IN JUSTIN'S ROOM
JUSTIN POV
The moment Lauren shouted, Megan finally came to her senses.
She immediately rushed towards me.
Lauren knelt beside my bed, her expression completely different from before.
Her eyes were filled with worry.
Lauren:
"Justin… what happened? You look terrified." 😓
Megan:
"Sorry, Justin… I shouldn't have shouted at you." 😕
I looked at both of them.
Why were they apologising?
I was the one who had screamed like someone had announced the end of the world!
Justin:
"Please don't say that, Aunties… I'm fine. Really."
My voice cracked.
I'm not fine.
I'm the most NOT FINE person in the entire universe.
Before either of them could say anything, the bedroom door opened.
One by one, everyone entered.
Stephen Uncle.
Joseph Uncle.
Grandfather.
Grandmother.
And finally…
My eyes stopped at the last person.
Jonathan.
My father.
Alive.
Breathing.
Standing right in front of me.
His familiar face looked slightly worried.
Jonathan:
"Justin… are you okay?"
For a moment, I couldn't move.
A year ago, in my previous timeline, my father had died.
He had died believing he had failed as a father.
He had died broken.
And I…
I couldn't even save him.
But now…
He was here.
Alive.
Warm.
And so handsome that my eyes actually started stinging.
Before I could think, I threw my arms around him.
I hugged him tightly, almost crushing his bones.
Jonathan:
"W-What happened?"
He looked genuinely startled.
My father was probably wondering whether his son had suddenly gone crazy.
I buried my face against his chest.
Justin:
"Nothing happened… my handsome dad." 😊
Silence.
Complete silence.
Everyone froze.
Everyone:
"…HANDsome?" 😶
The entire family's souls temporarily left their bodies.
Did Justin just call Jonathan handsome?
Their cold, expressionless, terrifying eldest brother?
The man who could make an entire business meeting go silent just by entering the room?
Stephen:
"Why is he talking like this?" 😶
Joseph:
"Did he hit his head?" 😨
Grandmother:
"Why is Justin behaving so strangely?"
Grandfather:
"Is he possessed?" 😐
And honestly, their reactions weren't entirely unreasonable.
Justin had barely spoken to Jonathan before.
He usually avoided conversations, kept his distance and behaved like a tiny businessman trapped inside a teenager's body.
But today?
He was hugging his father and calling him handsome.
Something was definitely wrong.
Lauren and Megan stayed close to Justin.
They could sense his anxiety.
To them, he looked like a frightened little boy who needed comfort.
But Justin…
He felt like someone who had been given the impossible opportunity to meet his family again.
Which wasn't entirely wrong.
Because he HAD met them again.
After losing them all.
And he wasn't ready to let go.
Jonathan slowly placed a hand on Justin's head.
Jonathan:
"Everything is okay. I'm here."
Justin closed his eyes.
I know, Dad.
This time, I'll make sure you stay.
---
IN THE MAIN HALL
THE FAMILY WAR
A little later, the family gathered in the main hall.
Justin had finally calmed down.
However, the adults had a much bigger problem.
Stephen:
"Should we… inform her?" 😨
The moment those words left his mouth—
Jonathan slowly turned his head.
His expression remained cold.
But his glare?
It could freeze an entire ocean.
The temperature in the hall dropped ten degrees.
Jonathan:
"Don't."
One word.
One warning.
Joseph raised both hands.
Joseph:
"Brother, listen. Even though Justin believes his mother ran away, we know about her. And she still has rights as his mother."
Jonathan:
"Joseph."
Joseph:
"Yes, brother?"
Jonathan:
"Stop."
Joseph:
"But—"
Grandmother:
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL HER WHILE I'M HERE!" 😠
Everyone turned towards her.
Grandfather:
"If you won't let them call her, I'll call her personally!" 😤
Grandmother:
"YOU TOO?!"
Grandfather:
"She's still his mother!"
Grandmother:
"And I'm his grandmother!"
Stephen:
"Can we please discuss this calmly?"
Joseph:
"Exactly! We should have a family meeting!"
Grandmother:
"THEN WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING?!"
Jonathan: 😶
Jonathan's thoughts:
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
My son has returned from school-age hell, and my family is planning to summon the woman who can turn this entire house upside down.
I'm going to die.
The argument continued.
But Jonathan had stopped listening.
His eyes remained fixed on the floor.
Because memories he had buried for fifteen years were slowly crawling back.
Amber Devis.
His wife.
Her disappearance.
Her temperament.
Her power.
And everything that had happened after she left.
He remembered the woman who could silence an entire room with one look.
The woman who never needed to raise her voice to make people obey.
The woman he had loved.
And the woman he had never truly forgotten.
Jonathan (thinking):
Amber…
Where are you now?
---
MEANWHILE…
JUSTIN'S SCHOOL
The school bus had already dropped off the students.
Thomas and Emily walked through the school entrance together.
Justin wasn't with them.
He had stayed behind at the mansion.
As they entered the school grounds, they noticed a familiar group of boys looking around.
Bully 1:
"Where is that brat today?" 😏
Thomas immediately stopped walking.
Thomas:
"Don't call my brother that!" 😤
The boy turned towards him.
Bully 1:
"Oh? Are you defending him again?"
Thomas:
"Of course I am!"
Emily calmly stepped forward.
Emily:
"Ignore them, brother. Dogs bark… they don't bite." 😏
Bully 2:
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" 😠
Before the situation could get worse, another student came running.
Bully 3:
"THE PRINCIPAL IS COMING!" 😥
The bullies immediately scattered.
Thomas clicked his tongue.
Thomas:
"Cowards."
Emily shook her head.
Emily:
"Come on. We'll be late."
They continued walking.
Even though Justin usually stayed away from them to protect them from trouble, Thomas and Emily loved their cousin more than anything.
