JAEL FROST:THE RISE OF THE NEXUS SYSTEM

CHAPTER 5: MRS FROST

Jael stepped into the hospital room slowly, quietly, like someone entering sacred ground. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, blending with the soft hum of machines. His heart pounded, palms damp, fear tightening his chest as if looking might shatter everything.

But he looked.

There she was.

His mother.

Mrs. Frost was half asleep, but when she heard his footsteps, her eyes fluttered open. They were tired eyes, yet the moment she saw him, her face lit up. A gentle, loving smile bloomed across her pale cheeks.

“Jael,” she whispered. “My boy.”

His chest clenched so hard it almost stole his breath. He wanted to rush forward, to hug her tightly, to never let go. But she looked so fragile. Her skin seemed thinner than he remembered, almost translucent, her arms so slight they looked as if they might break under too much strength.

So instead, he sat beside her bed and took her hand. His fingers trembled as they wrapped around hers. Warm, but delicate—like holding a small bird.

“Mom,” he breathed, the word breaking as it left him. “M-mom.”

She reached up with her other hand and touched his cheek. He leaned into her palm without thinking. The warmth felt like something he had lost forever.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” she asked softly. “You’re looking at me like you haven’t seen me in years.”

The words struck deep.

Because it was true.

He hadn’t seen her in ten years. Not alive.

He couldn’t explain. She would never understand. No one could. That he had died. That he had returned. That she had already slipped away once. He couldn’t tell her that truth—it would crush her.

So instead, he leaned forward and buried his face against her shoulder, just like he used to as a child.

“I’m just happy to see you,” he whispered, forcing the words through the tightness in his throat. “That’s all.”

She held him, fingers brushing gently through his hair. “I’m always here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”

But she was wrong.

Jael knew she would—if he didn’t change the future. If he didn’t act.

He lifted his head slightly. “Are they treating you well here? Are they good to you?”

She smiled weakly. “It’s not a luxury place, but they give me what I need. The medicine helps. I can breathe. I’m alright, Jael.”

He knew that wasn’t true. She was trying to comfort him. But he remembered everything.

This illness. This moment. The turning point.

Back then, after he started his internship at Ryder Financial Corp, his mother had collapsed from chest pain. At first, he thought it was stress or something minor. It wasn’t. It was advanced aortic stenosis. Her heart valve was failing. Each day it worsened.

She needed surgery. A valve replacement.

And it was far too expensive.

He had tried everything. Cheap clinics. Endless paperwork. He had even begged Caden Ryder for help. The man had agreed to admit her to Morrison’s Hospital—not out of compassion, but for appearances. Jael had mistaken it for kindness.

Then the bills came.

When Jael asked for early pay to help cover the cost, Caden had laughed. Called him shameless. A beggar. Told him to be grateful his mother had been admitted at all.

Eventually, Morrison’s discharged her.

She died in her sleep. Alone.

The memory was burned into him—the silence, the numbness, the way tears wouldn’t come anymore.

Not again.

Never again.

His mother chuckled softly. “What’s going on in that head of yours? You’re frowning so hard.”

Jael leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

“I’ll save you, Mom,” he whispered. “I swear.”

Ding.

┏2/3 Goals Identified┛

The glowing text surfaced in his mind. He remembered this from when the Nexus System first activated. So this was his second goal.

There was no time to dwell on it.

The door creaked open.

A man in a white coat entered, followed by the same rude nurse from earlier. Her smirk made Jael’s skin crawl.

“Mr. Frost,” the doctor said. “Good. We need to discuss your mother’s stay.”

Jael stood. His body was tight with tension. “Can we talk outside?”

They stepped into the hallway.

“So,” Jael asked, voice controlled. “What’s the issue?”

The nurse sneered. “Your account is overdue. You’ve accumulated quite a bill—for someone like you.”

“The bill is under my uncle’s name. Jared Frost. He handled the admission.”

The doctor frowned. “And where is this Jared Frost? We’ve received nothing. No payment. No contact. That makes it your responsibility.”

“I’ll get the money,” Jael said quickly. “Please. Just give me until the end of the week.”

“This isn’t a charity,” the doctor snapped. “This is Morrison’s Hospital. We don’t hold beds out of kindness.”

“She needs care,” Jael said, panic creeping into his chest.

“So do our paying patients,” the nurse cut in.

“Please,” he said, voice lowering. “Just a little time.”

The nurse’s smile turned cruel. “If you want time so badly, get on your knees and kiss my feet.”

Jael stared at her. “What?”

“You heard me,” she said coldly. “You’re desperate, aren’t you? Prove it. Kneel and kiss my shoes.”

The doctor folded his arms. “Well? Pride—or your mother’s life?”

Jael’s breath caught. He glanced back toward the room.

He despised this moment.

But pride wouldn’t save her.

Slowly, he dropped to his knees. Bowed his head. And kissed the nurse’s shoe.

She laughed and shoved him back with her heel. He hit the floor, fists clenched, face burning.

“What a mutt,” she spat. “Fine. One more day. Have the money tomorrow.”

The doctor added flatly, “Now leave. You’re an embarrassment.”

Jael stayed down for a moment. Humiliation burned through him.

But he wasn’t broken.

He stood. Kept his head lowered. But inside, everything was crystal clear.

They would pay.

All of them.

As he stepped out o

f the hospital, a soft tone echoed in his mind.

┏Morrison’s Hospital has been designated as an Enemy Entity┛

┏Enemy Entities must be disrupted┛