Chapter 4

Late into the night, I dragged my battered body out of the house.

Everything went so smoothly that even Hades found it unbelievable. In fact, he had been prepared to step in and help me escape.

"It's okay now. Your life will get better from here on. I can promise you that," he said cheerfully.

Instead of offering a reply, I just walked on in silence.

Hades was somewhat confused. After all, I had gotten out. No one would bully me anymore.

The blinding headlights behind me gave him the answer.

Dad swerved the car to a stop in front of me, and Mom rushed out. She grabbed me tightly by the arm and roared, "Elsie, do you have a death wish or something? We cut you some slack and you dared to run off?"

No sooner had she spoken than she kicked me hard. An intense pain instantly surged through my insides, and all my wounds tore open at once. Blood soaked through my clothes and streamed down my limbs.

Unable to hold on any longer, I collapsed heavily onto the asphalt road.

Dad walked up and grabbed me by the hair. Then, he slammed my head into the car again and again.

My face was covered in blood from the impact. I curled up on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

Kayla slowly stepped out of the car and reached out to stop Mom and Dad.

"Mom, Dad, stop hitting Elsie. She still has to perform The Four Tribulations tomorrow. Let me talk to her."

Kayla walked over and crouched down in front of me.

"Elsie, why did you run away again?" she asked softly. "Did you forget that there's a tracker implanted in your left leg? Last time, I didn't manage to kill you, so why don't you just go quietly on your way this time?"

After saying that, Kayla let out a loud cry and suddenly threw herself backward.

Then, she said tearfully, "Elsie, I came here out of kindness to talk some sense into you. How could you push me?"

It only took one word from Kayla for Mom to shield her protectively, glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me.

Dad casually picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it into my head without any mercy.

Gasping for breath, I looked up at my deranged father. Yet, I started to laugh.

I was going to die!

The next second, Hades stepped out from the shadows.

"I believe you now. With parents like these, living really is worse than dying. I'm going to kill these animals today!"

With a casual wave of Hades' hand, Dad was sent flying by the force. At the same time, the wounds on my body also visibly healed.

Hades walked over to me and sighed.

"If only I had understood sooner, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much. I always thought that no matter how hard life was, it was still better than death. It seems I was wrong after all."

I shook my head, telling him it was fine.

He turned and kicked Dad again.

"You sorry excuse of a human. I've never seen anyone as rotten as you."

Mom rushed forward to stop him, but Hades backhanded her hard across the face. She spun in the air and crashed to the ground, half her face grossly swollen.

Kayla stood trembling to the side, not daring to say a word.

Dad spat out a mouthful of blood and said viciously, "So it was you who put Elsie up to running away! Where the heck did you even come from? Just you wait! You're dead today!"

He quickly made a phone call and roared, "All of you, get over here!"

Hades looked down at Dad condescendingly as the latter called for backup, a faint smile spreading across his face.

"Are you done?"

Before Dad could react, another heavy kick landed on his stomach. He rolled several times over, clutching his stomach and wailing on the ground.

Mom clutched her cheek and asked, "Who exactly are you? This is a family matter. What right do you have to interfere?"