Chapter 424

Conrad Hilliard lowered his gaze to her, eyes calm and unreadable. “There’s really not much to say.” After a slight pause, his voice dropped a notch as he added, “Before we became firefighters, we were all in special forces. So yeah, we made money faster and saved more. It was all for when we’d settle down with someone.” He said it like it was no big deal, like almost dying a few dozen times was just another part of growing up. But Calliope Godfrey couldn’t help staring at those guys—each one disciplined to the bone, even washing their hands looked like a military drill. Her respect for them hit a whole new level. Dinner was served, and the atmosphere buzzed with chatter and laughter. Halfway through the meal, Calliope stood up and poured a full cup of baijiu into her porcelain glass. She raised it up. “First, just wanna say a big thank you to everyone for coming over tonight. Conrad and I really appreciate it. And the gifts? Loved them all.” Her tone shifted slightly, more serious now