Evan paused before replying, "Thank you, Sienna."
At that moment, Sienna finally turned to face him. Their eyes met. A faint smile played on her lips—but it wasn't the sweet smile of a teenage girl.
It was a smile that held something back.
A chill ran down Evan's spine. Sienna's gaze remained cold, but the smile didn't fade—a smile too calm for the words she had just said.
"What do you mean?" Evan tried to sound casual, though something deep inside him felt threatened.
Sienna finished arranging the last plate, then stood straight and looked him in the eye. "Don't worry, Uncle Evan. I've got plenty of time. We'll meet again."
Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned and walked away, back toward the catering staff.
Evan exhaled, trying to steady his heartbeat. This wasn't the first time Sienna had thrown veiled threats at him. But this time—after everything that had happened, after his entire life in 2018 had vanished—her words felt heavier.
And for some reason, Evan felt that Sienna truly meant it.
He stood frozen, a tightness gripping his chest. That sentence hit harder than it should have.
Sienna was still smiling, but her eyes were filled with hatred.
"Hurts, doesn't it?"
Evan let out a slow breath. "If you want revenge, I understand. I deserve it. But Michelle… she has nothing to do with this."
"Oh?" Sienna crossed her arms. "So now Uncle Evan knows what it feels like to lose someone precious?"
"My father had nothing to do with your greed either. But look what happened to him."
Evan lowered his head. He had no defense. Back then, he had only seen Hendra as a business step—not as someone with a family, a life. And now, fate was making him feel the weight of that loss firsthand.
"I can't bring your father back," Evan said at last. "But I can take responsibility."
Sienna scoffed. "Responsibility? How? Opening secret mutual funds and insurance policies? Relying on cowardly tactics to make sure I don't find out?"
Evan flinched. She knew.
Sienna chuckled. "You think I didn't notice? You're still the same Evan. Always working behind the scenes, aren't you?"
Evan bit his lip. Sienna was sharper than he thought.
"I don't want your pity," she went on. "I just want to make sure you feel what I felt. Over and over. Until you're broken. Until you give up."
Then she turned and walked away, leaving Evan standing motionless.
This time, the threat didn't sound like just words.
Evan held his breath. The way Sienna said it—so cold, so certain.
She wasn't joking.
She walked away calmly, as if she'd just said something trivial. But Evan knew the threat was real.
"Until I can kill you."
She wouldn't stop. Not now. Not anytime soon.
And all Evan could do was stand there, feeling the cold seep into his bones.
Sienna kept walking, her back growing smaller and smaller, harder to reach.
Evan wanted to call out her name, wanted to ask, wanted to force her to explain what she really knew.
But his body wouldn't move.
His legs felt nailed to the ground, too heavy to lift. His tongue froze, the voice inside him stuck in his throat.
Why?
Why was it that every time he tried to find answers about the curse, something held him back?
Sienna paused at the doorway.
Without turning around, she whispered—softly, but somehow Evan heard it loud and clear.
"Uncle Evan… still hasn't suffered enough."
Then she stepped out, leaving Evan frozen in place.
That night, Evan sat with his father in the study. Cool night air flowed through the slightly opened window, carrying the faint scent of wood from the bookshelves that lined the room.
"Dad, I'm going back to work tomorrow. I want to ask you something," Evan began.
Mr. William closed the file he was reading and looked at his son with a calm expression. "What is it?"
Evan took a deep breath. "I want to be your assistant."
William's brow furrowed slightly. "My assistant?"
"Yes. I want to learn more. I've been working at the company for three years, and I think it's time I get more involved."
William was silent for a moment, staring at his son. There was pride in his eyes, but also a trace of hesitation. "Why now?"
Evan knew it was a hard question to answer. He couldn't exactly say that his life reset every year. So he chose honesty—the best he could.
"I realize I haven't been serious enough. I want to change that, Dad. I want to learn directly from you."
William looked at him for a long while before finally sighing. "Alright. I'll consider it. But let's see how things go for the next few months. Prove to me you're serious."
Though it wasn't a definite answer, Evan felt it was enough.
—
The next morning, as he expected, Evan returned to his old desk.
It was exactly as he'd left it in 2015. Even the pencil holder beside the monitor was still there, as if time had never moved.
Evan let out a breath, feeling that strange sensation that always came at the start of a new year.
"Welcome back," he muttered to himself before sitting down and facing his computer screen.
Evan sat in his chair, overcome by a déjà vu that felt all too familiar. This was the same spot where he had first started working. Even the items on his desk hadn't changed.
He glanced around the office, taking in the faces he had known for years. Yet one thing reminded him just how strange this curse was: Reza.
Reza walked confidently into his office like a senior used to being in charge. Evan watched him, slightly puzzled.
They used to be the same age. Same year in college. But now, Reza looked older—he should be four years ahead.
"Morning, Van. How's it feel to be back at work?" Reza asked with a smile.
Evan tried to stay calm. "Yeah… same old."
"Don't get too comfy. I'm gonna dump a ton of work on you," Reza said with a chuckle, patting Evan's shoulder before heading to his office.
Evan stared at his back, emotions churning. What was it like to see a friend who used to be your peer now acting like a superior?
He let out a small smile, then a long sigh.
This curse never ran out of surprises.
—