In a jaw-dropping twist that’s bound to send shockwaves through Salem, Days of Our Lives has just set the stage for one of the most unpredictable pairings in soap history — and trust us, no one saw this coming.

Forget everything you thought you knew about enemies-to-lovers storylines. Gabi Hernandez and Xander Cook — two characters who’ve spent more time slinging insults than sharing screen time — are now being primed for a romantic entanglement that could shake the very foundations of the show.

Let’s rewind to the moment this emotional earthquake began. On Monday, Gabi, clearly at her wit’s end, vented to Javi with a tirade that seemed pretty final: she hates working for Xander, she hates Xander, and she’s flat-out miserable. That kind of loathing usually means distance, avoidance, and a one-way ticket to separate storylines.

But Salem doesn’t play by real-world rules.

Longtime fans know that in the soap universe, hatred is often the spark that ignites passion. Where there’s smoke — in this case, angry outbursts and glares — there’s almost always fire. And for a character like Gabi, whose romantic history reads like a fiery ping-pong match between rage and desire, this setup is practically a flashing neon sign: “New Couple Incoming.”

Sure, if Xander and Sarah were still happily raising their daughter Victoria in a cozy domestic bubble, maybe Gabi’s disdain would have fizzled into nothing. But that’s not the case. Their relationship is on the rocks, and little Victoria has found herself in the middle of her parents’ war. Gabi, much to her own surprise, seems to be the only one who can still reach Xander’s bruised and battered heart.

In a stunning moment, Gabi reminisced about her own experiences as a mother, softly reminding Xander that Victoria’s at an age where she desperately needs her mom. Her words hit him like a freight train. One look at his face, and you could tell — something inside him shifted. It was the kind of raw, vulnerable silence that says more than words ever could. Could Gabi be the unlikely voice of reason to help him see the damage he’s causing his daughter?

If so, it’s a moment that could rewrite everything between them.

But that’s not the end of the emotional rollercoaster. Enter: Arianna, Gabi’s daughter — and a storyline twist so intense, it threatens to break open every emotional wall Gabi and Xander have ever built.

Ari’s kidnapping, teased in upcoming spoilers, becomes a catalyst for something even deeper. When Gabi is at her lowest, desperate and afraid for her child, it’s Xander who steps up to comfort her. Not J.J., who hasn’t shared more than a passing glance with Gabi in months. Not anyone from Gabi’s storied past. No — it’s the man she just claimed to despise.

Let that sink in.

The very man she swore she couldn’t stand may become her greatest source of strength.

This moment — dark, dramatic, and deeply human — could be the turning point. Xander has already shut down the possibility of reigniting things with Gwen, whose messy past with him is a constant cloud over his head. And now, as he steps in to help Gabi during what could be her darkest hour, there’s a raw, untamed chemistry bubbling just beneath the surface.

Could Gabi and Xander become the next power couple of Days of Our Lives? It seems unthinkable… and yet completely inevitable.

And let’s be honest — this kind of pairing is exactly what makes soaps iconic.

Their dynamic is complicated, explosive, and laced with potential redemption arcs for both characters. Gabi, long viewed as a woman driven by passion and vengeance, may finally meet someone who can match her intensity. And Xander, constantly caught between his darker instincts and his longing for connection, might finally find stability in the last place he expected — beside a woman who once wanted nothing more than to throttle him.

Whether they become lovers, allies, or each other’s emotional salvation, one thing is clear: the chemistry is undeniable. And with both of their lives in chaos, they may be the only ones who truly understand what the other is going through.

But what will this mean for Sarah? For Ari? For the tangled web of love and rivalry that’s always defined life in Salem?

We can only imagine. But one thing is certain: the days ahead are going to be filled with heartbreak, passion, and more than a few explosive reveals.

So buckle up. The storm’s not coming — it’s already here.

And Gabi and Xander? They’re standing right in the eye of it.