Her nightmares

She was having unsettling dreams again. In her sleep, she saw a strange creature chasing someone, only for it to seem like it was fleeing as well. Her body was drenched in sweat, her breathing rapid and shallow. It was the middle of the night when her eyes suddenly flew open in terror. 

She tried to move but couldn’t—her entire body felt paralyzed, like she was bound by an invisible force. Then she heard faint voices from nearby, and one of them sounded like Ria. Struggling, she finally managed to sit up, only to see Ria lying in the same room as her, with her husband by her side. The sight made her want to scream, but no sound came from her throat. She kept screaming in silence, her voice trapped inside her. 

“Leave him alone... he’s my husband... Dominic, Dominic…” She was calling out for Dominic, even in her dream. Hearing his name, Dominic, who had just entered the room, rushed to her side, alarmed. 

“Sophia…” he said gently, placing his hand on her cheek. Her skin was burning hot, as if she were on fire. She had developed a fever so intense that her body couldn’t fight it anymore. Dominic noticed her legs trembling slightly, and his concern deepened. 

He called her name repeatedly, but she didn’t respond. Her fever had completely overwhelmed her. Without hesitation, Dominic grabbed a bowl of water and some cloth to cool her down. His face was tense with worry as he gently pressed the damp cloth to her forehead and tended to her through the night. 

Dominic had just finished a long day of office work and was ready to collapse into bed, but all his exhaustion was forgotten when he saw Sophia like this. He stayed awake the entire night, giving her fever medicine, refreshing the bandages, and making sure she was as comfortable as possible. 

By morning, the fever finally subsided. Exhausted but with no choice, Dominic asked the maid to take care of Sophia before he hurried to his office for an important meeting. He hadn’t rested a single moment all night. 

When Sophia woke up, she found the maid sitting beside her with a worried expression. “How are you feeling now?” the maid asked softly. 

“Thank God, I feel much better,” Sophia replied, sitting up weakly. 

“Thank you,” she said, gratitude filling her voice. “If it weren’t for you, I might have burned alive with that fever.” Sophia had no idea that someone else had been up all night taking care of her. 

The maid gave a small smile. “There’s no need to thank me; it’s my job.” 

Sophia nodded quietly. 

“I’ll make you some breakfast and bring it up with your medicine,” the maid added, getting up and heading to the kitchen. 

As Sophia lay back on the bed, the memories of her dream flooded her mind. Seeing Ria in her room with her husband had felt more like a nightmare than a simple dream. She closed her eyes, trying to shake the unease, but her head still felt heavy, and her body weak. 

Downstairs, the maid prepared breakfast, placing it on a tray. Just as she was about to bring it upstairs, the telephone rang. She placed the tray on the table and answered the phone. 

“Hello?” 

From the other end came a chilling voice. “How is she feeling now?”  The maid hesitated before replying, “Her fever has just gone down. I was about to bring her breakfast.” 

“Good. Her phone is off—turn it on and leave it next to her,” the voice instructed before abruptly disconnecting.  Despite being busy, Dominic had made the effort to check on Sophia through the maid, his concern evident even from a distance. 

The maid brought Sophia’s breakfast upstairs, helped her sit up, and ensured she ate and took her medicine. Sophia felt a bit more grounded after eating, though her thoughts were still clouded by the lingering remnants of her dream. 

Following Dominic’s instructions, the maid retrieved Sophia’s phone from her clutch, switched it on, and placed it next to her pillow before quietly leaving the room.