Gabrielle’s POV
I didn’t mean to slip away. Really, I didn’t. But I just couldn’t sit there at home any longer. The tension between Matthew and I was suffocating, and I needed a break. So, when he was in the office, I snuck out, telling myself it would only be a quick trip to the mall. Just a few groceries, nothing major.
But that wasn’t what it turned into.
I walked through the aisles, my mind racing. Matthew’s constant protectiveness was starting to feel a little too much, and I knew he was worried about the silver key, about Ruelle, about everything. But I needed space, too. I wasn’t a fragile little thing who needed constant surveillance.
I was just about to grab some bread when my phone buzzed.
It was a message from Matthew: Where are you?
I frowned. It was so like him to check
