**[16 June 2025, Goldy's Residence]**
I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by a truck—twice. My shoulder burned from the guard's bite, and my cheek was a mess of purple and blue. But the system's alert kept me focused: *Confront Rohit. 2 days left.* I needed to figure out why my brother, is acting like a stranger and what's going on with this Elena woman. Sonia was ready to help, and we were done waiting. Only Sonia and I knew about the system, and we had to keep it secret from Mom—she'd lose it if she found out.
I dragged myself downstairs, wincing with every step. Sonia, was in the kitchen, munching toast and sipping tea. Mom was at the stove, making her special masala chai, the smell warm and comforting. The house was too quiet, like it was bracing for a fight. Rohit, had kept his door shut all night, but we knew he'd come down for breakfast.
Sonia glanced at my bruises. "You look rough, Goldy. Sure you're ready for this?"
I sat across from her, grabbing a piece of toast. "I'm fine. Just need tea and a plan to make Rohit talk."
Mom turned, her face worried but firm. "No fighting, Goldy. You're still hurt. And Sonia, you're checking on your mom today, right?"
Sonia nodded. "Yes, Aunty. Lila says she's okay, but I'll go home after we talk to Rohit."
I sipped my tea, the warmth easing my aches. "Sonia, how do we do this? He's like a brick wall. Won't even look at me."
Sonia leaned forward, her voice low so Mom wouldn't hear. "We corner him after breakfast. Ask straight—why's he leaving? What's with Elena? No yelling, just push until he cracks."
I nodded, my gut tight. "What if he shuts us out again? He saw me beat up and didn't care. That's not him."
Sonia's jaw tightened. "Then we push harder. Your… thing might help." She glanced at Mom, busy stirring the chai, and mouthed, "System."
I nodded, keeping my voice quiet. "Yeah, let's see if it picks up anything."
Mom set a plate of parathas on the table, her eyes soft but stern. "No secrets, you two. Just talk to your brother, Goldy. He's still family."
I nodded, chewing my toast. "We'll try, Mom. But if he's a jerk, Sonia might throw a punch."
Sonia grinned. "Only if he earns it."
Breakfast came, and the air felt heavy. Mom set out parathas and dal, the smell filling the kitchen. Rohit came down, silent as always, his face blank. He sat, grabbed a paratha, and started eating without a word. Mom's hands fidgeted, her eyes darting between us. Sonia gave me a nod, and we knew it was time.
I took a deep breath. "Rohit, we need to talk. Now."
He didn't look up, just tore off a piece of paratha. "Nothing to say."
Sonia crossed her arms, her voice firm. "That's not enough. You're leaving in two days, marrying some woman we don't know, and acting like we're strangers. What's going on?"
Rohit's eyes snapped to Sonia, sharp and angry. "This is a family matter, Sonia. You're just Goldy's friend. And you two," he glared at me, "are kids. Four years younger than me, acting like you know my life? Stay out of it."
Sonia flinched, her face tightening, but she didn't back down. "Kids? Outsider? I've known you since we were little, Rohit. I'm here because Goldy's hurt, and you're acting like a stranger. That makes it my business."
Mom's voice was soft, shaky. "Rohit, please. She's trying to help. We're your family. Why are you pushing us away? Who's Elena?"
Rohit's jaw clenched, his fingers gripping the table. "Elena's my wife. She's my future. You don't need to know more, especially not kids and outsiders poking into my business."
A tingle hit me, and the system pinged in my head.
> *[SYSTEM ALERT]*
> *New Skill Unlocked: Truth Sense (Passive)*
> *Effect: Detects lies or hidden emotions in conversations. Accuracy scales with Power Sync and emotional connection to the target.*
> *Warning: May cause mental strain during intense confrontations.*
Rohit's words felt… wrong, like they weren't fully his. His anger was real, but something else was underneath. I leaned closer, keeping my voice steady so Mom wouldn't suspect the system. "Rohit, look at me. We're not kids playing games. You saw me last night—beat up, bleeding—and didn't care. Is Elena making you act like this?"
