Chapter 156

A second later, a photo popped up on the screen. A glossy chicken drumstick sat smack in the middle of a white porcelain plate, surrounded by golden scrambled eggs, stir-fried meat, and a hearty stew. Calliope swallowed hard. This... fire department food was next level. She replied with a drooling emoji, then snapped a pic of her dull takeout box and sent it too, adding a pitiful crying face for maximum effect. Minutes later, her phone buzzed again. Conrad: [Come downstairs.] Her eyes lit up instantly. She grabbed her phone and bolted toward the door. "Miss Godfrey, it's raining outside, your umbrella-" the receptionist called out behind her. "No need!" she threw back, a skip in her voice. The moment the elevator doors slid open, she spotted him standing there in the lobby. Conrad, sharp and upright, holding a thermal lunchbox in one hand like a scene straight out of a drama. She nearly jogged over, her excitement plain on her face. "You really brought this for me?" She reached for the