NEXT MORNING
The shrill ringing of Vanessa’s phone jolted her awake. She groaned softly, rubbing her eyes as she tried to push herself up from the warm cocoon of her bed. Squinting at the screen, she noticed three missed calls from Lily.
A quick glance at the clock on her nightstand confirmed it was just six a.m.
“Why is Lily calling me so early?” she muttered, her voice heavy with sleep.
She sat on the edge of her bed, her bare feet brushing against the cool tiled floor, and dialed Lily back. The phone barely rang twice before Lily picked up.
“Good morning, Ms. Rodriguez,” Lily greeted, though her voice lacked its usual cheerfulness.
“Morning, Lily. What’s wrong?” Vanessa asked, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach.
“Ms. Rodriguez, you need to check the trending news,” Lily sa
