When the Future Called

My eyes shot open in "The Daily Grind," our favorite coffee shop, the bitter taste of espresso echoing a nightmare I couldn't shake.

Across from me, my boyfriend, Ethan, scrolled on his phone seemingly oblivious, while the barista, Sabrina Chavez, zeroed in on my new work laptop.

Her sweet voice dripped with poison as she commented on my "corporate" success, hinting at how Ethan "worked so hard" and how "nice" it must be to afford luxuries.

But her words weren't sweet to me; they were a chilling echo of a vivid nightmare, a terrifying memory of betrayal, public humiliation, and ultimately…