The following day.
The whole family was busy packing things for their stay in the hospital.
Irene decided to get a private room for her mother's post-surgery recovery. She just want to make sure that if a complication arises, a doctor can attend to her mother's condition right away.
Good thing, the hospital allowed the children's presence as well, as long the private room is fully paid for.
Adoora was comforted with the fact that after the surgery she will be surrounded by her children. Her fear of the operation gradually lessened knowing that her family will be there to take care of her and cheer her up.
She wants her illness to go away forever so that she can take good care of her children properly and not become a burden to them.
Hours went by.
After finishing their lunch, Irene's family hired a taxi and proceed to the hospital.
When they arrived to their destination, Irene and Adoora settled the children in the private room, giving them corn snacks while watching TV. Then they proceed to the doctor's office for the surgery.
Fifteen minutes later.
Adoora and the doctor entered the room to start the surgery.
Irene waited patiently outside the surgery room, holding her rosary in her hands, praying fervently for a successful operation. Hopefully, no complications afterward.
She was just thankful that this time she has enough money to pay the medical bills. She's making sure that her mother will have a good recovery experience after the surgery without worrying about the money.
The surgery operation will take more or less 4 hours, she should go back to their private room to watch over her siblings.
She rose to her feet and left the surgery room, going back to the private room that she had rented in the East Wing of the hospital.
Six hours later.
The surgery was successful. After staying in the recovery and observation room for a few hours, Adoora was then transferred to the private room to continue her recovery. The doctor will visit her several times a day to monitor her condition.
Before the nurses and doctor left the room, they made sure that Adoora's condition in the room was good.
Irene looked at her mother. "Are you okay, Mother?" she asked worriedly.
Adoora smiled brightly. "I'm feeling fine, don't worry about me. I'll just need to rest, I'm feeling sleepy," she answered, stifling a yawn.
"Okay. Rest well, Mother," Irene said, feeling relieved.
Irene and her siblings spent the rest of the evening watching TV while Adoora continued sleeping after eating her dinner.
That night.
Irene and her siblings sleep at 9:00 in the evening.
Half an hour later, she was already in a deep sleep.
She dreamed of Brent again. This time the location of her dream is on a secluded beach.
They were sitting, facing each other on the white sand beach.
Brent looked at his woman with adoration shining brightly in his eyes. "So... how does it feel when you already have lots of money in your position? Did you enjoy my gifts, sweetie?" he asked.
Irene looked at her with narrowed eyes. "How is it possible that the gold nuggets are real? But you only exist in my dreams! How did you do it?"
Brent took a deep breath. "I only exist in your dreams for now. I will appear to you for real anytime soon," he said.
"Who are you really-?" she asked, eager to discover his identity.
"I'm a powerful vampire that was trapped inside the ring that you are wearing in your finger right now. You awakened me, therefore, you and I are meant to be. You are my woman whether you like it or not," he said, looking tenderly into her eyes.
"Y-you are a vampire? I can't give my heart to a vampire! I won't love someone like you! Please leave me alone!" she yelled into his face.
Brent released a deep sigh. "Don't be stubborn! Don't resist your destiny! Don't waste your time pushing me away. I won't leave you alone because you are my woman!" he said in a hard commanding tone.
Irene shook her head. "No! I'm not your woman! I will never associate myself with someone like you! Leave me alone!" she said, screaming at his face. She rose and ran in the direction of the woods.
Sighing, Brent watched Irene disappeared into the woods. These are the series of dreams that he created in her mind during her sleep. But based on how she reacted right now, things are not going to be easy for him. Irene appeared so feisty in her dream already, how much more in real settings? So disappointing!
"Such a stubborn woman!" he murmured to himself.
A few minutes later.
Irene woke up in the middle of her dream, panting hard after running around in circle in the woods trying to avoid the vampire in her dream.
Having a vampire admirer in her dreams terrifies here.
The owner of the golden nuggets was a vampire named Brent.
He claimed that she freed him from his hibernation inside the ring, it's not true, isn't it?
But it can't be denied that if the vampire didn't inform her about the existence of the golden nuggets then she would have no idea of their existence.
That is a fact!
She stared at the silver ring on her finger, she tried removing it from her finger but failed each time. C-could it be the vampire's making?
Is it really her destiny to be the vampire's woman?
She was shaking her head, trying to expel the thoughts of the vampire from her mind.
The more she thinks about him, the more she's getting paranoid. She feared that she's going crazy anytime soon!
Wondering if he is real or not... or just a figment of her imagination was mentally exhausting!
Sighing, she stood up and left the folding bed, going to the table, pouring water into the glass.
While drinking the water, her confusion intensifies.
Maybe, she was just imagining things in her mind.
Maybe, the vampire only existed in her hyperactive imagination and was incorporated into her dreams.
Maybe...
If she will ignore the vampire in her dreams, perhaps, he will go away and never come back.
But what if the vampire will continue bothering her in her dreams? What is she going to do?
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds.
As long he won't exist in her reality, she can bear his presence. He should exist in her dreams only!
Because if he will become real, she will go crazy!
She glanced at her mother and her siblings, they're already sleeping soundly. She should return to sleep. She went back to the folding bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling of the room, waiting for sleepiness to take over her senses.
Financially wise, everything is going well for her and her family right now. The only thing that is not right with her life is the presence of the vampire in her dreams, it's bothering her a lot.
Her greatest fear would be that the vampire will terrorize her reality, soon.
She hoped it wouldn't come to that point.
Because she will never fall for a vampire!
She will never associate herself with beings of his kinds!
But if the vampire is real and it he will get mad at her because she refused to submit to him then there's a big possibility that will remove the gold nuggets from her position. What she's going to do if things will come to that point?
She just can't let the gold nuggets disappear just like that!
No!
She won't allow it!
She will find a way to sell them all before the mysterious vampire takes them away.
After her mother's recovery and house repair, she will start selling the gold nuggets all over the country.