His eyes met mine, and for a split second, I saw something—fear? Confusion? But it vanished, replaced by that cold, angry stare. "I'm fine. You're too young to understand. Leave it alone."
Sonia leaned in, her voice low to keep Mom out of the loop. "We're not too young, and I'm not an outsider. You're shutting out your family, Rohit. You called me names just now—that's not you. Is Elena messing with your head?"
Rohit stood, his chair scraping the floor, his voice rising. "You don't get it, Sonia! You're not family. And Goldy, you're just a kid who got himself beat up. Stop meddling in things you can't handle." He looked at me. "Both of you, stay out of my life."
My fists clenched under the table. "We're not meddling. You're my brother, and you're acting like someone else. What's Elena done to you?"
He froze, his eyes flickering again, but he shook his head. "You're wasting your time. I'm done." He pushed past Sonia and stormed upstairs, the door slamming shut.
Mom's shoulders slumped, tears in her eyes. "Why is he so angry? Calling you kids, Sonia an outsider… that's not my Rohit."
Sonia's face was red, her fists clenched. "He's never snapped at me like that. Telling me I don't belong? Something's seriously wrong."
I glanced at Mom, who was wiping her eyes, and whispered to Sonia, "The system gave me a new skill—Truth Sense. It says he's hiding something. His anger's real, but his words… they're not all his."
Sonia's eyes lit up, but she kept her voice quiet, nodding toward Mom. "Keep that game stuff secret. If Elena's behind this, we need to find out fast."
Mom looked up, confused. "What are you two whispering about?"
I forced a smile. "Nothing, Mom. Just planning how to talk to Rohit again. We'll figure it out."
She sighed, not convinced but too tired to push. "Be careful, you two. I just want my son back."
I squeezed her hand. "We'll get him, Mom. I promise."
The system pinged again, out of Mom's sight.
> *[SYSTEM ALERT]*
> *Quest Progress: Uncover the Truth*
> *Task Update: Confrontation with Rohit attempted. Strong emotional resistance detected. Continue pressing for answers.*
> *Time Remaining: 2 days*
> *New Hint: Investigate Elena's background for clues to her influence.*
I whispered to Sonia, "He's pushing us away hard, but we're not done. After you check on your mom, we dig into Elena—X posts, online, anything. You in?"
Sonia's jaw tightened, her eyes fierce. "Oh, I'm in. He doesn't get to call me an outsider and walk away. Let's find out what's controlling him."
I smirked, wincing at the pain. "Deal. Let's break whatever hold Elena's got on him."
The confrontation with Rohit left a sour feeling. His words stung—calling Sonia an outsider, dismissing us as kids just because he's 4 years older than us. My bruises from the casino fight ached, my shoulder burning from the guard's bite, my cheek a mess of purple and blue. But the system's alert kept me focused: *Confront Rohit. 2 days left.* We tried, but he'd stormed off, slamming his door after snapping at us. Sonia and I knew something was wrong—Elena was behind his coldness, and we had to figure out how. Only Sonia and I knew about the system, and we had to keep it hidden from Mom—she'd lose it if she knew.
She sighed, not convinced but too tired to push. "Be careful, you two. And Goldy, on your way back from Sonia's, check on Angel at the hospital.
My heart sank. Angel, my little sister, was 14 now, but still in a coma from four years ago when a monster attacked a store we were in. The shock broke her, leaving her unable to talk or walk. Before, her eyes twinkled like stars, her long, black hair flowed like a crow's feathers, and her sweet voice was like an angel's song, full of old, secret magic. Now, she lay still, hooked to machines, her white hospital gown pale as moonlight. I hadn't visited her since yesterday, and guilt hit me for being caught up with Rohit and the casino.
"I'll check on her, Mom," I said quietly. "Promise."
