Valerian turned around, just realizing Lisette hadn''te in. She was stuck at the doorway, blocked by Snowy, theirrge, fluffy pet.


    "Calliope, what''s going on?" Valerian snapped, clearly frustrated.


    "Oh, it''s just that she reeks of urine, and Snowy doesn''t like it," Calliope shrugged. "What can I do? Snowy has a sensitive nose."


    "Did you do this on purpose?" Valerian''s eyes bore into Calliope, filled with confusion and anger.


    "Not at all," Calliope replied casually. "Snowy doesn''t like strong smells. And with her urine smelling so bad, I think she''s probably dehydrated or something. Snowy is not a fan."


    "Can''t you guys smell it? It''s that strong," Calliope said, ncing at Lisette. "How about you should wait outside for a bit? If you insist oning in, I can''t guarantee Snowy won''t bite..."


    "After all, Snowy is a tiger, and if it nips, I can''t say whether it would be a nip or something worse," Calliope saidzily, sitting back on the couch with a rxed air.


    Million, the wolf lounging on the carpet nearby, turned its head to see what themotion was about. It yawned before settling back down, uninterested.


    Calliope looked at Monty and the others with a tilted head. "So, why are you guys here? If I remember correctly, we signed the papers and had nothing to do with each other, right? Whatever you want to call it, family ties or not, what''s done is done. Are you all going back on your word now?"


    "Callie, I know you didn''t mean what you said," Monty hurried to say. "I missed you, so I came to see you. Your brothers miss you, too!"


    "You blocked us all, so we had no other way to reach you but this," Monty nced


    at Valerian. "I know you''re mad at us, and we''re here to apologize."


    Calliope leaned forward, intrigued. "Oh, you know I''m mad at you?"


    She rested her arms on the cushions, leaning closer to Monty. "So, what exactly am I mad about? Why would I even be mad at you?"


    "Isn''t it because we treated Lisette well, and she''s just better than you, and you got jealous?" Ulysses interjected, annoyancecing his


    tone. Calliope, even though it


    not


    really our fault, Dad sent us here to


    apologize, so here we are. belongs to


    "Wow, you don''t sound like you''re here to apologize. You sound more like you''re here to collect a debt," Calliope retorted, unfazed. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but you''re mistaken. I''m not mad."


    "Why would waste my energy being mad at strangers? I have better things to do. I don''t have the time or patienee to fuss over irrelevant people," she said, her tone


    dismissive.


    Ulysses'' face clouded over, his expression darkening. Horatio and Valerian didn''t look much better, their faces paling slightly.


    Calliope''s demeanor was indifferent. She sat there, doing nothing in particr, yet exuding an air of superiority. It was as if she were a tier above them, unreachable.


    A creeping unease settled in, like ants crawling over their hearts, leaving a prickling anxiety in their wake.


    Monty shifted uneasily. "Callie, I know we messed up. We should''ve been more on your side!"