Chapter 52

• VERONICA
• I woke up with a start, gasping for breath as if I had been running in a marathon. My eyes were puffy, and a dull ache throbbed behind my temples. Another night of restless sleep plagued by haunting nightmares I let out a weary sigh, realizing that I must have cried myself to sleep again. It had become an all-too-familiar routine, my subconscious betraying me in the darkest hours of the night.
• Reluctantly, I dragged myself out of bed, trying to shake off the remnants of the dreams that lingered in my mind like a heavy fog. I knew that avoiding sleep altogether was not a sustainable solution. I went to the fridge, which was just In my room, and opened a can of bottled water and then gulped it down at once. I went back to bed feeling a lot better. I sat and enjoyed the night view from my window. The beautiful city of Italy I smiled to myself as I breathed heavily.