Sonia stood, brushing her jeans. "Come with me to check on my mom, Goldy. Then you can see Angel at the hospital. We'll dig into Elena after."
I nodded, grabbing my jacket despite the pain in my ribs. "Let's go."
**[SONIA'S HOUSE, CHD - 26]**
Sonia and I walked to her place, the air cool and heavy with our frustration over Rohit. My bruises throbbed, but I kept pace, thinking about Angel. Sonia's house was small and tidy, the air thick with the smell of medicine. Lila, the maid, greeted us at the door.
"She's in her room," Lila said softly. "She's been quiet but ate a little."
Sonia nodded, leading me to her mom's room. Her mom lay in bed, pale and thin, an oxygen tube hooked to her nose. Her dad died years ago, leaving them alone, and the hospital bills for her mom's illness had pushed Sonia to those loan sharks. Her mom's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly. "Sonia… Goldy. You're here."
Sonia knelt by the bed, taking her mom's hand. "Hey, Mom. How you feeling?"
Her mom's voice was faint. "Better, seeing you both. Goldy, you look hurt."
I forced a grin, wincing. "Just a rough night, Aunty. I'm okay."
Sonia squeezed her mom's hand. "He helped me pay your bills, Mom. We're good now."
Her mom's eyes teared up. "You're too good, both of you. Be careful."
We sat for a bit, talking about small things—her mom's favorite TV show, the weather, how Lila made good chai. I kept looking around, hoping for a clue about Elena, but there was nothing—no strange letters, no weird vibes. Just a tired mom happy to see her daughter. After a while, Sonia kissed her mom's forehead. "We gotta go, Mom. I'll be back tonight."
Her mom nodded. "Take care, both of you."
We stepped outside, and Sonia sighed. "No sign of Elena here. I was hoping for something."
I nodded, disappointed. "Yeah, me too. Let's head to the hospital to see Angel. Maybe we'll think of something on the way."
The system pinged in my head, hidden from everyone but Sonia.
> *[SYSTEM ALERT]*
> *Quest Progress: Uncover the Truth*
> *Task Update: Investigate Elena's background further.*
> *Time Remaining: 2 days*
> *New Task: Check on Angel for emotional support.*
**[ HOSPITAL, ANGEL'S ROOM]**
We took a rickshaw to the hospital, the bumpy ride making my bruises scream. The hospital smelled of antiseptic and quiet worry. We reached Angel's room, and my chest tightened. There she was—my little sister, 14 years old, lying still in her bed. Her long, black hair spread across the pillow like a crow's feathers, her pale face framed by a white hospital gown that looked like moonlight. Machines beeped softly, keeping her alive. Her eyes, once twinkling like stars, were closed, and her sweet, angelic voice was silent. Four years ago, a monster in a store left her in this coma, her body fragile, her magic gone.
I sat beside her, taking her small hand. Sonia stood by the door, giving me space. "Hey, Angel," I whispered, my voice thick. "It's me. Sorry I've been busy. Rohit's acting weird, and I'm trying to fix it. Sonia says hi—she's thinking of you."
Sonia stepped closer, her voice soft. "Yeah, Angel. Miss you, kid."
I stared at Angel, hoping for a twitch, a sign she could hear me. Nothing. I glanced at Sonia. "Rohit's got me messed up. Calling us kids, you an outsider… I don't know what's gotten into him."
Sonia nodded, her eyes fierce. "It's Elena. We need to dig into her—X, online, anything. She's hiding something."
I squeezed Angel's hand. "I'll figure this out, Angel. For you, for Mom, for Rohit. Rest easy."
The system pinged again.
> *[SYSTEM ALERT]*
> *Quest Progress: Uncover the Truth*
> *Task Update: Continue investigating Elena's influence.*
> *Time Remaining: 2 days*
I stood, my fists clenched. "Let's go, Sonia. We'll start searching for Elena when we get back. She's behind this, and we're running out of time."
Sonia's jaw tightened. "We'll break her hold on him. For Angel, for everyone."