Everyone froze for a moment. They all just stared numbly at Ss, no one saying a word, almost forgetting to even say hello.


    "Am I interrupting something?" Ss asked in a voice that was surprisingly gentle.


    "No, not at all!" Portia quickly replied.


    Calliope led Ss into the room, and after they sat down, the atmosphere turned a bit tense. Nobody dared to speak. They all knew Ss, but they were used to seeing him as the cool uncle figure, someone they looked up to, almost like an elder.


    But now, he walked in as Calliope''s husband, suddenly on the same level as them. Even if Ss was fine with it, they still needed time to adjust!


    Mavis had interacted with Ss the most, given that her mentor, Uriah, was good friends with him. But still, she''d always seen him as a sort of elder, treating him with respect. Now that he was her friend''s husband, things felt... different.


    There was a certain amount of respect everyone held for Ss. The lively chatter from before had vanished, leaving the room feeling like a cold cer.


    "Am I that intimidating?" Ss noticed the shift in the room.


    "I''m Callie''s husband now. Whatever you want to say, just go ahead. No need to be scared of me," Ss assured them.


    "Really?" Portia asked, her innocent eyes fixated on him.


    Ss nodded.


    With a slightly more approachable air about him, and having had a few too many drinks, Portia found her courage


    "If I ask you something, you promise you won''t get mad?"


    "I won''t get mad."


    "Okay, here goes!"


    Portia leaned in with her bright eyes narrowing slightly, curiosity piqued. "Ss, I heard you have a ''first love'' - a special woman you never quite got over, that''s why you always kept distance with other females. Is that true?"


    "And if so, does that mean you''re going to hurt our Callie? Callie''s your wife now, and I don''t care if that ''first love'' thing is real or not, but since Callie''s with you, you better not treat her badly because of it! You know, that jerk did that to her. Callie loved him so much, but he was always hung up on his ''first love''!" Portia picked up a bottle, waving it around in her tipsy indignation.


    Mavis felt a pang of panic. ording to Uriah, Ss was very sensitive about that "first love", which was a taboo topic for Ss. Portia, with her loose lips, might have just poked the bear.


    Mavis wanted to cover Portia''s mouth, but it was toote.


    Archie, sitting quietly, didn''t say much. He didn''t fear Ss but rather leaned back, watching and waiting for Ss''s reaction. His gaze carried a hint of hostility.


    "Why so silent? What, did you marry Callie, share a bed with her, but still have eyes for someone else? That would make you a jerk too!"


    Portia threw a punch in the air.


    Calliope was in shock. "Portia, I think you''ve had enough to drink!"


    She tried to intervene, but Archie, too, decided to stir the pot.


    "Portia''s got a point, Mr. Myers. You''ve married Callie, shared life''s intimacies with her, so you should let


    go of that ''first love'', at least while you''re married. Give her themitment she deserves."


    Archie lifted his eyes, swirling the drink in his ss. A smirk yed on his lips, a mix of mischief and a touch of charm.


    With a voice so soft it was almost hard to catch, he added, "Callie''s more important to me than my life. Please, treat her well."