MY PSYCHO SOULMATES

Chapter 2

Zade's POV*

I studied my room after I calmed down. This looks more like a storage room.

And my face. Oh my God. MY pink, pouty lips and blue eyes. My hair is blonde, but because I haven't washed it, it looks unkempt.

I immediately retched after seeing the food he eats. This is pure poison!

I was still lost in my thoughts when I heard a sound.

Thud.

I quickly rushed downstairs, which was my first mistake. I met my deadbeat stepfather, who was lying in his own vomit. The sight made me retch once more and I felt nauseous.

"Crazy boy, can't you see your father is down? Won't you help me up?" He slurred.

"Even if you choked on your vomit, I don't care." I said, staring at him.

"So this is my father, Mr. Connor." I rolled my eyes. "Pardon me, father, for I have no strength, since you beat it out of my body."

I sassed and turned my back, trying to get to my room.

He looked shocked for a few seconds and stood up suddenly, grabbing me by my hair.

"Bastard! Bastard, you dare talk to your father like this? I trained you better than this."

He started smacking me.

"You......" _Smack_

"Don't......." _Smack_

"Talk........" _Smack_

"To..........." _Smack_

"Your ........." _Smack_

"Father ........" _Smack_

"Like this......" _Smack_

I tasted metal in my mouth. I underestimated his strength. This body is too weak. I had forgotten, I haven't eaten in a while.

He choked me and I began to thrash in his grip. He looked at me and smirked. "I thought you had guts before. Now where are they?" he said, looking into my eyes.

But his grip was too strong.

He threw me on the floor and started raining blows on me. I think I literally went to heaven and came back. White spots started dancing in my eyes. Blood began trickling from my head after he hit me with a bottle.

I bit my tongue until I tasted metal.

"System! System." I called desperately, but no response. Where the f**k is it when I need it?

He then hit me with his final blow and I fell unconscious.

---

"Is he awake?"

"Nope, Mom. I am trying to stop the bleeding."

The voice sounded tiny, like they were afraid of speaking too much.

I grunted and tried to sit up. "I already told you to hide whenever you hear his voice." Her voice sounded soothing.

I tried to open my eyes to see whoever was talking. Darkness danced in my eyes for a while.

The voice continued, "But you wouldn't listen. I thought you said you were with your friends. Why are you at home?"

I stared at her, dumbfounded, trying to figure out who she was.

"Oh, she is your stepmom, but she is kind." The system muttered quietly.

I ignored it and stared at my so-called stepmom.

She looks malnourished and has mud all over her face. And my little sis, she is worse. Red marks littered her body. She is short and her skin is yellowish.

I tried to make a sound, but my voice sounded hoarse.

"Why are you enduring this deep maltreating?" I questioned bitterly. "You are supposed to kill him," I hissed as my stepsister cleaned my wound and stared at me.

My mom looked like I had lost some screws. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Mom, I don't think he is okay. Dad has never beaten him this hard. Let's take him to the hospital. I have collected my salary. We can afford some drugs for him."

I looked at both of them, missing my parents so much, and started sobbing.

"Why are you so good to me? You are treating me right. You are making me feel guilty."

Mom looked at me and hugged me, still believing I was sick, but trying to console me.

"If I don't do it, who will take care of you? Silly boy, you are always my boy even if I didn't birth you." She replied, wiping my tears.

My stepsister also came behind me and started patting my back. "Why are you crying? Did that crazy man do anything to you? Answer me, I will kill him, I swear," she threatened.

I choked on my sob and hugged both of them. "It hurts. Everything hurts. My heart, my body and..." I whispered softly. "I miss my parents."

They both consoled me and I stopped crying after a while.

"Go bring your brother food," my mom told my sister as she was leaving.

"Stop, stop, don't go. Dad will get you too and beat you." I reached out to her shakily.

"Don't worry, bro. He is out choking on some drinks, so forget about him." My sister replied as she went down.

"You need to lie down. I will go out to get some medication for you. Don't strain any of your bones. And you are resuming school the day after tomorrow, so rest well. I will be back in a jiffy." Mom said, patting my head.

I held her hand tight. "Promise me you won't get hurt." I looked at her unwaveringly.

"I won't, my dear. Sleep, or I am going to scold you." She adjusted the blanket and went out.

The system came out immediately, and I closed my eyes, ignoring it.

"Host! Host, I am so sorry for not helping you against your father."

I looked at it angrily. "When that crazy man was bashing my head like a potato, I was calling you desperately, but guess what? You ignored me."

"I didn't ignore you. I was summoned by the Authority and I can't refuse." The system complained.

"Oh, so because you were summoned that's why I must die, right?"

"I am so sorry, okay? I will give you a cheat code for studying and you will get the first position. How are you holding up?" It asked.

"I feel like s**t. My body aches in different places. I have never been treated like this before. Is this the life he had been living all his life? And my stepmom and stepsister..."

"They are kind. So kind that I want to protect that innocence in them and make them enjoy life."

"But my parents..." I paused, glancing up. "I am their only child. She reminds me so much of my mother. Even though I am an orphan, picked from the roadside, she treats me like a jewel. But I am going to leave them in the hands of this monster." Guilt choked my voice.

"How are my mom and dad holding up?" I asked the system.

"They are doing well. After your convulsion, the doctor had you sedated, so your body is fine for now." The system replied. "And you have 365 days to complete all the missions assigned to you."

"365 DAYS? What do you mean? I have a year to finish this mission?" I asked it.

"Hmm," it replied, nodding its head.

"What do you regret not doing?" The system asked, hovering near my face.

"Regret?" I sighed. "I have many deep regrets."

I picked at my nails. "I regret not hugging my mom enough, not pecking my dad, and not saying goodbye to my friends. Now I have a countdown to live for."

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