Chapter 177: Messy day.

She had taken control of her life, choosing to ignore the distractions of the past and embrace the peacefulness of the present. The soft darkness enveloped her, lulling her into a restful slumber, free from the turmoil of her previous marriage. Jennifer's eyes fluttered open, heavy with the weight of a thousand bricks Her head throbbed with a dull ache, like a bass drum beating in her brain. The pain was a constant, relentless pulse that seemed to synchronize with her very heartbeat. She groggily reached for her forehead, her hand feeling like a leaden weight, as if gravity itself was pulling her down. Her skin was clammy, her mouth dry and parched, like the Sahara desert. Her tongue felt swollen, her lips cracked and brittle. She tried to swallow, but her throat was a parched, sandy dune, scraping against her tongue like a razor. As she struggled to sit up, a wave of nausea washed over her, threatening to engulf her like a tsunami. Her stomach churned, her gut twisting into