A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 276

Matilda didn't sleep well that night. Her dreams were chaotic—first she was being chased by Yvan, and then suddenly Adrian was dragging her forcefully.

She relived the sensation of an unexpected, intense kiss. Matilda woke up in a cold sweat, hugging herself tightly. Logan stirred in his crib, rubbing his eyes. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Matilda shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off the lingering dream. "Nothing, honey, Mommy's fine..."

She flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, mirroring Orson's bewildered look from the room next door. Her face felt warm; it had been too long since she'd had such an ambivalent and thrilling dream.

At six in the morning, both Orson and Matilda were wide awake, plagued by insomnia. Adrian, their next-door neighbor, wasn't doing much better. He woke up with dark circles under his eyes from a restless night and sat up, sneezing abruptly.

"Is someone talking about me?" he muttered, suspecting it was Matilda.

Unable to sleep, he decided to go for a morning jog. He opened the patio door and stepped out onto the balcony, only to run into Matilda next door.

She hadn't expected to see Adrian so early while gathering the laundry, and her face flushed as she recalled the dream from the night before. She hid behind a pile of clothes. "Why are you out here?"

"Can't a guy get up early?" Adrian replied with a mischievous grin, his eyes sparkling like precious stones.

He was almost too handsome. Adrian watched Matilda from behind her makeshift shield of clothes, his thoughts mischievous. "Keep hiding. As if those clothes can really cover you."

As Matilda collected some undergarments, Adrian chuckled. "Is that black lace yours?"