A few days later-almost on the very same day-the news broke like wildfire: the companies belonging to Calliope and Ryan had both declared bankruptcy. The public was in an uproar over the simultaneous collapse of two major enterprises.

"Damn it! How could you even think of using our house as collateral? Are you insane?"

"Then where the hell are we supposed to live now?"

Calliope, fuming with rage, hurled everything within reach. She flung a cup straight at Galvin with terrifying force. He ...