"This is real.
The curse is real."
Evan grabbed his phone quickly, his thumb instinctively searching for Reza's name in the contact list.
Reza—one of his closest friends, someone who had followed his career from the very beginning. If there was anyone who could confirm what was going on, it had to be Reza.
He hit the call button.
One ring. Two. Three.
Then a familiar voice answered.
"Yo, Van! What's up?"
Evan let out a relieved breath—at least Reza's voice still sounded normal.
"Z, I need to ask you something."
"Hm? Why so serious?"
Evan swallowed hard, staring at the desk in front of him.
"What's my current position at the company, according to you?"
There was a pause on the other end.
"Huh? You're a project supervisor, right? What's going on, Van? Hungover from last night's party?"
Evan's heartbeat quickened.
"Z," his voice dropped, slower, more serious, "do you remember last year—when I brought Hendra down? The company acquisition? All the major projects I led?"
Another pause.
Too long.
Then Reza gave a short laugh.
"Van, what are you talking about? Someone else handled the acquisition. You had nothing to do with it."
Evan's blood ran cold.
"Z... you're joking, right?"
"I'm serious, Van. Did you really think you were involved?"
Evan shut his eyes, his head spinning.
This was all too real. No one remembered who he used to be.
The curse…
It had wiped away everything he had accomplished.
He clenched his phone tighter, breath growing rapid.
"Z, you really don't remember? I was the one who came up with the idea to acquire Hendra's company. I made the strategy. I was the one negotiating with the investors."
On the other end, Reza chuckled again, sounding confused.
"Van, I don't know where you got that idea, but Johan was in charge of the acquisition. He led everything from day one, not you."
Johan.
Evan fell silent. His hand curled into a fist on the desk.
Johan was my subordinate. A rookie I was still mentoring during that project.
And now?
Now Johan's the one remembered as the man who took down Hendra? As if I never existed in that story?
"Z... are you serious?" Evan's voice trembled. "My name wasn't involved in that project at all?"
"Yeah, Van. I've been working with you from the start. If you were part of it, I'd remember."
Thud.
So this was real. The curse was real.
Evan ended the call without saying goodbye. He rubbed his face with one hand, his head buzzing with voices.
Everything he had achieved was gone.
2015—a year of victories for him—now existed only in his mind.
Not just forgotten. The history itself had changed.
This curse didn't just reset his age.
It erased his existence.
Evan leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at his computer screen. Bored. Exhausted. Fed up.
How many documents had he checked?
How many people had he asked?
The answer was always the same: Evan had never been part of those big projects.
He exhaled slowly, finally realizing one thing—
Searching for what no longer existed was draining.
Okay. Enough.
Time to change strategy.
Not to look for what was lost, but to find what was left.
He needed a crack in the system. An advantage.
Even if the past was gone, at least his mind was still the same.
Evan grabbed his phone and typed quickly:
"Reza, lunch?"
Maybe that's where it could start.
January 4, 2016 – Noon
Evan stared blankly at his computer screen. Every major project he once led was now credited to someone else.
He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. But something wasn't right.
To distract himself, he called Reza again. After a few rings, Reza picked up.
"Reza, I need to ask. You went to Hendra's funeral, right?"
There was a brief silence on the line.
"Hendra? Hendra Wijaya? Yeah, I was there. Why?"
Evan clenched his fist. So he really was dead.
"Just wanted to be sure," he said, trying to sound casual.
"Strange of you to ask about Hendra. He's gone, Van. Still thinking about all that?"
Evan mumbled a vague reply.
After hanging up, he leaned his head back against the chair, eyes on the office ceiling.
Hendra was dead. But everything that should've been his—was gone.
He took another breath, then dialed Reza again.
"Oh right, Za. About Hendra… how did he die?"
"Heart attack," Reza answered instantly. "They say he couldn't handle the stress from the company being acquired. It got too much."
Evan fell silent, frowning.
Heart attack?
Not suicide?
"You're sure? It wasn't… something else?"
"Huh? What do you mean? Of course not. Why?"
Reza sounded genuinely confused by Evan's tone.
Evan bit his lip, mind racing.
In his memory, Hendra jumped off his office building after the acquisition. That's what happened. That's what he knew had happened.
But now? A heart attack?
His hands curled into fists.
What really happened?
Evan exhaled, trying to calm his thoughts.
"And his daughter? Sienna?"
Reza paused, thinking.
"Not sure, but I think she's still in Jakarta. I heard she's running a small business or managing what Hendra left behind."
Evan bit his lip again.
Sienna never left?
In his memory, she had flown overseas right after the funeral.
"She didn't go abroad?" Evan asked, needing confirmation.
"Huh? No way. Since when? Did she ever say that?"
Evan was quiet.
Sienna's still in Jakarta. Hendra died from a heart attack. My position at work has reset to where it was a year ago.
What's really changed?
Or… have I changed too?
He took a deep breath and dialed the law office that had handled Hendra's company acquisition. After a few rings, someone picked up.
"Good afternoon. This is Evan. I'd like to request contact information for the heir of Hendra Wijaya's company. Can you help me?"
The voice on the other end was calm and professional.
"Of course, Mr. Evan. Please hold while I check."
Evan tapped his fingers on the desk anxiously. A moment later, the voice returned.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Evan. We can't provide personal contact details without permission. However, if you'd like, I can send an official email to the heir and ask if they're willing to speak with you."
Evan sighed. "Alright. Please let them know I'd like to speak with Sienna Wijaya. It's quite important."
"Understood, Mr. Evan. I'll contact her and inform you once we receive a response."
After ending the call, Evan leaned back, eyes on the ceiling.
Now, he just had to wait.
Then his brow furrowed.
Sienna is only twelve.
A girl her age wouldn't have a business email.
He called the lawyer again. "Sorry, but I don't think that will work. Sienna's too young. Is there another contact? Maybe a guardian or family member?"
The lawyer paused thoughtfully. "Ah, you're right, Mr. Evan. Currently, Sienna's legal guardian is her aunt—Mrs. Laras Wijaya. If you'd like, I can submit a request to arrange a meeting."