"Yesterday? What did I say yesterday?" Silas looked genuinely confused. He didn't remember anything from the previous night.

Norton and the other two men stared at him expectantly. Clearly, he had said something.

He tried again, "Did I say something I shouldn't have last night?" He couldn't recall anything except a sudden, inexplicable fall asleep. It was strange; how could he have dozed off like that, in that place?

Noticing his blank expression, Norton exchanged a glance with the others. It was obvious: Silas had been hypnotized. Whatever he'd said was likely deeply personal.

Remembering their overheard conversation, the three men fell silent, their gazes shifting between Silas and Calliope. Their expressions were complex.

"What's going on?" Calliope, sensing the strange tension, asked. Their reaction was unsettling.

"It's nothing!" Norton said with a grin. "Let's eat breakfast. Everyone must be starving."

Calliope remained suspicious but let it go. Over pancakes and coffee, she leaned toward Silas, whispering about her brothers' odd behavior and asking if anything unusual had occurred the night before.

Silas shook his head. He'd fallen asleep instantly after some casual conversation. He agreed that the men seemed off, but couldn't pinpoint why. He wasn't worried, though; he had nothing to hide. He cared deeply for Calliope and would do anything for her. If Norton and the others wanted to test him, he welcomed it.

After breakfast, they went grocery shopping. Calliope, the only woman in their group, made them an undeniably striking quartet.

Each man looked like he'd stepped from a GQ cover shoot—dashing, successful, and movie-star handsome. One might have gone unnoticed, but four together? They were impossible to ignore. And there was Calliope, stunningly beautiful, surrounded by her obviously devoted companions. Their evident care for her fueled the gossip and curious stares from onlookers.

Whispers filled the air: "Who are those guys? Are they celebrities?" "Holy crap, they're hot. Seriously, are there even guys like this in Hollywood?" "Am I seeing things? They're way too attractive!" "Wait, isn't that Julius?" "Yeah, but I don't recognize the guys he's with." "No, hang on, that's Silas from the Baker Group, isn't it? Mr. Myers himself! The richest guy in Capitalton!" "Well, if that's the company he keeps, the others must be big shots, too." "But who's the girl? What's her deal, standing there with all those handsome men?" "I'm dying of jealousy!" "Seriously, why can't my life look like that?"