Vincent Huang, the eldest son of the tenth-generation Huang family, stood tall and composed. His sharp gray eyes gleamed behind a pair of thin-framed glasses. He was known for being direct — a man who spoke his mind rather than letting his anger simmer in silence. His commanding presence often intimidated those around him, especially when it involved his youngest sister.
"You," he said flatly, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Did you insult and bother your sister again?"
"That's right," Norte Huang replied carelessly, his voice calm but arrogant. "He does it all the time. Maybe we should teach him a lesson for once?"
Norte Huang, the second son, shared his brother's tall build and gray eyes, though his were a darker shade — a shadowed silver that revealed a bolder, wilder personality. Where Vincent was composed and rational, Norte was impulsive and fierce. He never hesitated to confront anything he disliked, even if it meant clashing with his own family.
Before things could escalate, David Huang raised his hands in surrender, eyes darting between his brothers.
"Wait! Wait! I was just joking, not being serious! Why are you both so harsh with me?" he protested.
David Huang — the third son — was carefree, mischievous, and often self-centered. He rarely cared what others thought, convinced that whatever he believed was right. And yet, in his own strange way, he deeply cared for his sister — though his affection often came in the form of teasing that earned him sharp scoldings from Norte.
Norte folded his arms, smirking coldly. "You call that a joke?" he mocked.
David grinned foolishly, showing off his perfect teeth.
"Was I that bad?" he asked, looking between his brothers with mock innocence.
Norte's expression hardened. He patted David's shoulder — a warning gesture that quickly turned into a painful press downward.
"Ah! Hey— ow! That hurts!" David yelped, twisting away.
Norte's voice dropped low, deadly calm. "This is your first and last warning. Don't tease your sister again, or I'll erase your name from the family registry and throw you out myself. You'll never set foot in this house again."
A chill ran down David's spine. He knew that tone — it wasn't a "warning of peace," but one of real threat.
"Fine, fine," he muttered, sighing in defeat. Then, quickly changing the topic, he asked, "Anyway, what should we prepare for her today? It is her special day, remember?"
Vincent and Norte exchanged uneasy glances. David's words carried unspoken meaning — a hint of something they all feared.
"Just earlier," David continued, lowering his voice, "when I was with Nattalie in her room, she suddenly went pale. She said she felt sick, but it only lasted a moment. Then she was fine again."
"Don't you think that sounds like symptoms?"
Vincent's eyes darkened. "You mean… it's already starting?"
All three brothers turned to look across the hall, where Nattalie was laughing with her friends — blissfully unaware.
"This isn't good," Norte whispered, his fists tightening. "Not good at all." He struck the wall beside him, his voice trembling with anger. "Damn it! Why does she have to bear this curse? Paying for our ancestor's sins — how is that even fair?"
Vincent stayed silent, his jaw tight. "We have to stay calm. None of us wanted this, and panicking won't help." Then, almost immediately, he cursed under his breath. "What am I saying? How can we not panic? She doesn't even know the truth yet."
David spoke next, his tone uncertain. "Then… should we tell her now?"
The three exchanged glances. And as their eyes settled on David, he raised his hands again.
"Wait— you're not seriously thinking of making me tell her, are you?"
Neither Vincent nor Norte denied it.
David groaned. "Oh, come on! You can't throw me to the wolves like this. I'm not ready to face Nattalie's wrath — she's scarier than any of you!"
Norte smirked. "Then you shouldn't have suggested it in the first place."
He turned toward Vincent. "So what now, brother? Do we just… watch her change?"
Vincent sighed heavily. "Yes. Because there's nothing we can do. Even Father and Mother couldn't stop it."
***