HOSPITAL
Pediatric Ward – Room 54
Justin slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he noticed was a woman sitting beside his bed.
She had an elegant face, a calm posture, beautiful eyes, and an unusual aura. There was something gentle about her, yet something dangerously authoritative.
Justin blinked twice.
Justin: "A-Are you... the nurse sister who's going to take care of me?" 😳
Justin's inner thoughts:
(She's so, so, so elegant! If I were in my older body, I would definitely have proposed to her! Wait... even when I was older, I probably wouldn't have had enough courage!)
The woman paused.
Amber's inner thoughts:
(Does he seriously think I'm a nurse?)
She smiled gently.
Amber: "Yes, dear. I'll be taking care of you for now. Do you need anything? Water? Food? Anything at all?"
Justin: "No, sister! I'm perfectly fine!" 😁
Amber smiled at his enthusiasm.
Strangely, Justin felt comfortable around her.
It was like sitting beside a familiar fireplace on a cold evening.
Justin's inner thoughts:
(Why does she feel so familiar? She's different from everyone else... Somehow, I feel safe around her.)
Amber leaned closer. Her expression became serious.
Amber: "Can I examine your chest? I need to see how far the mark has spread."
Justin: "O-Okay, sister."
Feeling a little shy, he slowly lifted his shirt.
The black curse mark was clearly visible across his chest.
Amber's eyes sharpened.
Something flickered in them.
Recognition.
She gently placed her fingertips against the mark.
And suddenly...
The black lines began shrinking.
It was as if someone were pulling black ink back into a pen. The spreading curse slowly reversed itself.
Justin gasped.
Justin: "I-It doesn't hurt anymore..." 😨
His voice cracked with relief.
Amber slowly withdrew her hand.
Her suspicions had been confirmed.
Amber's inner thoughts:
(So, it really is that type of curse... Who dared to place something like this on my son?)
Her gentle expression remained unchanged.
But her eyes darkened.
Someone was going to have a very unpleasant conversation with her.
---
Meanwhile, in the Bathroom...
Jonathan was aggressively splashing water onto his face.
Jonathan: "HOW can she be so demanding?!"
He grabbed a towel and rubbed his face.
Jonathan: "After disappearing for FIFTEEN YEARS, she comes back and starts ordering ME around?!"
He stared at himself in the mirror.
Jonathan: "And the worst part? She doesn't even look guilty!"
He pointed accusingly at his reflection.
Jonathan: "Wives never apologize! Even when THEY are the ones who make mistakes!"
He splashed another handful of water onto his face.
A mini tsunami.
Jonathan: "If I go outside now, she'll definitely yell at me for not taking proper care of Justin!"
He paused.
Then slowly straightened his clothes.
Jonathan: "Come on, Jonathan. You're the head of the Devis family. You've handled business rivals, political enemies, and dangerous negotiations."
He puffed out his chest.
Jonathan: "You can handle ONE woman!"
He nodded confidently.
Jonathan: "YES! I can do this!"
He opened the bathroom door.
Walked out proudly.
And immediately froze.
Jonathan: "HOW DARE YOU, AM—"
He stopped.
Because the scene in front of him wasn't what he had expected.
Amber was sitting beside Justin, gently touching his chest while examining the curse mark.
Justin was smiling peacefully.
Amber looked like a goddess healing her child.
Jonathan's confidence evaporated.
Jonathan's inner thoughts:
(Retreat... RETREAT... ABORT MISSION!)
Amber slowly turned her head towards him.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
Amber: "Jonathan."
Her voice was soft.
Somehow, that made it even more frightening.
Amber: "Come here."
Jonathan swallowed.
He felt like a schoolboy being summoned to the principal's office.
He walked towards her.
One step.
Another step.
A step closer to his own funeral.
Amber: "We need to talk."
Jonathan's inner thoughts:
(I knew it. I'm dead.)
Justin looked between them curiously.
Justin: "Sister nurse... do you know my dad?" 🤨
He tilted his head.
Justin: "And why isn't Dad respecting you? You work here, right?"
Both Amber and Jonathan froze.
Amber blinked.
Jonathan nearly choked.
They looked at each other.
And simultaneously answered:
Amber & Jonathan: "YES!"
Justin nodded.
Justin: "Oh! How do you know each other?"
Jonathan quickly cleared his throat.
Jonathan: "She was my college mate."
Justin: "College mate?"
He looked at Amber.
Then at his father.
Then back at Amber.
Justin: "But... she's a nurse, Dad."
Jonathan stared at him.
Jonathan: "N-Nurse?"
Amber raised an eyebrow.
Amber: "What's wrong with being a nurse?"
Jonathan immediately shut his mouth.
Amber: "First of all, Justin, I'm not a degree nurse. I hold a diploma in nursing, and my work focuses on providing palliative care."
Justin listened attentively.
Amber: "Your father and I studied for our bachelor's degrees together. After that, he decided to pursue further studies, while I chose this field."
Justin: "Ohhh!"
He nodded as if he had just learned an important historical fact.
Justin: "So you and Dad were college friends!"
Amber: "Exactly."
Justin: "That's interesting!"
He suddenly looked at her seriously.
Justin: "But, Sister, I'm fifteen. Please don't call me a child."
Amber stared at him.
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
Amber: "Oh? Then I suppose I should respect your wishes."
She crossed her arms.
Amber: "I'm thirty-eight, dear. So you can call me Aunt Amber."
Justin immediately shook his head.
Justin: "No!"
Amber: "No?"
Justin: "You're a nurse, so I'll call you Sister!"
Amber laughed softly.
Amber: "You're quite stubborn, aren't you?"
Justin: "I learned it from Dad!"
Jonathan's expression changed.
Jonathan: "HEY! What does that have to do with me?!"
Justin: "Everything!"
Amber covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Jonathan looked betrayed.
Jonathan's inner thoughts:
(First, my wife humiliates me. Now my son has joined her side. Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Is this a family or a conspiracy?)
Amber finally turned towards Jonathan.
Her smile disappeared.
Amber: "Anyway, Jonathan..."
Jonathan immediately straightened.
Jonathan: "Y-Yes?"
Amber: "There's something I want to ask you."
Jonathan: "Of course! Ask anything!"
Amber: "Who placed that curse on our son?"
Silence.
Jonathan's expression changed.
The playful atmosphere in the room disappeared.
He looked at Justin's chest, where the black mark had almost completely vanished.
Then he looked at Amber.
Jonathan: "You... already know what it is?"
Amber's eyes narrowed.
Amber: "I know enough to understand that someone deliberately harmed my son."
She paused.
Amber: "And I want to know who."
Jonathan sighed.
For the first time since she had returned, he didn't have a sarcastic response.
Justin: "Dad? What's happening?"
Jonathan looked at his son.
Then at Amber.
Jonathan: "That's exactly what we're going to discuss."
Amber leaned back in her chair.
Her expression was composed, but her eyes held a dangerous determination.
Amber: "Good. Then let's start from the beginning."
Jonathan silently gulped.
Jonathan's inner thoughts:
(I survived fifteen years without her. Why does it feel like my peaceful life ended the moment she walked back into it?)
And Justin?
He was simply happy that his new favourite nurse sister was staying.
He had absolutely no idea that the real trouble was only beginning.
To be continued...