Chapter 33 Drug Addiction
Jessica momentarily sobered at that realization.
She had just escaped to another country years ago after suffering from nightmares and sleeplessness for more than half a year. Because she was pregnant, she couldn't take regular medication, so her doctor had prescribed her this substance that wouldn't harm the baby but could calm her when she woke from nightmares.
Jessica had developed a strong dependency on the drug. She frequently used it until the doctor warned her that even if the medicine didn't affect the pregnancy directly, continuous use would not be good for the child. Thus, in the two months leading up to her delivery, she had made an effort to quit. After Danielle was born, her life seemed to reignite, and she hadn't touched the medicine since.
The medicine bottle was a relic of the past, inadvertently packed among her other possessions during her move back to the States. She hadn't checked the expiration date before carelessly stowing it away in the coffee table's drawer, convincing herself that she had left those nightmarish years behind.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed as he observed the color drain from her face, leaving her complexion an even more ghostly pale. His hold on her wrist was firm. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice edged with concern.
Feeling the persistent pressure on her wrist, Jessica pulled away gently but Gabriel released his grip. She turned away, her voice a murmur, "Nothing. It was just a nightmare."
But since when did nightmares call for medication?
Gabriel didn't immediately contradict her. He looked down at her with probing eyes, an inscrutable expression in his dark, cold gaze.
After a few moments, Jessica raised a hand to her face, briefly covering it in an attempt to regain her composure. Two minutes later, her breathing steadied, and she finally turned to look at him, her eyes clear of the previous confusion. "You seem to be healing quite well, don't you? You were very strong just now."
Instead of answering, Gabriel countered, "How long have you been taking that medication?"
Jessica didn't answer his question either, returning the question, "Do you remember who you are yet? Do you remember where your home is? Do you know when you plan on leaving after you're healed?"
Seeing him just looking at her, his face devoid of any superfluous expressions, she couldn't resist the pressing chill of his scrutiny, even if he was silent. The pressure emanating from him simply by standing there was too intense to ignore.
Worried that he might misunderstand her as being ill, she explained, even though she was reluctant, "I've had trouble sleeping due to nightmares for several years, and I wasn't in a good mental state. Being pregnant, I couldn't take other sleep aids, so I started on these sedatives. I might have developed a dependency over time, so I seek them out whenever the nightmares strike. But don't get me wrong; I'm not sick."
Not wanting to face his piercing gaze any longer, she averted her eyes and, after a moment, said, "If you're healed, maybe it's time for you to…"
Suddenly, the man in front of her cleared his throat.
She quickly looked up at him, only to see that the man who had seemed so powerfully strong just moments ago had coughed softly and placed a hand over his chest, saying, "It's OK, go back to sleep. I can't handle your midnight worries with my injuries. I'm going to rest too, goodnight."
After speaking, he turned and walked slowly back, appearing as if his injuries were still quite severe.
"You..." Jessica stared at his retreating figure, speechless.
Gabriel entered the main bedroom as though he hadn't heard her and closed the door behind him.
Jessica thought to herself that not only had she nearly been mistaken for a neurotic, but she was also thoroughly treated like a fool?
