Eurivin's POV
“Thank you, sir. Next in line, please.”
Come on, where is he? He's been late for about 20 minutes now. I can't afford to go home late.
My shift was already over and the next part-timer hadn't arrived yet. I was working in my cousin's café shop in the morning, while in the afternoon, at this convenience store. I wasn’t allowed to do overtime because my dad would kill me if he got home first and there was no one in the house. We were only two in our family. I was the only child and my mom already left this world, so I had been living my life like hell with my father.
“That would be $15,” I said to the last customer.
After the customer exited, I checked my watch repeatedly hoping the time would stop. I was getting nervous and now thinking if I could just leave the store and run at home. But of course, I couldn’t do that.
Finally, I heard the bell sound of the door opening. Gabi hurriedly took my place and apologized to me as he breathe heavily, catching his breath. “I’m really sorry, I got caught up in trouble.”
“Please be mindful next time,” I said.
I took off the vest uniform and handed it to him. As soon as I got my backpack from the locker, I ran as fast as I could.
My dad is probably home right now, and I am so dead.
Nine minutes later, I was finally in front of our house and saw the light in the living room was on, a sign that my father was already home. I regained my breath until it was back to normal and inhaled deeply. As soon as I opened the door, something flying welcomed me. With my good reflexes, I quickly evaded it, making the flying object hit the flowerpot outside.
My dad just threw a lamp at me and it was now shattered. I wished I just caught it so that it wouldn’t hurt my savings again. My savings were always spent because of broken things that my father had thrashed at me.
“You worthless piece of shit! I told you not to come home later than me!” my dad shouted as he approached me in a zigzag walk. He grabbed my hair and dragged me into the center. Good thing my hair was short just like a boy's haircut. He was always like this whenever he came back home from work, drunk.
“I'm sorry, dad. My colleague arrived late,” I said as soon he released his grip on my hair.
“I don't care! I don’t wanna hear your excuses.” He pushed me so hard that I got off my balance and tripped. My back hit the dining chair and got it pushed altogether with the dining table and the other chairs, making a sudden shrieking sound.
I was so used to his violence that I didn’t even bother to let myself cry. This set-up had been going on since I was a child. My father would always beat me up and my mother. I used to cry a lot back then but I was over that now, and crying wouldn't make the situation any better. Instead, I just took all his stress and let him take it all out on me if that would make him feel better.
“Everything is all your fault! You should have been born as a boy! I won't ever accept you as my child!”
Hearing what he said had hurt my feelings. The pain couldn’t compare to all the physical abuse he struck at me. My father never loved me and he would never do.
Why am I even alive? I didn't choose to be born in this world. I should have been the one who died, not mom.
All my life, I lived a life that I was forced to. I never once wore a woman’s clothes, I never let my hair grow long, I didn’t even dare to like someone. I did everything I could to make him accept me, but I never succeeded. I wished I had been born as a boy.
My dad was a secret son of a billionaire, an illegitimate child. He was supposed to be introduced in his father's company and would be given to him the title of CEO only if his child was a boy. Unfortunately, I ended up being a girl, and when my grandfather died, all his wealth was left to his legitimate daughter. My dad couldn’t accept it and blamed it all on me.
“Prepare a meal!” he ordered.
I stood up immediately and moved the dining set in its original spot, then I walked towards the stove to cook him dinner. I grabbed the frying pan, cracked two eggs, and seasoned them with salt. Sunny side-up eggs were his favorite.
My dad was now seated and waiting for his meal while I was preparing it on the table, when my dad asked, “Have you eaten yet?”
It was the first time he asked me that. My heart even skipped a beat. I shook my head as I put his plate on the table. “Not yet, dad.”
He looked up at me and said, “Don't you dare eat. That's your punishment.”
I was surprised that he told me not to eat. I thought he was finally able to show kindness to me for once, but I was wrong.
“Why aren't you saying anything? Didn't you understand what I said?” he said, glaring at me. His meal was ready and I just stood there like a stump.
Before my dad could lose his patience, I replied, “I understand, dad. I won't dare eat tonight.”
If my dad's glares were daggers, I was already dead and struck by them so many times.
“Good, but if I ever catch you eating, you'll taste my fist again,” he said and took a spoonful of rice and egg in his mouth.
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Keelan's POV
“Have you seen that, Mirim? That's horrible!”
“Her father is indeed horrible, master,” she replied.
