Chapter 1

I'm a psychiatrist named Carter Hayes, but most people at the hospital just call me Dr. Hayes, thanks to my easy charm and good looks.

I often take strolls down the corridors in the afternoons, passing by the young nurses who blush and whisper behind my back, clearly smitten yet also pining since I'm already married.

My wife, the daughter of the hospital's director, might not turn heads but her simplicity and unwavering trust in me are endearing. Under my father-in-law's guidance, the hospital has grown significantly, despite his deteriorating health due to asthma, which remains stubbornly resistant to all the remedies I've tried.

Life seemed predictable until Zoe arrived, turning everything on its head.

It was another autumn afternoon when a van pulled up to the hospital's entrance, unloading a group of peculiar individuals in restraints and masks that only revealed their eyes, being led inside like cattle. And there I was, watching from a window, feeling like the master of their fates.

Zoe was the last to see me that day. A teenager, she sat quietly unlike the others, occasionally kicking the chair's legs. Her fair skin was almost translucent, and her large eyes made her look like she was wearing oversized contact lenses. She claimed to have a delusional disorder, believing she possessed superpowers.

As I was entering her data after the examination, she suddenly spoke up. "Doctor," she said, fidgeting with her nails, "I see things others don't."

"Like what?" I asked, not really paying attention.

She tilted her head, a hint of pride in her voice. "I have clairvoyance. I can see what others have done."

"Interesting," I replied, spinning my pen, not looking up.

"You don't believe me?" she pressed, leaning forward, her hands flat on the desk.

I glanced up, giving her a patronizing look. "Sure, you should chat with the guy in the next room. He claims to see superheroes every day."

Zoe pouted, then leaned in closer, grabbing my hand from across the desk.

I was taken aback but not surprised—unpredictable behavior is common here.

As I went to push her away, she retreated, smirking confidently. "You'll regret not believing me," she said.