"Young man, what do you want to do after you graduate?" EAD Matthews asked, her tone light but her eyes sharp.
Ace froze for a moment, his mind racing. Why was she asking him this now, especially when she didn't even know his name? The question felt completely out of place given the current situation, which only made him more suspicious.
"Ma'am, I plan to join the Marines and serve my country, ma'am!" Ace replied, standing up straighter and throwing in a tone of conviction, hoping that playing the patriotism card might win him some favor with Mrs. Martin.
Matthews raised an eyebrow at his response, her gaze drifting over his frame. His physique seemed promising—lean but with potential—but then she recalled his earlier high-pitched scream and tearful pleas. She couldn't help but wonder if this boy really had the fortitude for the Marines. Still, she nodded thoughtfully and said, "Do you really mean it? Because if you do, here's your chance. I work for the government, directly under the president. Impress me, and I'll enlist you. Right here and now."
Sonia and Ace both turned to look at her like she'd just lost her mind. The absurdity of her statement left them momentarily speechless. Out of all the ways she could've handled this situation, this felt like the worst possible option. All she had to do was inform him that he was inflicted with something dangerous and should be quarantined away from his family and she would like his cooperation with it. Simple. But she overcomplicated it. Leaving both Sonia and Ace wondering what the latter was planning.
"Ma'am, it's not that I doubt you work under the president," Ace began cautiously, choosing his words with care, "but I'm still underage. I don't think even the president can get me enlisted in the Marines at my current age."
He paused, deciding to backtrack and try a new approach. The more he talked, the more absurd this entire situation felt. "Also, I'm not sure. My girlfriend's been threatening to leave me if I don't become a banker, and my parents want me to go to college before I make any life-altering decisions."
"Hahaha!" Sonia suddenly burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as she bent over. "See, he seems innocent now, doesn't he?" she said between laughs, clearly amused by Ace's response.
Matthews stood silently, her lips twitching slightly as she tried to ignore Sonia's pointed remarks. She turned back to Ace and asked, "Are you sure?"
Ace squared his shoulders and held her gaze. "She might be the one," he said firmly, refusing to back down. He wasn't blind—Mrs. Martin's intentions were crystal clear. She wanted him to join the C.I.B., but that wasn't a path he was willing to walk.
"Unfortunately for you, it's no longer your decision to make. The universe has decided, she is not the one," EAD Matthews said, her voice firm. She pulled out her phone, handed it to him, and ordered, "Call your family. Tell them you're staying at your friend's tonight."
Ace hesitated but realized there was no point in arguing. The look in her eyes left no room for negotiation. With a reluctant nod, he took the phone. As he dialed Danny's number and waited for him to pick up, he muttered, "My girlfriend can get pretty possessive. If she gets suspicious, you'll have to explain everything to her."
Sonia smirked and shot Matthews a knowing look before glancing at Ace as if to say, 'See? I told you it was all an act.'
Matthews frowned, her expression growing more conflicted. She studied the boy in front of her, trying to piece him together. On the surface, he seemed like just another wimpy mortal, but there was something deeper—something she couldn't quite pin down. Knowing he was her daughter's classmate had already made it difficult to treat him like just another subject.
Still, if Ace truly carried a dormant curse, he might be the perfect candidate for the C.I.B.'s latest experiment in curse-slave creation, courtesy of their R&D department. The stronger the curse, the better. Her frown deepened as her resolve hardened. Whether Ace liked it or not, she was determined to enlist him.
"Danny, I'm staying at a friend's place tonight. Go home and cover for me, got it?" Ace said quickly as soon as Danny picked up the call.
There was a pause before Danny's astonished and impressed voice came through. "Wait, whose number is this? Is it hers? Dude, are you spending the whole night with her?"
"No, no!" Ace snapped, his voice a mix of exasperation and embarrassment. "She turned out to be a freak. Fortunately, Ava's mother saved me. Now she wants me to spend the night with her—"
Ace froze mid-sentence, realizing too late how his words sounded. He glanced nervously at Mrs. Martin, whose piercing gaze made his stomach churn. Before he could correct himself, Danny's voice erupted on the other end of the line.
"Ace, are you for real? Ava's mother? Seriously?" Danny sounded like he was grinning ear to ear, completely misunderstanding the situation.
