Piseth sat in his sleek office, the city skyline glowing behind him through floor-to-ceiling glass. His black suit was crisp as always, and his tie was perfectly in place. On the surface, he was the picture of composure—Cambodia's most eligible bachelor, the ruthless CEO, and the unshakable older brother.
Until—
"Wait, who adopted her?" Piseth asked, brows furrowing as he glanced at Pisal.
Pisal, seated casually across from him, smiled calmly. "Doctor Wang. My mentor. He offered to take care of Nuong. She's living with him now."
"Doctor Wang…" Piseth repeated, slowly. "The young guy at your hospital? He doesn't look much older than you."
Pisal nodded, sipping his drink. "He's forty-five."
Piseth nearly choked on air.
"Forty—what?"
Pisal gave a small chuckle. "He looks young, but he's really forty-five. Chinese, but worked with the Russian government in the past. Brilliant man."
Piseth didn't respond right away.
As soon as Pisal left the office, Piseth opened his laptop, eyes narrowed in suspicion. He typed in "Dr. Wang Jackson" and clicked through links until he found a public profile.
There it was—a candid photo of Jackson Wang in a white coat, smiling beside a group of doctors. One of them was Pisal.
And Jackson… looked like he was 25.
Piseth zoomed in. Then out. Then in again.
He clicked around. Found an article. Birthdate confirmed.
"Forty-five?!" he hissed under his breath.
He leaned back in his chair, arms folded. "No way… no way! He looks younger than Pisal!"
He stared at Jackson's effortlessly cool smile on screen, the wind tousling his hair in the photo. Then, Piseth's eyes narrowed.
"He's a doctor," he muttered, glaring at the screen. "Must be using some secret anti-aging serum… hidden youth formula… vampire blood…"
He paused. Then sighed loudly, dramatic and defeated.
"Unfair. This is so unfair!"
He dropped his head onto the desk with a dull thud, like a child being denied a toy.
"I moisturize. I eat chia seeds. I jog!" he whispered angrily to himself. "What else am I supposed to do?!"
And then, just to add salt to the wound, he muttered bitterly, "I wonder how Pisal ages."
A beat of silence.
"…That traitor probably glows in the dark."
At home, in Sokun Mansion, after all their work, and back home. Piseth was rarely the type to linger on gossip. As CEO and eldest of the family, his days were consumed with board meetings, phone calls, and managing everything his father left behind. But something kept tugging at him lately—Nuong.
Not because he liked her. No, of course not. She was the girl who caused chaos in his family's life. The girl who had once been a pawn of the mafia. But still… after Dalis begged for her, after Pisal mentioned she'd been adopted, Piseth couldn't help but wonder:
"Who is this doctor who adopted her?"
He leaned back in his chair at home in his office, scrolling through his phone. "Doctor Jackson Wang… Hm."
A few clicks later, he landed on Jackson's social media.
At first glance, the man looked barely 25. Clean jawline, bright eyes, a relaxed smile. Too relaxed.
Piseth's eyebrows shot up when he saw a photo of Jackson with Pisal, the caption reading:
"Proud of my student. One of the best surgeons I've ever trained."
#MedicalFamily #45AndThriving
Piseth blinked.
"Forty. Five?" he muttered.
He zoomed in. Still looked twenty-five.
"What the hell is this man drinking? Water from the Fountain of Youth?"
He stared harder at the screen. "Pisal… you never told me your teacher was this young-looking." Then added under his breath:
"This is so unfair. I'm 27 and already need eye cream."
He sighed, tossing the phone on the bed and lying down with an arm over his face.
"Is it because he's a doctor? Does he have some youth serum? What's next, growing wings?"
He groaned into his pillow like a jealous little boy.
"I wonder how Pisal will age… probably like fine wine while I'm over here turning into vinegar. We're just 3 years age gap."
The CEO of the family empire—respected, feared, and admired by all—was pouting in bed like his crush just chose someone else.
He didn't even know why he cared.
But part of him wanted to meet this Jackson Wang. Not because of Nuong, obviously. Just… curiosity. And maybe a little envy. But how couldn't he see himself in the mirror? Just a glance with his masculine energy is enough to make a girl fall head over heels for him. However, people tend to see their flaws and overlook their qualities. Just like this handsome big master of the Sokun family, rich, powerful, handsome, and still feels insecure.
The hospital corridor was quiet, polished floors reflecting the bright white lights above. Piseth walked in, black coat draped over his arm, every step echoing authority and control. Staff nodded as he passed, respectful and a little intimidated—just as it should be; when the most powerful heir, a well-known one, who doesn't know him?
But the moment he spotted a young-looking man in a pristine white coat walking toward him with a charming smile…
His steps faltered.
That must be him… Jackson Wang.
"Piseth?" the man greeted, his voice warm and relaxed, as if they were old friends meeting at a café.
Piseth blinked. The man was tall, his skin flawless, his eyes kind, his smirk annoyingly boyish. He looked like a K-drama actor moonlighting as a surgeon. However, Piseth almost forgot the reason why he came here.
"I've heard a lot about you," Jackson said. "You must be Pisal's brother. CEO, right?"
"Yes," Piseth replied smoothly, somehow managing to keep his tone level. "You're… Doctor Wang."
"Please, Jackson is fine." Jackson extended a hand.
Piseth shook it. Firm grip. No vampire claws. Disappointing. How come he's 45?!
He glanced over the man again.
There wasn't a single wrinkle. Not even a hint of tiredness around his eyes. His hair had that effortlessly tousled perfection—like he just stepped out of a hair commercial and saved someone's life in the same five minutes with effortlessly looking handsome.
"So," Jackson continued with a calm smile, "I've heard you were curious about me."
"Curious?" Piseth echoed, trying not to sound defensive. "Just surprised. You… don't look forty-five."
Jackson chuckled. "Good genes, maybe."
Piseth nodded, stiff. Or dark magic.
"Nuong's doing well," Jackson added. "She's recovering. I'll take good care of her."
Piseth glanced away, jaw tight. "She's lucky."
He looked back at Jackson, trying to detect something—a pore, a fine line, a smudge of imperfection. Nothing. Not even a pimple scar. The man looked like he hadn't aged a day since college. Assuming he'd even gone to college and wasn't born in a lab.
"Anyway," Jackson said, stepping back with a graceful turn, "Pisal speaks highly of you."
That made Piseth snort softly. "He would."
Jackson flashed another grin. "Let's catch up again soon. Don't worry—I'll give you my skincare routine if you ask nicely."
Piseth froze.
He knows.
Before Piseth could say anything else, Jackson walked away, hands in his coat pocket like some kind of movie star in scrubs.
Piseth stared after him.
Then whispered, "I knew it. He's not human."