Chapter 2
With the guy behind me hurrying me along, what should've taken two days, I finished by sunrise.
I was dead tired.
When I spotted the familiar house number, I collapsed and bowed once. The moment I stood up, my head was ringing, and everything went black for a second.
My body was obviously at its breaking point.
The guy behind me kept urging me on.
"Hurry up," he said.
Just then, Emily showed up, leaning against the doorframe. She looked totally fine, not a trace of illness on her.
Emily said, "You're finally back, Sophia.
"Can you guess why you were doing perfectly well at the church, but Christopher forced you to come back?"
I didn't even want to know. She just suddenly decided she couldn't stand me. That was all.
She let out a mocking chuckle.
Emily said, "Because I'm a player, too.
"If their affection points for you hadn't suddenly spiked, I wouldn't have sent Christopher to torment you."
I stared at her in disbelief as she leaned in, curling her lips into a smirk.
"But that's still not enough. I want to make sure you never rise again," she said.
With that, she suddenly staggered and dragged me down with her, both of us tumbling to the floor.
Suddenly, Christopher and my parents appeared, rushing over to support Emily.
Emily looked pale, lying in Christopher's arms, clutching her chest and gasping for breath, her eyes filled with tears.
"Christopher..." she said.
My dad rushed over and kicked me, his face red with rage.
He said, "You haven't come home in four years, and the first thing you do is hurt Emily. I never should've brought you back."
My mom grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head up, cursing at me.
She said, "You're nothing but bad luck."
Seeing her face, so much like my mom from my original world, I was stunned for a moment.
I hadn't seen my mom in twenty-two years.
Back in my real world, my mom loved me dearly. She would never let me suffer like this.
When she learned I was heading to a parallel world for a slim chance at survival, she prayed in the church for hours, praying I would stay safe and finish my mission.
When I left, I was still holding tight to the lucky spell she had slipped into my hand.
"My darling girl, I'll be waiting for you to come home," she said.
"Mom..." I whispered.
This mom was nothing like you. She couldn't stand me.
My lips quivered, tears slipping out as I murmured under my breath.
But all I got in return was a slap.
"You don't deserve to call me Mom. Emmy is my only daughter," she snapped.
My mind cleared up, and I could see straight again.
"I'm sorry," I said.
My mom's expression softened a little, and she finally let go of my hair.
Christopher wrapped his arm around Emily's waist and lifted her up, giving me a cold sideways look.
"Since you're so fond of hurting others, you should stand right here at the door and beg for Emmy's forgiveness. Don't even think about getting in unless I tell you to," he said.
Under the watchful eye of the guy from earlier, I stood there ramrod straight, chanting blessings nonstop.
Whenever someone passed by, I had to bow and plead for a handout.
I kept reciting, thinking sarcastically to myself that my body was holding up surprisingly well. Even after a whole day without food, I hadn't collapsed yet.
The weather was all over the place. Just a moment ago, the sun was blazing, and now rain was pouring down in sheets.
Christopher came over with an umbrella, his voice cool and indifferent.
"Come inside," he said.
I looked up at him and barely managed to get to my feet, swaying unsteadily.
But my body was so weak that my head drooped, and I fell straight into him.
In that moment, I felt Christopher's strong hands grab me, holding me close as he shouted my name. I could barely hear it.
When I came to, I realized I was in a tiny bedroom.
It was the same little room I used to have.
Christopher stood nearby, his expression stormy, fixing his gaze right on me.
"Why did the doctor say you only have a few days to live?" he asked.