Sienna—the girl who lost her father and was now working during school break.
If Hendra were still alive, would she be living like this?
"Can I talk to her alone?" Evan asked Laras.
"Absolutely not."
Sienna, arms still crossed, said, "It's fine, Auntie. Uncle Evan isn't a stranger to me."
Laras looked at her with concern but finally sighed. "Fine. But stay right here. And keep it short."
Sienna turned back to Evan, still guarded. "So? Talk."
Evan hesitated before saying, "You're the only one who still remembers who I really am."
Sienna frowned. "What do you mean?"
He searched her face. She stood firm, fists clenched.
"You remember me at the party, right?" Evan asked cautiously. "You came with your dad…"
But before he could finish, she cut him off, voice trembling. "And my dad killed himself because of you!"
Evan's breath caught. That hit harder than he expected.
It was true. That's what had really happened. Hendra didn't die of a heart attack, as the reports said.
"But… why did the report say heart attack?" Evan asked, stunned.
Sienna took a deep breath, eyes cold. "I don't know. But I remember… when we got to the hospital, the knife was gone, the blood was gone, his neck was intact…"
Evan reeled. That didn't make sense. How could a suicide just… vanish?
Then a deeper thought struck him.
He looked at Sienna carefully. "Do you remember saying anything that night? Something that might have sounded like… a curse?"
Sienna looked puzzled. "A curse?"
Evan swallowed. "Something like… 'I hope you never get to move on with your life.'"
She raised an eyebrow. "Did I say that?"
"You did. That night… right before everything changed."
She sighed and shook her head. "I don't remember. After Dad died, I never got a chance to be angry. Everyone kept saying it was a heart attack, that he was already sick… I was just a kid. I couldn't do anything."
Evan fell silent.
If she didn't remember saying those words… then was it really a curse?
Or had something—or someone—taken that rage and despair… and used it to curse him?
The thought chilled him to the bone.
If that was true… this wasn't just punishment.
Something far more dangerous was at play behind all of this.
—
Evan's phone had been buzzing non-stop since morning. When he finally checked, the chats were flooding in.
From Vanessa:
"Seriously?! Going after a catering girl now? Am I not enough for you, Van?"
From Clara:
"Wow. Didn't expect this from you. A catering girl? Your standards really dropped."
From Nadia:
"So you've been throwing money at me, but cheating with another girl?!"
From Angel:
"So you like little girls now? Gross, Evan."
From Tiara:
"Just say you're into sweet, naive little girls you can manipulate! I wouldn't have wasted my time on you!"
Evan let out a long breath.
He was just beginning to realize how messy his 2018 life had become.
And now, whatever was left of his reputation… was crumbling thanks to rumors.
—
He took a deep breath, turned off his phone, and set it on the desk.
Focus. Work. That was all he needed to do.
His screen displayed the latest project report. His fingers moved automatically, typing analysis like he used to—before everything unraveled.
He wasn't a manager anymore. Just another staff member.
Didn't matter.
He just wanted to work. To be himself.
But deep down, he knew… the world wouldn't let him be.
—
At lunch with Johan and some coworkers at a nearby restaurant, the conversation drifted from work to lighter topics.
"Hey, catering at your wedding was really good, Rez," said Johan as he took a bite. "I went back for seconds."
Reza chuckled. "Glad you liked it. It wasn't expensive either, but the taste was better than expected."
Evan, who had been quiet, chimed in casually, "Where was the catering from, Rez?"
"Small place in a regular neighborhood," Reza said. "But the owner is serious about quality. I compared a few, and this one was the best for the price."
Johan nodded. "Maybe we can use them for the office gathering next month."
Evan added lightly, "Could be an option. If you've got their contact, Rez, mind sharing it with the GA team?"
Reza shrugged. "Sure. Doesn't hurt me any."