Chapter 345 - 345: A Dream That Feels So Real

Clink! 

Splash!

Clink!

Splash!

Erick woke to the clinking sound of metallic objects and the splashing sound of running water. It appeared that those sounds were coming from his kitchen.

He slowly sat up and leaned back on the headboard of his bed. His eyelids were weighed down. He raised his hand to massage the space in between his brows.

He felt strange. Last night was throbbing in pain and his temperature was hot. But the moment he touched his forehead he could feel that his temperature went back to normal.

He knew that he was having a fever last night but he didn't take any medicine so how come he was feeling much better now compared to last night.

His mind was in shambles for a moment then he remembered something. He'd dreamt of her last night. He saw Elle in his dream.

In his delirious state, he caught a glimpse of her and felt her familiar presence inside his room. Was it really a dream? It seemed to be true. He pondered to himself.

Then he recalled yesterday's event. But for some unknown reason, he didn't feel so miserable, unlike yesterday. 

'Is this because I saw her in my dream? And for the first time, my dream didn't turn into a nightmare but the other way around. At first, I could see Elle leaving me. I saw her dying in my arms then suddenly those unpleasant scenes disappeared when I felt her presence.'

"Last night… she took care of me. I felt her touch… her warmth." Erick mumbled as he tried to remember what he had seen to what he thought was his dream.

Then he brought his finger to his face, tracing his dry lips. 

"She kissed me, not once, not twice… but she kissed me several times," Erick mumbled then his heart started to pound rapidly inside his chest.

Badum! Badum!

"Why do I feel like everything that happened was not just a dream? It feels so real! I heard her voice… loud and clear. She said she was sorry. She said..." 

{ "I love you, Erick. I'd love you in the past, I still love you now and I will keep loving you in the future." }

His mind kept replaying those sweet words coming from her.

On impulse, he got off the bed, stood up, and peered at his surroundings. Everything was all the same. No sign of someone else's presence.

Erick heaved a frustrated sigh. "Erick… Here we go again, having another false hope."

Kaa-chunk! Kaa-chunk!

Erick heard again another faint sound coming from outside. This time it was a sound of a knife slicing something.

Erick frowned, "There's someone outside. Not only one. Who are they?" 

He could hear the sound of footsteps moving across the house. He became alert. He took light steps as he slowly opened his door. He proceeded to the kitchen where the sounds were coming from.

Then he saw two figures working busily in his kitchen.

"Mom?! Dad?!" Erick called them out with his surprised expression

"What are you two doing here?" he asked them quizzically.

"Oh, son! You're awake." His mother, Sarah, stopped what she was doing and immediately ran towards Erick, hugging him.

"Of course, we are cooking." His father cracked some jokes but Erick did not laugh so he gave him a serious answer. 

"We are here to visit our only son." Then Raymond looked at Sarah. They exchanged meaningful glances with each other.

"Why is it you didn't inform me that you are coming?"

"Because this is an unplanned and surprise visit." This time it was Sarah who answered him

"Why, son? Are you not happy to see us?" she added, pretending to be sad and upset.

"Mom, of course not. I was just asking. I didn't expect to see you as early as this. What time did you travel? Because if I could estimate it, you probably left our province by 11:00 pm last night."

Raymond and Sarah paused for a moment. They met each other's gazes once again as if they were communicating with their eyes. 

Erick was right, they left their province by 11:00 pm and headed straight to his place because they were so worried about Erick. 

How did they find out that Erick was having a hard time last night, that they became worried sick about their son? 

Well, that was a secret for now in which only the husband and wife were aware of it.

After breakfast, Erick took a bath, getting ready for work, though he hadn't completely recovered yet from his cold.

**********

Erick arrived at their headquarters. Bryan, Carl, Allen, and June would come later this afternoon because they were the ones who did the surveillance operation last night.

April and Rose were the only ones present this morning. They greeted Erick as soon as they saw him. Erick merely nodded at them before he entered his office.

"Chief Lee went back to his abnormal self." Rose couldn't help herself but mumble.

April nodded her head in agreement. "I think he was still shaken by yesterday's revelation."

"Grrr… I want to skin that Officer Clint alive! He was the cause of this." Rose said as she crumpled the scratch paper she was holding in her hand.

April just giggled at Rose's reaction. "Stop doing that. Let's just help Chief Lee to move on."

"Yeah… I know. We should do that." Rose sighed deeply.

It did not take long when Erick summoned them in his office, asking them for updates regarding Senator Mondragon's death threat case.

The three of them were discussing when they heard a knock. Erick told the person outside to come in. Erick had complex emotions upon seeing the newcomer. It was Elle.

Rose and April noticed the change of attitude of Erick towards Elle or rather Aliyah. The warm smile that he always wore whenever he would see her was gone.

Meanwhile, Elle was looking at Erick with a deep frown in her face. She came to visit to find out whether Erick stayed at home today or not. 

'I knew it! He would still come at work even if he hadn't completely recovered! Just last night he was burning with fever. What is he doing here? He should be at his house, resting.'

On reflex, Elle suddenly asked Erick, "Why are you here?"

And to everyone's surprise, Erick responded to her… very coldly, "I should be the one asking you that. Why are you here... Miss Aliyah Ross?"

Rose: "..."

April: "..."

'What happened to the world or rather the weather? Why suddenly we feel the chill inside this room?'