Chapter 276: Irene's Dream

Irene jolted awake, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The room was shrouded in darkness, the only illumination coming from the faint glow of the streetlights filtering through her curtains. She sat up in bed, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to shake off the remnants of the nightmare that had gripped her moments before. It had been a dream, she told herself, trying to calm the rapid flutter of her pulse. But it had felt so real, so visceral, that it lingered in her mind like a haunting specter. In the dream, David had been there, his face twisted into a grotesque mask of rage and betrayal. He had loomed over her, his voice a chilling whisper in the darkness as he spoke words that sent shivers down her spine. Irene shuddered, the memory of the dream still fresh and raw in her mind. She could feel the cold sweat clinging to her skin, turning her nightdress damp against her body. With trembling hands, she reached for the glass of water on her bedside table,