"What!" Lnd shrieked, his voice cracking. He spun on Damien. "Damien, she poisoned my boss! And you have the nerve to call Mr. Howell vicious? Your whole crew is toxic! Let go of him! Sir, hang on, I''ll get you a doctor immediately!"


    "No need for a doctor yet. Calliope didn''t poison me, she''s helping me!" Nigel''s head was pounding, and Lnd''s shrieking was drilling straight into his skull. Themotion was starting to draw stares from hotel guests.


    Calliope wanted to cover her face and walk away from the circus.


    She looked from the swaying Nigel to the panicked Lnd. "If you have apetent doctor on speed dial, then by all means, go find one."


    She was about to release Nigel and leave them to it when he grabbed her arm with surprising desperate strength. "Don''t leave. Help me!"


    "Help you?" Calliope gestured toward Ss''s assistant. "Your man here doesn''t seem to trust me, and frankly, neither does mine. I think it''s best if I don''t get involved in this crossfire."


    "No, this poison feels... strange. Different. You have to help me!" Nigel insisted, clinging to her. His dizziness intensified, his knees buckled, and he suddenly pitched forward as a dead weight.


    Lnd was too slow to react, but Calliope moved reflexively, catching Nigel by the back of his cor before he hit the floor. She looked down at the unconscious billionaire with a sense of profound resignation.


    "Well, your Mr. Howell has passed out. So, are you going to stand here arguing until he suffers permanent damage, or are you going to let me handle this?"


    "Ma''am, don''t help them! It''d be better for everyone if he just died!" Damien urged, though he looked uneasy. "This Nigel character is alwayspeting with Mr. Myers, trying to steal everything from him. You''ll only get hurt getting mixed up with him!" "How can you be so malicious!" Lnd shot back, tears actually forming in his eyes now. "Mr. Howell mightpete with Mr. Myers, but it''s always fairpetition! How dare you wish death upon someone! Damien, you''ve gone too far!"


    The two assistants were at each other''s throats again over Nigel''s limp body.


    Calliope nced down at the unconscious man. "If you two keep arguing, he really is going to have a problem. He''ll either end up dead or an idiot fromck of oxygen!"


    "We''ll stop! We''re stopping!" Lnd pleaded immediately, turning his desperate gaze to her. "Ms. Jewell I''m begging you! I know you''re incredible. Since Mr. Howell


    specifically asked for your help, you must be able to do something, right? Please, Mr. Howell.cam die What will I do if he dies? Ms. Jewell, I''m begging you! Mr. Howell trusts you, so I trust you!"


    Lnd''s aggressive posturing instantly dissolved into hysterical sobbing. Calliope stared; one minute he was ready to braw the next he


    was a blubbering mess. Da


    as


    clearly stunned into silence by the disy as well. He opened his mouth to retort, but seeing Lnd''s pathetic state, he seemed to decide it wasn''t worth the effort.


    "Fine. Carry him," Calliope ordered Lnd, taking charge. "Take him to his room immediately. I need to grab my medical kit. I''ll meet you there." She didn''t want to bring Nigel to her own suite, since Portia was still sleeping there.


    Lnd struggled to lift Nigel''s dead weight, grunting with effort, and looked at Calliope with pleading eyes for assistance.


    "Damien, give him a hand," Calliope said sharply.


    "But ma''am..." Damien hesitated, clearly reluctant to aid the enemy.


    "No buts. A man''s life is in danger. I''m asking you to help, so help," Calliope said firmly, her tone brokering no argument. "I''ll exin everything to Sster."


    "Yes, ma''am," Damien finally agreed,


    sighing. Although Nigel was his boss''s rival, he knew Mr. Myers wouldn''t just leave someone to die in a hotel hallway. Despite thei sharp tongues and constanto maneuvering, the two powerful men shared a grudging respect for each other, born from being rare equals in a cutthroat world.