Chapter 214

"Clang-" Her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a sharp bang. Calliope froze. Her whole body just locked up, like all the blood in her veins had turned to ice. Shot to death last night at Pine Mountain... A brutal scene... Widowed... Each word stabbed at her heart like a blade, twisting deeper. "Callie?" Eleanor's confused voice floated over from the hospital bed. "Did you get any news about Conrad?" Calliope snapped back to reality. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she stubbornly held back her tears. She turned to look at her mother, forcing out a strained smile that looked more painful than crying. "No, Mom. It's not about him." She bent down to pick up her phone, voice trying to sound calm but stumbling over her words. "There's something urgent at work, I need to step out for a bit. I'll go find him now." "Mia, can I trouble you to stay with my mom for a while?" The moment she stepped out of the hospital room, the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.