TOM BOLTON
When I arrived at the hospital, I felt all eyes on me.
The whispers.
The stares.
They all knew.
I walked straight to Sir Ken Solaire's office, my heart pounding in my chest. I had to clear my name.
The moment I stepped inside, Sir Ken didn't even let me speak.
"Tom!" he barked, his eyes burning with anger. "You are demoted to a caretaker role, effective immediately."
I froze.
"What?" I whispered, unable to believe what I was hearing.
Sir Ken's face was cold and unforgiving. "Until you can clear your name regarding the plagiarism of Gerald's medical plan, you are suspended from your internship."
He grabbed a folded uniform from his desk and threw it at me.
"Get out of my office," he snapped. "I don't want to see your face."
I stood there, completely stunned.
"Sir, please," I said desperately. "You haven't even given me a chance to explain—"
"I said get out!" he shouted, slamming his hand on the desk.
His voice rang in my ears.
I gritted my teeth, my hands tightening into fists.
This wasn't fair.
Sir Ken didn't even listen.
He just believed Gerald without question.
I lowered my gaze, swallowing the anger and humiliation burning inside me.
"…Yes, Sir," I muttered, my voice shaking.
I turned and walked out of the office, my head down.
The uniform in my hands felt heavier than anything I had ever carried.
Once I reached the locker room, I hesitated.
This wasn't just a uniform.
It was a symbol of my fall.
From a promising intern doctor…
To a mere caretaker.
I clenched my jaw and changed into the caretaker uniform, feeling my pride shatter with every button I fastened.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
This wasn't the end.
They could humiliate me.
They could take everything from me.
But I would rise again.
And when I did…
I would make them pay.
When I stepped into the elevator, the last people I wanted to see were already inside.
Gerald and Emily.
Gerald took one look at me and burst into laughter. "Wow," he said mockingly. "The caretaker uniform really suits you, Tom."
Emily giggled beside him, covering her mouth as if she was trying to be polite. "I never thought I'd see the day. Tom Bolton, from intern doctor to a hospital janitor."
My hands clenched into fists, but I forced myself to stay calm.
I looked Gerald straight in the eye. "Tell Sir Ken the truth. You know I didn't steal anything."
Gerald smirked, crossing his arms. "And why would I do that?" he asked, tilting his head in amusement.
"Because it's the right thing to do," I said firmly.
Gerald chuckled and shook his head. "No way. I want to see you crawl, Tom. It's fun watching you suffer."
Emily giggled again, holding onto Gerald's arm. "You should just accept it, Tom. Some people are meant to succeed." She glanced at Gerald with admiration. "And some people… well, they're meant to serve."
The elevator doors opened.
Gerald patted my shoulder as he walked past me. "See you around, caretaker."
I took a deep breath, controlling the rage boiling inside me. I couldn't lose control. Not here.
But when we reached the hospital lobby, Gerald wasn't done humiliating me.
"Everyone!" Gerald called out loudly, gathering the attention of doctors, nurses, and patients. He pointed at me with a mocking grin. "Meet Tom Bolton, the guy who tried to steal my medical plan. And now? He's been rightfully demoted to a caretaker."
Whispers spread through the crowd. People glanced at me with pity, some with amusement.
I could feel my blood boiling.
Enough.
I wasn't going to let him trample on me anymore.
I tightened my grip on the mop handle I was holding and, without hesitation, I whispered a curse under my breath.
A curse from the knowledge awakened within me.
A curse of misfortune.
As I stood there, gripping the mop handle tightly, Gerald's laughter echoed in my ears.
Mocking. Cruel.
I had endured enough.
Something dark and powerful stirred inside me, a knowledge that wasn't there before.
A whisper in my mind, ancient and commanding. Words that felt both foreign and familiar at the same time.
I lowered my eyes, focusing on Gerald, and in my mind, I spoke the curse:
"May the ground reject your steps,
May the air turn against you,
May misfortune cling to you like a shadow,
Until your arrogance crumbles into dust."
The moment I finished, I felt a shift in the air.
Something unseen moved.
Something powerful.
And then, fate answered.
A light fixture in one of the corridors suddenly broke loose. It fell directly toward Gerald. He barely dodged in time, but the glass shattered, cutting his arm.
Not long after, as he strutted through the hospital, a nurse accidentally spilled hot coffee on his expensive shirt. He yelped in pain, cursing at her.
But the worst came when he confidently walked through the lobby again.
His foot slipped on the freshly mopped floor.
He fell hard, landing flat on his back.
A loud thud echoed in the room.
Patients, doctors, and nurses all turned to look.
There was silence for a second.
Then… laughter.
Some tried to hide it, but others openly chuckled.
Gerald's face turned red as he scrambled to stand up. "Shut up!" he yelled, humiliated.
But when he tried to step forward, his foot caught on a chair leg, and he fell again—this time crashing into a cart full of medical supplies.
More laughter.
His white coat was stained. His hair was a mess. His pride was shattered.
Holding his injured arm, Gerald glared around, his breath heavy with anger and embarrassment. "Damn it!" he spat, before storming out of the hospital.
As I watched Gerald groan in pain on the floor, his humiliation witnessed by doctors, nurses, and patients alike, my frustration slowly faded.
A strange sense of satisfaction settled in me.
This power… it was real.
It wasn't just luck. It wasn't coincidence.
I did this.
The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but instead of fear, I felt something else—control.
If I could make Gerald fall, what else could I do?
I clenched my fists.
This was just the beginning.
I would rise above them all.