Chereads / Desired life: the pursuit of wealth. / Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: “The First Step in a New Life”

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: “The First Step in a New Life”

MC POV

A sudden jolt ran through me as I blinked, finding myself lying on my bed, surrounded by the posters and clutter I hadn't seen in years. My heart raced. Am I really… back?

I glanced at the digital glow of my old alarm clock: November 13, 2004… 7:30 a.m. The date took me by surprise.

YouTube hasn't even launched yet, I thought, remembering my dad's early enthusiasm for tech. My family had a camera and a PC, rare enough to be a blessing.

The familiar smell of my mom's cooking drifted from the kitchen, and I could hear the faint sounds of the morning news on the TV.

I sat up, dazed, a mix of excitement and anxiety building in my chest. This is it. I've been sent back.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway, snapping me back to the moment. "Breakfast is almost ready! Don't forget to wash up!" My mom's voice was warm, her tone bringing back years of memories I thought I'd lost.

I swallowed, letting the reality of this second chance sink in. I wouldn't waste this life again. "Okay, Mom!" I called back, barely keeping the emotion out of my voice.

I rushed to the bathroom, my mind racing. As I stood in the shower, curiosity got the best of me. Could it be real? I hesitated for a moment, then muttered under my breath,

"Status screen."

To my shock, a glowing panel materialized before me:

________________________________________

[STATUS]


[Name: Jaxon Reid]


[Age: 15]

[Attributes]


[Strength: 4]


[Agility: 5]


[Endurance: 3]


[Intelligence: 7]

Skills]


[None]

[Skill Points]


[Points: 0]

________________________________________

Seeing the screen felt surreal. My heart pounded as I took in every detail, and a thrill of determination stirred within me. This time, I won't waste it.

After getting dressed, I made my way to the dining room, where my mom was setting out breakfast, and my sister Judy was already at the table, eating.

Dad was overseas for work, as usual, but this time, I felt the absence of him more sharply. I planned to make the most of every relationship I'd taken for granted.

As I sat down, my mom looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "So, what's the plan for today, son?"

"Not much, Mom. I thought I'd study my classwork," I said, aiming to sound more earnest than usual.

My sister snorted. "Watching cartoons, more like."

I grinned, taking her teasing in stride. Mom seemed slightly surprised by my calmness.

"It's unusual not to see you and Judy bickering," Mom remarked, clearly intrigued. "Usually, you'd run off to Sam's house."

I shook my head, feeling the weight of my resolve. "I think I'll stay in today." I didn't want to fall into old habits; I was here to rewrite my story.