Chapter 22

The next morning, Gabriella woke up and reached for her phone to check the time, just as she always did. The moment she unlocked the screen, a flood of missed calls poured in at once. There were so many that her phone froze for a moment. Her first thought was that something had gone wrong at the research institute. Panic gripped her as she bolted upright. Gabriella quickly freshened up and threw on a change of clothes. Just as she was about to rush out the door, Stephen walked out of the kitchen, still wearing his apron. "What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?" he asked. He looked puzzled by her frantic state but still handed her a glass of warm milk. "Drink this. You can't start the day on an empty stomach." Gabriella took the glass and downed a quick sip. "I just got a bunch of missed calls. I think something happened at the institute. I need to check it out," she explained between hurried gulps. But the moment the words left her mouth, something felt off. Her apar