Chapter 283

The dream felt so real that I was left with a lingering sense of fear. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. When I got up, I found that Mom was already awake and busy in the kitchen. "Mom, why are you up so early?" I rubbed my eyes as I walked over to her. "I couldn't sleep," she said with a smile. "So, I thought I'd make you something nice to eat." A wave of warmth spread through my chest, and I stepped forward to hug her. "Mom, thank you." Breakfast was simple—just a bowl of steaming hot oatmeal with a few side dishes. Even so, it filled me with a deep sense of contentment. "Serena," Mom suddenly called. "Have you been troubled by something lately?" I froze for a moment, not expecting her to ask that. "No. Why?" "You seem distracted these past two days," she said with concern. "Is it because you're having trouble finding a job?" I hesitated for a moment but decided to swallow my words. "It's nothing. I've just been busy and didn't get enough sleep." She didn't