Chapter 22

This time, he had to hold Calista's hand tightly. He would tell her how much he missed her.

Ken drove to the location Ian had mentioned. A shuttle bus was parked there, as promised. Ignoring the stop sign, he rushed onto the bus, finding it empty except for the driver, who was speechless. "Hey, this is a private shuttle. I'm afraid I can't let you on."

Ken's heart sank. "Please, I'm begging you—is there a girl named Calista at your base?"

The driver shook his head. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I don't know who you're talking about."

Dejected, Ken stepped off the bus and wandered aimlessly. Where could Calista be?

Suddenly, he saw a figure resembling Calista in the crowd. His heart raced as he hurried forward, calling, "Calista! Calista!"

"Spring is almost here; let's get you some new outfits," Henry chattered beside her. "Oh, and let's stock up on those cakes you love so much."

Calista was distracted. "What's the matter? Are you alright?" Henry asked, noticing her absentmindedness.

Calista glanced back. "Henry, I could have sworn I heard someone call my name."

Henry also looked around but saw no one. Smiling reassuringly, he said, "There's no one there, darling. You must have misheard."

Frowning, Calista scanned the area again. Seeing it was deserted, she forced a smile. "I suppose you're right. I probably imagined it."

In his excitement, Ken accidentally bumped into a nearby stand, knocking over some merchandise. "Hey, what's the big idea? Look, I've got somewhere to be. Just tell me how much for everything, and I'll pay!"

The vendor refused to budge. Gripping Ken's arm, he insisted, "You knocked over my goods, pal. Don't even think about leaving until you've paid!"

Ken could only watch helplessly as Calista disappeared into the crowd. His heart ached.

After settling the bill, Ken found no trace of Calista. He was devastated.

Clutching her photo, he desperately asked passersby, "Excuse me, have you seen this girl? Please, she just passed by here. I'm begging you…"

Ken's frantic demeanor made people wary. They hurried away, assuming he was unstable. A sense of powerlessness washed over him. "Calista… where are you…" he whispered.

Remembering the base's shuttle, Ken rushed back to the pickup point, only to find it had already departed. He leapt into his car and sped off in pursuit. "Calista, wait for me!"

The couple in the shuttle remained unaware of the car following them. Calista was admiring her new Louis Vuitton purchases.

Arriving home, Calista rushed to try on her new clothes while Henry tidied the living room.