WARNING SIGNS
1025 Words
CHAPTER SIX
Elena Carter woke up with a strange heaviness in her body.
At first, she didn’t understand what was wrong.
She lay still, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather her thoughts. The conversation from yesterday echoed in her mind—Dominic’s proposal, his calm tone, the way he looked at her like he already knew her answer.
Her chest tightened slightly.
“A contract marriage…” she whispered.
It still sounded unreal.
But before she could think further, a sudden wave of nausea hit her.
Elena’s eyes widened
“What—”
She quickly sat up, pressing her hand against her mouth as the sensation intensified.
Her stomach churned violently.
Without thinking, she rushed out of bed and into the bathroom.
Moments later, she was leaning over the sink, breathing heavily.
Nothing came out, but the nausea lingered.
“What is wrong with me?” she muttered weakly.
She splashed cold water on her face, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
Her skin looked pale.
Her eyes tiwere red.
Maybe it was stress.
It had to be stress.
Everything that had happened in the past few days—her breakup, that night, the new job, Dominic’s proposal—it was too much for anyone.
“Yeah… that’s it,” she said softly.
“Just stress.”
But even as she said it…
Something didn’t feel right.
---
By the time Elena arrived at work, the uneasy feeling hadn’t gone away.
If anything, it had gotten worse.
She sat at her desk, trying to focus on the tasks in front of her, but her body felt off.
Heavy.
Tired.
And that strange nausea kept coming and going.
“Elena, are you okay?”
She looked up to see one of the staff members watching her.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, forcing a small smile.
“Just didn’t sleep well.”
The woman nodded but didn’t look convinced.
Elena returned her attention to the computer, determined to ignore the discomfort.
She couldn’t afford to look weak.
Not here.
Not now.
---
“Come in.”
Dominic’s voice echoed from inside his office.
Elena stood immediately, grabbing her notepad before stepping inside.
The moment she entered, his gaze landed on her.
Sharp.
Observant.
“You look unwell,” he said.
Direct.
Blunt.
Elena stiffened slightly.
“I’m fine, sir.”
Dominic didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he studied her face more closely.
“You’re pale.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Are you sick?”
“No.”
“Are you lying?”
Her grip tightened on the notepad.
“No.”
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Dominic leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable.
“Sit.”
She obeyed.
---
As he began discussing work matters, Elena tried to focus.
Really tried.
But her body wasn’t cooperating.
The words blurred slightly.
Her head felt light.
And then—
That same wave of nausea hit again.
Stronger this time.
Elena froze.
Her breath caught.
“Sir…” she started, her voice slightly shaky.
Dominic stopped mid-sentence.
“What is it?”
“I—”
She pressed her hand against her stomach.
“I need a moment.”
Without waiting for permission, she stood up quickly and rushed out of the office.
---
She barely made it to the restroom.
Leaning over the sink again, she struggled to steady herself.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her hands trembling.
This wasn’t normal.
This wasn’t just stress.
“Get it together,” she whispered to herself.
“You’re fine.”
But her body didn’t listen.
---
A few minutes later, she returned to her desk, trying to act like nothing had happened.
But Dominic noticed.
Of course he did.
“Elena.”
She turned.
“Yes, sir?”
“Come here.”
Her heart sank slightly.
She walked back into his office.
This time, he didn’t ask her to sit.
Instead, he stood up.
“You’re not fine,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
Elena sighed softly.
“I’m just tired.”
“From what?”
She hesitated.
“Everything.”
That answer seemed to catch his attention.
Dominic’s expression softened—just slightly.
But it was there.
“You need to take care of yourself,” he said.
“I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
The firmness in his voice made her look up at him.
“Sir—”
“You’ll go to the hospital tomorrow,” he said suddenly.
Elena blinked.
“…What?”
“That wasn’t a suggestion.”
“I don’t need—”
“You do.”
His tone cut her off instantly.
Elena felt a mix of frustration and confusion.
“Why do you care?” she asked before she could stop herself.
The question hung in the air.
Dominic’s eyes darkened slightly.
“I don’t,” he said calmly.
“It’s an order.”
But something about that answer…
Didn’t feel entirely true.
---
Elena left his office again, her thoughts more tangled than ever.
A hospital?
Was it really that serious?
She didn’t think so.
But…
Her hand moved unconsciously to her stomach.
Something felt off.
Different.
And no matter how much she tried to ignore it—
The feeling wouldn’t go away.
---
That evening, Elena returned home exhausted.
She dropped her bag on the chair and sat down slowly.
Her body felt heavier than usual.
Her mind restless.
She stared at the ceiling again, just like the night before.
But this time…
Her thoughts were different.
More uncertain.
More uneasy.
“What if something is actually wrong?” she whispered.
The idea made her stomach twist again.
Not just from nausea.
But from fear.
---
She closed her eyes.
And once again—
That blurry memory appeared.
A man.
A voice.
Close.
Familiar.
Her breath hitched.
But just like before—
It disappeared before she could understand it.
---
Elena opened her eyes slowly.
Tomorrow.
She would go to the hospital.
Not because Dominic told her to.
But because…
She needed answers.
And deep down—
She was starting to feel like her life was about to change in ways she couldn’t control.
- Writer
