Chapter 1044
“You’ve got potential, but there’s still a lot you’ll need to work on,” Calliope told him. “At Alpha Entertainment, you’ll be expected to make changes—and the training is absolutely brutal p>
Before she could finish, Ulysses was nodding frantically, his eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and sheer desperation.
“I’ll do it! Whatever I need to change, I’ll change p>
“I can handle the training-I swear p>
“Everyone out there dreams of breaking into a company like that. With an
opportunity like this, there’s no way I’d let it go!” His voice trembled, thick with emotion. “Callie, thank you! I know you might not be doing this just for me, but I still have to thank you anyway p>
Ulysses could barely contain himself, but he tried not to let his excitement get out of hand.
Calliope simply turned and walked away without another word. Ulysses hurried after her, careful to keep his mouth shut in case saying more would somehow ruin his chances.
“I just hope you can make me some money,” she called over her shoulder.
“I’ll give it everything I’ve got! I promise I won’t let you down!” Ulysses said, nodding vigorously.
The very next day, Calliope was on the road back to Capitalton. Damien was driving, Calliope riding in the back seat as she sent a flurry of messages-lining up a reunion with Mavis and the others now that she was finally home.
She’d spent months crisscrossing the country with the film crew, constantly on the move and barely catching her breath. Now, at last, the show was finished.
In those months, Silas Myers had stopped by the set to visit her a few times, but not often; he always seemed to be in a hurry, and as a result, the two of them had barely kept in touch. She found herself wondering what would happen between them now that she was back.
“Damien, wait!” Calliope suddenly shouted, her brow furrowed.
Damien jumped, startled by her outburst.
“Pull over! I thought I just saw someone p>
She was staring hard at the roadside. At first glance, there was nothing there-but Calliope was sure she’d glimpsed a figure in the undergrowth.
Damien immediately eased the car to the shoulder. “Where? I don’t see anyone.” He craned his neck, scanning the trees.
But Calliope didn’t answer. She’d already thrown open the car door and jumped out onto the shoulder.
Damien hurried after her. The road was cut through a mountainside, flanked by thickets of wild shrubs, ending in a steep drop beyond the guardrail-a narrow band of greenery perched atop a dizzying Cliff. If anything was down there, it would be nearly impossible to spot.
“I think it’s just some clothes caught on the brush,” Damien called from behind her, squinting into the green. “Doesn’t look like a person from here. Why would anyone be out there p>
“It’s a person,” Calliope said, her frown deepening as she pushed through the tangle of plants.
She was right. As she got closer, it became obvious: a man, slumped on
the ground, his clothes sticky with blood Without hesitatio Calliope dropped to her knees and carefully
turned him over.
His face was ghostly white-and horribly familiar.
“Nigel?” she breathed.
“Nigel?” Damien echoed at the same time, stunned.
“What the-how is it him?” Damien stammered, his mouth twisting in shock. “Is he alive p>
Calliope pressed her fingers to Nigel’s neck, checking for a pulse. “He’s alive, but just barely,” she said, voice grim. “Go get my med kit from the car-I need to stabilize him p>
“On it!” Damien took off at a run.
Calliope gently adjusted Nigel’s
position, checking him for other
injuries? He was in bad shape, and if
they hadn’t happened to spot him just row, he probably wouldnt have
lasted much longer.