Chapter 1 A Sense Of Unease

• My name is Danielle Lopez, and I am 30 years old.
• I had always been the object of envy among my peers. Not only did I live in a luxurious detached home in the upscale neighborhood of Ivywood, but I also had a young, handsome, and caring husband who loved me deeply. Kevin Diaz was his name, and he used to be a highly regarded senior stylist. On the other hand, I had previously owned a successful medical equipment company, which brought in a substantial annual income.
• After getting married, I quickly gave birth to three adorable children. Balancing my career with my responsibilities as a mother became increasingly challenging. Worried about my well-being, my husband voluntarily quit his job to help me run the company. As the business flourished under his management, I made the decision to become a full-time homemaker, enjoying life while taking care of my husband and children. From the outside, it seemed like I had it all.
• However, I began to notice a decline in my health. I was losing hair constantly, feeling more lethargic with each passing day. My memory was deteriorating, and I found myself slipping into a sort of trance-like state, consumed by depression.
• Kevin believed that my symptoms were typical of anxiety disorders. He searched tirelessly for renowned physicians who prescribed various traditional medicines for me. Our nanny, Tania Lode, diligently prepared and administered the medications according to schedule.
• Little did I know, this was just the beginning of my downfall.
• One day, I was abruptly awakened by a sharp pain in my head. In my drowsiness, I accidentally knocked over the bowl of medicine that Tania had brought me.
• Seizing the opportunity while I struggled with fatigue, our gluttonous cat, Ria, eagerly devoured every drop of the medicine it had been eyeing. By the time I realized what had happened, Ria had jumped onto the windowsill, blissfully grooming itself.
• When Tania came to collect the bowl, I chose not to mention the incident to spare her the trouble of preparing the medicine again. To be honest, I had grown tired of it, as it didn't seem to be benefiting me in any way. If it weren't for my husband's insistence on finding and ensuring I took it on time, I would have discarded it long ago.
• Since falling ill, the everyday life and well-being of my entire family had rested on Tania's shoulders. Despite being overwhelmed with responsibilities, she never complained. Sometimes, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
• After exchanging some small talk, Tania swiftly took the empty bowl and went about her chores.
• I turned to look at my pillowcase, once again covered with strands of my fallen black hair. It was a distressing sight. Letting out a sigh, I gathered the fallen hair and absentmindedly rolled it into a ball, tucking it into the pocket of my loungewear.
• Suddenly, I was startled by a dull thud behind me.
• Placing my hand over my chest, I took a moment to catch my breath before cautiously rolling over to the other side of the bed. I discovered that Ria, who had been leisurely enjoying the view from the windowsill, had fallen to the ground. It lay there motionless, sprawled out on its back, not making a sound.
• For some reason, this filled me with a sense of foreboding. "Ria!" I called out, but the cat remained unresponsive.
• In an instant, a chill ran down my spine, and my hair stood on end. Ria had never behaved like this before. Cats were known for their nine lives and excellent balance, so how could Ria have fallen from the windowsill and ended up in such a state?
• Is it... dead? My heart pounded as I leaned over, trembling, to examine Ria. I noticed that it was breathing heavily. It didn't appear to be dead but rather asleep! But such a deep sleep...
• Suddenly, a terrible thought flashed through my mind.
• Instinctively, I jumped out of bed and picked up Ria without giving it much thought. The cat was limp and unconscious, without any signs of defense. I couldn't help but think about myself. Do I sleep in a similar way to Ria every single day? Could it be... As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I shuddered, feeling as if I had fallen into an icy abyss. I dared not dwell on it any longer!
• Before I could ponder further, the familiar sound of footsteps echoed outside the door. It was likely Kevin returning...
• In a hurry, I instinctively climbed back into bed with Ria in my arms. Pulling the blanket over the peculiarly behaving creature, I controlled my breathing and pretended to be sound asleep.
• At the same time, the door handle clicked open. My heart raced, and I even sensed a pair of eyes glancing at my back, causing a lingering pain as my hands trembled uncontrollably under the blanket.
• However, the footsteps didn't draw closer as I had anticipated. Instead, they retreated. Just as the door was about to close, I heard Kevin ask, "Has she taken it?"
• The rest of his words were muffled behind the door, leaving me clueless about what he had said.
• In that moment, I opened my eyes, overwhelmed by an unprecedented fear that washed over me and consumed my soul. I didn't even know where I was at that very moment! Was I in a dream, experiencing a nightmare?
• The scene before me couldn't help but remind me of that bowl of medicine.
• I had kept Ria as a pet for many years, and it had never been in such a state before. The only difference was that it had just ingested my medicine. That thought filled me with dread.
• Is someone trying to harm me?