Rags to Riches: The Story of a Self-Made Success

crinkling between her fingers. The words echoed in her m

emed to stretch and shift, taking on shapes that weren't there before. Anne

e gotten he

aintly glowing once more. The light wasn't

r, pacing the room. Her thoughts spi

choose me? And what pri

mpty, but the oppressive feeling lingered, as if

, dragging a gray d

e pendant and the note. The soft glow of the pendant pulsed in time with her

hone

he reached for the phone cautiously, her hea

ted before

el

was different from before-c

is

Someone who knows wh

ned on the phone.

nt. The Mu

How do you kn

g about it. And I

dropped lo

Whatever he's promised yo

her spine. "Who are you?

ne wen

e blank screen. Her mind raced. The Muse'

nd what di

the pendant into her pocket. She needed to clear her mind, and

if it were pulling her in a specific direction. The city seemed different today-d

. But her strokes felt different-sharper, more urgent. The scene on the canvas took s

and trembling sligh

she whispered, her eyes flickering

ave a

away. He was tall, with dark hair and piercing eyes. He looked out of pl

nized him

" she w

"You've started to see it, haven't

he took a step back. "W

hat I want. It's about what you want. You want to be s

her fists. "

artist must ask. But tell me, Anne-how far are

he whispered warnings, the st

you," she said,

u don't have to trust me. But you can't deny that you

touched her pocket, feel

t you can become. They'll tell you lies, twist the truth to make you doubt yourself. But remember

head. "I didn't

But destiny doesn't w

red into the crowd, leaving Anne

She pulled out the pendant, turning it over in her hands. The sy

ights flickered, and the shadows on t

as a low, guttural

.. the p

he voice. The shadows gathered in the corners,

, clutching the

ant from me?"

, their voices overlappi

Muse... bewar

alling to the floor. The pendant slipped from her

aused, retrea

t. As her fingers closed around it, the shado

ing lingered

loor, clutching t

Whatever the Muse's Heart was, it held pow

ained: What price wo

ls glowed once more, and a single word f

oo

ne realized that her choic