Chapter 135 fig. nightmares
Outside the emergency room at River North Hospital, just after William ended his call with Gabriel, his phone rang again. This time, it was Sophia calling.
The video of Yvonne humiliating Teresa was spreading wild online, topping the trending searches. Patrick and Sophia couldn't remain clueless.
So, when Sophia called, William relayed everything he knew in detail.
Learning that Teresa was unconscious and currently under treatment at the hospital, Sophia's eyes immediately moistened. Without asking further, she ended the call and joined Patrick in heading to the hospital.
After William ended the call, Jeffrey approached with his phone, wearing a grave expression, "William, look, there's a new video out," he said.
William frowned and took Jeffrey's phone to watch the video.
The video started with a close-up of Teresa and Liam's faces, not directly, but obvious to anyone who knew them. The content escalated with sensitive parts pixelated, but it was evident what had transpired.
However, beyond the initial shot, the faces of Teresa and Liam were not captured again.
In other words, the two people really doing it in the video weren't necessarily Teresa and Liam, and it was obvious the footage had been edited.
"William, should we reach out to get the video taken down?" Jeffrey asked quietly as he noticed William's furrowed brow.
William watched the video again before handing the phone back to Jeffrey, shaking his head, "Leave it be for now."
Given that his people had seen the video, there was no way the Garcias hadn't. If the Garcias hadn't taken any action, they must have their reasons.
Moreover, William had complete faith in his sister Teresa. Even if the Garcias didn't step in, he would get to the bottom of it and clear Teresa's name.
Jeffrey nodded, "Alright."
"How about Liam? How is he doing?" William asked immediately, thinking about the most crucial witness involved.
"He's out of danger, but he's still unconscious," Jeffrey replied respectfully.
William frowned slightly, nodded, and then sat down in a nearby chair without another word.
Right now, the priority was to make sure Teresa was safe.
As soon as Teresa woke up, everything would come into clearer focus.
...
Apart from multiple soft tissue injuries, there was nothing major wrong with Teresa's health. However, she was injected with a drug meant to alter her rationality, likely causing her to pass out, and she had not woken up since being brought out of the emergency room.
She was trapped in a lengthy nightmare, struggling in vain to escape its clutches.
The visions in the nightmare were bizarre and frightening, each scene filling Teresa with dread.
The final scene of her nightmare featured several burly men with knives wanting to cut her flesh to eat. She ran and ran until, not paying attention, she fell into a deep, wide pit.
In the nightmare, she was knocked out by the fall. When she woke up within the dream, she was surrounded by countless snakes hissing with tongues, some even coiling around her body, flicking their tongues onto her face.
She screamed in abject terror, crying out for help. The snakes were everywhere; she had nowhere to stand.
"Teresa."
Suddenly, in her nightmare, a familiar voice came from above. She looked up sharply, and upon seeing the man standing outside the pit, a flicker of hope ignited deep within her.
"Gabriel, save me, please save me!" she cried out, reaching desperately towards Gabriel, her voice laced with pleading.
But Gabriel just stood at the edge of the trap, staring down at her with a chilling indifference.
"Gabriel, please, save me!" Teresa's sobs racked her body as she screamed once more.
Yet, Gabriel didn't move to save her. After a brief, cold gaze, he turned his back heartlessly and walked away, as if she were a stranger to him.
"Gabriel!" "Gabriel... Gabriel... save me!"
Sophia stayed vigilantly at her bedside until, deep in the night, overcome by exhaustion; she accidentally drifted to sleep, as Teresa showed no signs of waking.
Suddenly, Teresa's cries pierced the silence, jolting Sophia awake to discover dawn breaking. Teresa was crying out in agony, her hands flailing in the air, as if trying to grasp something in. Her white pillowcase was already drenched with tears.
Without hesitation, Sophia lunged forward, gripping Teresa's wildly swinging hands, and then gently stroked her swollen cheeks, her voice filled with tender concern, "Teresa, wake up, dear, please, wake up. It's Mom. I'm here, dear."
Feeling the secure grip on her hands, Teresa slowly opened her eyes, and as her mother's caring, worried face came into view along with the surroundings of the hospital room, she realized that it had all been a nightmare.
But it had felt so real, painfully real!
"Teresa, my girl, don't be afraid, Mommy's here," Sophia reassured, feeling an overwhelming mix of relief and compassion as tears fell from her eyes.
"Mom!" Teresa sat up in her bed with clarity and clung to Sophia, tears of fear flooding freely.
The memories of what Yvonne had done to her the night before sent shivers down her spine. The physical tremors were uncontrollable, the real-life terror far surpassing the nightmare's horror.
Especially the memory of being taken to Yvonne's bathroom, where she was injected with some unknown substance, leading her to wishing she was dead rather than enduring the agony. Her whole body convulsed with vomiting as it felt like her insides were being churned mercilessly, every inch of her feeling devoured.
That agony was worse than the bite of a million venomous snakes, more harrowing in its cruelty.
"Teresa, sweetheart, it’s okay now, it's all okay. Don't be scared," Sophia murmured as she pulled Teresa into her embrace, feeling her shivers. She stroked Teresa’s back soothingly. "Even if the Garcias don't step up for justice, we will clear your name. We won't let Yvonne get away with this."
Teresa, with her eyes shut tight, clung to Sophia, drawing comfort from her warmth. Fright rendered her speechless, leaving her only able to respond with a nod.
Suddenly, the hospital room door swung open. Surprised, Sophia looked up to find Gabriel striding in.
After a grueling flight that lasted more than a dozen hours, Gabriel had landed at River North International Airport. Without a moment's delay, he dashed to his car and sped to the hospital, racing through who knows how many red lights to get there as fast as possible.
Now, standing at the door, he caught sight of Teresa nestled in Sophia's hug, eyes closed, tears streaming, nearly inconsolable. His heart felt as if it had been sliced open, bleeding with pain.