They didn't understand why Justin always kept his distance.
But they had never stopped considering him their brother.
And they certainly weren't going to let anyone insult him.
---
SOMEWHERE ELSE…
ANOTHER SCHOOL — PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE
A fifteen-year-old girl stood in front of the principal's desk.
Her hair was messy.
Her school uniform was torn.
There was a small scratch on her cheek.
But her expression?
Completely calm.
Almost suspiciously calm.
On the other side of the room stood a boy covered in bruises.
His mother was furious.
The principal looked as though he had aged ten years in the last thirty minutes.
Principal:
"Ma'am! She is a GIRL! She cannot keep fighting boys like this!"
The woman standing beside the girl remained silent.
Her expression was cold.
Her eyes were even colder.
Principal:
"If this continues, we will have no choice but to issue her a transfer certificate!"
Silence.
Principal:
"Ma'am! Please! Say SOMETHING!"
The boy smirked.
His mother smirked too.
They thought they had already won.
Too early.
Boy's Mother:
"Just tell her to apologise to my son. If she does that, I'll forgive her."
The woman finally moved.
A slow smile appeared on her face.
Not a friendly smile.
A dangerous one.
Natalie:
"Sir, I would like to tell you something."
The principal looked at her.
Natalie:
"Instead of me explaining anything, someone else is already on her way. She will speak to you."
The principal blinked.
Principal:
"Someone else?"
Natalie smiled.
Natalie:
"Yes."
The principal suddenly felt a strange chill.
He had no idea why.
But something told him that he should have accepted the girl's apology and sent everyone home.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
---
THE ARRIVAL
Footsteps echoed outside the principal's office.
The teachers standing in the corridor immediately moved aside.
A woman in her late thirties walked towards the office.
Her appearance was elegant.
Her expression was calm.
But the atmosphere around her was so intimidating that even the students watching from outside instinctively stepped back.
She didn't need to shout.
She didn't need to threaten anyone.
Her presence alone was enough.
The office door opened.
And the moment the girl saw her—
Her entire expression changed.
The cold, troublesome fifteen-year-old suddenly brightened like a little child.
Girl:
"SIS!" 😁
Everyone froze.
The principal looked at Natalie.
Then at the girl.
Then at the woman who had just entered.
Why is everyone calling everyone sister?!
The girl rushed towards the newcomer.
Girl:
"Aunt Amber!"
Amber Devis.
Wife of Jonathan Devis.
Mother of Justin Devis.
The legendary first daughter of the William family.
And the woman whose name was enough to make powerful people reconsider their decisions.
Amber gently looked at the girl.
Amber:
"What happened?"
The girl immediately pointed towards the boy.
Girl:
"Aunt Amber! They said a girl shouldn't hit a boy!"
She pointed towards the boy's mother.
Girl:
"And she wants an apology!" 😤
Amber slowly turned towards the principal.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't welcoming.
It was terrifying.
Amber:
"Is that true, sir?"
Principal (thinking):
I'm dead.
Is she going to kill me?
Principal:
"NO! NO, MA'AM!"
Everyone blinked.
Principal:
"The boy is wrong! The girl did nothing wrong! Mrs. Smith, please apologise!" 😅
Mrs. Smith:
"W-What?!"
She stared at the principal.
What happened?!
You were supporting me five minutes ago!
Mrs. Smith:
"Sorry, ma'am… I'm sorry, girl."
She immediately turned towards her son.
Mrs. Smith:
"APOLOGISE!"
Boy:
"M-Mom!"
Mrs. Smith:
"NOW!"
The boy swallowed.
Boy:
"I'm sorry, Lussy… I'm sorry, Aunt."
Amber's smile remained.
Amber:
"Don't repeat this again."
Boy:
"Y-Yes, ma'am."
Outside the office, every teacher and student watching nodded violently.
Nobody wanted to become the next target.
Amber finally turned towards the girl.
Amber:
"Let's go, Lussy."
Then she glanced at Natalie.
Amber:
"Natalie."
Natalie:
"Coming, Sis!" 😁
Lussy:
"Okay, Aunt!" 😄
The three of them walked out.
The moment they disappeared from sight—
The entire school exhaled.
It was as though the school had just survived a natural disaster.
---
AFTER THEY LEFT
Mrs. Smith was still trembling.
Mrs. Smith:
"Who the hell IS she?!" 😠
The principal immediately lowered his voice.
Principal:
"Please… don't speak so loudly."
Mrs. Smith:
"What?"
Principal:
"If she returns, you, your son, and possibly this entire school will disappear."
Mrs. Smith:
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"
The principal looked towards the corridor to make sure nobody was listening.
Then he whispered.
Principal:
"Do you know Jonathan Devis?"
Mrs. Smith's expression changed immediately.
Mrs. Smith:
"Of course! The handsome billionaire? The cold-faced business tycoon whose wife ran away fifteen years ago?"
The boy beside her looked offended.
Boy (thinking):
I'm injured too, you know.
Can somebody please look at me?!
The principal slowly nodded.
Principal:
"That woman is his wife."
Mrs. Smith's mouth fell open.
Principal:
"Amber Devis. The first daughter of the William family."
He paused.
Principal:
"Have you heard about the massacre that happened fifteen years ago?"
Mrs. Smith went completely silent.
Her face lost its colour.
Mrs. Smith:
"…"
The principal looked towards the door one last time.
Principal (whispering):
"That's her."
Amber Devis.
The legendary Villainess.
The nightmare of the city.
The woman whose name powerful families avoided mentioning.
The woman who disappeared fifteen years ago…
Had returned.
And somewhere in Devis Palace, her son was happily hugging his father, completely unaware that his mother had just made an entire school tremble.
TO BE CONTINUED…