The Savior and the Jinx

My wife Susan had the power to save lives, but when our son was rushed to the ICU and needed her help, she refused no matter how much I begged.

While I was crying myself hoarse when I received news that our son was dead, I heard her purring over the phone, "Mark? Don't worry, your puppy's way more important. Of course I'll save it."

There was a limit to her power that she could only use it once a month, but she nonchalantly used it for Mark's pet dog!

Shaking with rage, I seized her by the collar and bellowed, "We're talking about a human life here, and your son at that! But an animal is worth more than that?!"

Susan shook me off, smirking in disdain. "Mark has always been by himself—is there a problem that I took his side? And what could happen to our son when he has his daddy? Stop giving me that attitude!"

Just two hours later, Mark posted on social media a photo of him with Susan kissing his pet dog together, with the smug caption: [Who had bet that a son matters more than a dog? Know when you're beaten. Now pay up!]

So he had a bet with someone that Susan would choose his dog!

Worst of all, Susan lovingly replied: [If Mark wants to win, I'll always be there for him.]

Even as I felt heartrending pain, I was laughing coldly as I sent my own reply.

[If you all love to bet so much, why not bet when you're gonna drop dead?]

As I pressed send, Susan, who had always ignored my messages, called me instantly on video.

On the screen, I could see her face contorted indignantly because Mark was being dismissed, and she bellowed shrilly, "Have you lost your mind?! Mark was just joking, and you're telling him to drop dead?!

"He helped deliver that puppy! Do you know how precious it is to him?! Apologize to him right now, or I'm not saving your son next month too!"

I subtly pressed the button to record the call and asked calmly, "So in your heart, our son is worth less than Mark's dog?!"

"Mark raised that dog!" Susan shot back without hesitation. "It means everything to him! Don't even try to make an issue with our son!"

I promptly hung up on her and sent the video to my mentor.

Everyone knew that Susan could speak to save a life, but they had no idea that I was the opposite.

I was born with jinx speech, able to twist even good fortune into disaster.

My mentor had sealed my powers in case I abused that ability, which would lead to bad karma.

But now, I would take bad karma if it meant making Mark Stanley and Susan York pay for what they did!

Still, Susan was furious from being hung up on and bombarded me with voice messages.

"Do you think babysitting makes you a big deal, that the world has to suffer your tantrums because of that?!

"A petty man like you doesn't even measure up to Mark's little finger!

"Apologize right now! He was so sad he almost cut his hand because of your meltdown!"

I laughed coldly as I retorted. "Almost? That means he didn't cut himself. Talk to me again when he does."

I raised our son alone because I didn't want to tie her down and affect her career, but when our son suffered a terminal illness and I asked her for help, I was only insulted in return.

-

On the other end, Susan was screaming as Mark, pretending to cut a fruit, 'accidentally' cut his wrist.

"Mark!!!" She paled in terror and rushed him to the hospital.

After bandaging Mark and examining him, the doctor frowned as he said, "The patient is suffering from chronic illness and exhibits self-harm tendencies. Did something happen recently?"

Mark shook his head meekly. "Don't blame Zach… it's my own fault for being so weak and prone to self-harm. Zach is just worried about his son—I deserve to be cursed."

As he made himself look miserably, Susan held him, feeling for him right then.

Everyone in the room was indignant for Mark's sake too.

"Zach is lucky he's even married to Susan! So what if she waited a month to save their son?! Does he have to bark at everyone like a rabid dog?!"

"You're too nice, Mark! If someone cursed me like that, I'd punch out his teeth!"

"We can't just let this slide!"

Mark stayed silent as Susan's friends all hollered angrily, and she pursed her lips seeing her so pale and haggard.

After some thinking, she whipped out her phone and called the bank.

-

Meanwhile, an undertaker was shoving me out of a graveyard. "Buying a plot with lint?! How poor can you get?!"

I frowned. "What are you talking about? There's definitely eighty grand here. What's the problem?"

"Eighty grand?! There's nothing in there! Have you lost your mind?!"

And with that, he shoved me off.

After marrying Susan, I had sold my company for ten million as I gave up on my career.

Susan said the money would be saved for our son, and I never used the money since I put the money in a savings account.

But now, I couldn't even pay the eighty grand for a grave.

Penniless, I quietly headed home with my son's ashes.

As I opened the door, I found Mark fiddling with the keys to a Ferrari, puckering his lips as Susan took photos of him.

At the same time, he gloated, "Oh, Susan, you shouldn't have. Zach will be upset if he finds out—you know how frugal he is."

Susan was busy looking for better angles as she replied nonchalantly, "He has no right getting upset—this is spare change for us, and he's frugal because he knows he deserves none of it. As for you, it's only right for youth to drive Ferraris once in a lifetime."

Seeing them being that gleeful, I said quietly, "Since you love spending other people's money, it's time you lose everything."