I was observing Eurivin from morning until this night. Her life seemed pretty boring to me. She had two jobs and after work, she just went straight home, only to be tortured by his terrible father. How could a father do that to his child? I felt bad for Eurivin.
I felt the need to do something, so I came up with the idea of matching her right away to her match so that she would have the reason to leave his abusive father. Once she was married, there would be someone who could protect her from her dad.
“Get ready, Mirim. We will leave this house right away and track James Greene's location.”
“Right away, master.”
I lift myself and flew through the ceiling. I followed Mirim's direction and finally found James’s house. His home was only in the next town. I searched for Eurivin's match and saw him maybe in his room with someone.
“Who the fuck was that man beside you bitch?” he growled.
I was taken aback by his tone and language, but I thought maybe I shouldn't jump to a conclusion yet, though he looked like someone who did drugs. The dark circles under his eyes were discernible, he was like a human panda. His black hair was like the bird's nest and looked like he wasn't taking a bath. He had piercings on his button nose and on his thick lower lip. He was nowhere near in my handsomeness.
“He was just a friend of my friend, nothing more, babe. Believe me.” The girl reached for his hand but he shoved it away.
The girl was average-looking, she had long straight burgundy hair, brown eyes, a small nose, and red big lips. She was wearing a tight black dress, her cleavage was peeking and her booty was plump that made me wonder how would it feel to smack it, but I instantly shook my head to make the thought disappear before it could get worse.
“Do you think I'm stupid? You were flirting with each other!”
“No, babe. That is not true! Please, trust me.”
James strangled the girl while shouting, “You bitch! I told you I'm not stupid!”
“Mirim, am I allowed to jump into a conclusion now?”
“Yes, master. I think he is an asshole.”
“He is worse than Eurivin's father. How is this possible? Should we interrupt them?”
“No, master. We cannot do anything about the situation.”
“Why? I can just like drop the vase in the living room. What do you think?”
“I do not think that is a good idea,” Mirim said.
James finally let go of the girl, she was coughing and crying, catching her breath, her hands on her neck.
“See, master? James let go of the girl. I bet he's going to apologize.”
“I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t mean to, I was just. . .just promise me you won't meet that friend of your friend or whoever is that again,” James said.
“Okay, that’s a terrible way of apologizing,” I mumbled as I crossed my arms over my chest.
The woman glared at James. “You’re a monster! Let's just break up!”
His eyes widened in shock and grabbed the girl's arms. “No! You're mine! I'll never let you go! You hear me? Wanna see a real monster, bitch?” he shouted like crazy. The woman was scared and trembling, her tears were streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly.
“I think we need to do something before we get to see a murder scene,” I suggested to Mirim.
“Okay, master. Let's give your plan a try.”
“Watch me.” I headed to the living room and threw the vase on the floor making a loud breaking sound of ceramic.
“What's that fucking noise? Who's in there?” I heard James’s voice echoing from the other room. “Don’t leave this room, Yana. I'll be right back.”
He left the room and headed our way. “Who’s in there? Come out, you fucking coward!”
“What did he just say? Coward?” I snorted. “You know what, Mirim, maybe I should just teach him a lesson. How about whacking his nose?”
My fists were turning into balls as I clenched my jaw. I was trying to resist the urge to punch the asshole.
“Master, calm down. Do not waste your energy on someone undeserving.”
I unclenched my fists and sighed. “You’re right.”
James kept on rumbling his mouth while searching for me around the house.
“You asshole, you won't ever find me!” I said as if he could hear me.
I blew on his ear and I bet he felt chills based on what he said. “What is that? Am I dealing with a ghost?”
His eyes were roaming around as he hugged himself while heading back to his room. “Yana? I think there's a ghost, babe.”
I followed him and wasn't even surprised when I didn’t see Yana in the room anymore. She probably escaped through the window.
“Yana? Where are you? Did the ghost take you?” James was now being crazy. He was rubbing his hands on his arms as if he was cold or something, might be because he was scared.
“There is no way that I'll match this bastard to Eurivin,” I mumbled angrily. “He's crazy! I think one or two screws on his head are loose.”
“But there is nothing we can do about it, master. He is her match.”
“I don't care. I'll choose her match.”
“Yana!” James was shouting his girlfriend's name on repeat. “I'm sorry I couldn’t save you from the ghost. Please forgive me.”
He sat on the corner of the room and placed his hands on his knees as he drew them near his chest and said, “Don’t come near me ghost.”
“He totally lost it! ” I shouted and disappeared back to the Cupid Kingdom.