Under the weight of Mrs. Martin's steely glare, Ace scrambled to explain. "It's not what you're imagining!" He forced an awkward smile, waving a hand in silent apology toward her. "But yeah, this is her number. I'll explain everything later. Just cover for me at home, alright?"
Danny let out a laugh that could only mean trouble. "Ace, you're a god. God, I tell you."
"Dude, shut up! She is married. You're going to get me killed," Ace hissed, his tone desperate as he plastered a nervous grin on his face for Mrs. Martin's benefit. "Just cover for me."
"Got it, got it. Leave it to me. And hey, enjoy—"
Ace didn't wait for him to finish. He hung up so fast that Danny's voice was cut off mid-sentence. He let out a breath, his shoulders sagging slightly in relief, but that relief was short-lived.
"Hahaha!" Sonia burst into laughter, doubling over and clutching her stomach as tears welled up in her eyes. She laughed so hard she slapped her knee for emphasis. "This is priceless! If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. Oh my, you've got yourself a real charmer here!"
Ace cringed, shooting a sidelong glance at Mrs. Martin, whose expression was caught somewhere between disbelief and irritation. Sonia, meanwhile, continued to laugh, studying Ace with a mix of amusement and curiosity, wondering if he was just as crafty as she'd suspected.
As she took her phone back from Ace, Matthews asked, "You sure you don't want to call your parents?" Her tone was even, deliberately brushing past the earlier misunderstanding—there was no point in giving it any more weight than it deserved.
Ace shook his head. "No, it's fine. So, what now? Are we going to the Martin Ranch?" His voice was calm, almost casual as if he had already resigned himself to whatever fate Mrs. Martin had planned for him. Deep down, though, he was certain her endgame involved enlisting him into the C.I.B.
Matthews raised an eyebrow, studying him. For someone who had looked like he was seconds away from wetting himself earlier, he had grown suspiciously comfortable around her. Was this how all teenagers were nowadays? Entitled, cheeky, and utterly unpredictable? She exhaled sharply and rubbed her temples. "No, we're not going to the ranch. We're headed to Treasure Lake Resort. There's someone there who can help us with your… condition."
Ace blinked innocently, tilting his head. "My condition?" He played dumb, hoping to milk this situation for as long as possible without giving away anything he knew.
Sonia's eyes narrowed into slits as she fixed him with an incredulous glare. "Are you deaf or just pretending? Didn't you hear us talking about how you might be cursed by Astrid?" Her tone was sharp, edged with frustration.
Ace met her gaze with a blank expression, his face a perfect mask of confusion. Inside, however, he was suppressing a grin. He could feel the tension rising in Sonia, like a pot about to boil over. Meanwhile, Matthews watched them both, her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly debating whether she should intervene.
Sonia crossed her arms, tapping her fingers against her bicep as if to say, You're not fooling me. But without solid proof to back up her instincts, she reluctantly held her tongue.
"I'm cursed?" Ace's face paled, fear creeping back into his expression. His voice quivered as he asked, "Was that woman a witch? Did she use some kind of dark arts or witchcraft to control my body?"
Sonia's eyes narrowed, her patience snapping. "Stop pretending. I know you know."
Before Ace could respond, Sonia lunged forward, grabbing him by the collar with one hand and effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Her strength was intimidating, her grip unyielding. She brought him close, her fiery gaze boring into his. "If you don't come clean," she growled, her voice low and full of menace, "I'll beat the shit out of you."
Ace's legs dangled as he tried to process the sudden turn of events. His hands instinctively shot up to grasp Sonia's wrist, but he knew better than to try and fight her off. Instead, he stammered, "I-I swear, I don't know what you talking about!"
Sonia's grip tightened just slightly, enough to remind him she wasn't bluffing. Matthews sighed in the background, pinching the bridge of her nose as if trying to stave off a headache. "Sonia put him down," she said firmly. "You're not helping."
Sonia hesitated, her jaw clenching as she stared at Ace, trying to decide if he was lying or just a really good actor. Finally, with a frustrated huff, she let go, dropping Ace to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Ace scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off and muttering, "Geez, you could've just asked nicely…" under his breath.
Sonia's glare intensified, but Matthews quickly stepped between them, raising a hand to keep things from escalating further. Then looking at the ceiling, helplessly, she asked under her breath, "Lord, is this my punishment for neglecting my child?"