Valerian and his brothers were left dumbfounded, standing there silently.


    "Callie, if you regret it, say so. There''s no need to pretend," Lisette said softly. "Even if you''ve been harsh, you''re still part of the Jewell family."


    "Harsh?" Calliope nced at Lisette. "And who asked for your opinion, Lisette? Family? I''m not your sister, and you''re not my sister!"


    "Callie," Lisette''s voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. "I was trying to be nice. Why do you always treat me like this? Am I that unbearable to you? I only want what''s best for you!


    You''ve always been jealous of me, trying to sabotage me, and I''ve never done anything to you. You chose


    to leave the Jewell family. I never forced you. Do you want me to leave the Jewell family so you can finally be happy?"


    Lisette''s eyes turned red, and her brothers felt a pang of sympathy.


    "Calliope, enough is enough!" Ulysses snapped, standing up in frustration. "What did Lisette ever do to you? She''s always looking out for you, yet you keep attacking her!"


    "Callie, it''s this kind of behavior that makes you so difficult to be around!" Ulysses said, trying tofort Lisette.


    "Callie, Lisette has always spoken well of you. You''re being too harsh," Horatio added, his voice more measured. "I don''t like you acting this way, either."


    "That''s just perfect because I don''t need your approval," Calliope said coldly. "Don''t worry about me. My life had only bettered after leaving you, and I never n to return."


    "I came over to tell you I sent something your way," she added. "You''ll see it when you get home. So don''t use me of taking what''s yours."


    After that, Calliope turned and walked away, not wasting another word or a backward nce, as if they meant nothing to her.


    Her indifference left Valerian and his brothers feeling uneasy.


    "What kind of attitude is that?"


    Ulysses muttered, frowning. "Acting like we''ll never see each other again. She''ll need us one day. Right now, Ss might be her knight in shining armor, but when he gets tired of her, she''lle crawling back.


    "Lisette, don''t let her get to you. She''s not worth it."


    "I''m just sad," Lisette said, looking down. "I truly wish things were better between us, but she always


    misunderstands me. Does she want me to teave the Jewell family for her to be happy? I can''t bear the thought of leaving you all."


    "Silly girl, we won''t let you leave even if she wants you gone. She has no right to order you around." "Exactly. Calliope is no longer part of our family. Everything in the Jewell family belongs to you now." Lisette''s eyes were still red, and she murmured, "I could never take everything from the Jewell family. It''s not mine..."


    "Of course, it''s yours. Everything we have is yours!"


    ...


    Standing by the door, Portia nced back and clicked her tongue.


    "Your brothers are blind as bats! And Lisette is quite the actress. Why isn''t she in Hollywood?" Portia quipped.


    Calliope didn''t turn back. She


    lowered her gaze, methodically blocking and deleting every contact


    AQUMS


    from the Jewell family on hepphone.


    After she finished, she looked up and said, "Now, I have no ties left with them."