Ulysses was fuming.


    Zelda was at her wit''s end.


    Horatio and the others had finished cleaning themselves up and joined the family in the living room.


    The rest of the family was there except for Lisette, who was too embarrassed toe down.


    Monty sat there, looking utterly defeated. All he could think about was how Mr. Lopez, their client, was a lost cause. Calliope wouldn''t lift a finger to help, and theirpany was staring down the barrel of a disaster.


    "Why on earth did you go to that jinx?" Zelda snapped at Monty. "She''s nothing but trouble for this family!"


    She looked at her three sons, her heart aching for them. Then she thought of Lisette, who hade home looking upset and gone straight to her room, not to be seen since.


    "What did Calliope do to Lisette?" she asked Monty and the others. "She''s been looking off ever since she got back. Did Calliope go too far again?"


    "Just drop it," Monty said, scratching his head in frustration. "We might be going under."


    "What do you mean?" Zelda asked, puzzled.


    Monty exined Mr. Lopez''s situation to Zelda.


    "He insists on meeting Calliope. And he was furious when he saw I brought Lisette instead."


    "What''s Calliope got to do with Mr. Lopez?" Zelda questioned, frowning.


    "How should I know? She ims she doesn''t know him," Monty replied tersely.


    "She just refused to help. She must be connected to Mr. Lopez somehow," Ulysses said with


    certainty. "We wasted all th,


    kindness on her when we should''ve been focusing on Lisette!"


    "Exactly. It''s so disappointing," Valerian said, his brow furrowed. "She''s grown


    more selfish, more heartless, more outrageous."


    Horatio sighed, "I never thought


    Callie would turn out like this. Weet


    treated her fairly well, yet she''s so envious, always ming Lisette and using us of favoritism."


    "She was trouble from the start," Zelda sneered. "She almost cost me my life when she was born."


    "It isn''t the time for that," Monty said, overwhelmed. "Thepany''s in deep trouble."


    "We''ll find another partner without


    Mr. Lope


    ????"


    ''Valerian said confidently.


    don''t need Calliope''s help!"


    "We don''t want it anyway," Ulysses interrupted. "Even if thepany goes under,


    I''ve made enough in showbiz. We won''t starve!"


    Zelda''s eyes narrowed. "Do you think she has some indecent rtionship with Mr. Lopez?"


    "I remember she used to cozy up to older men for money," she said with disdain. "How did I have a daughter like that?"


    "Really?" Valerian looked up. "If that were true, it made sense why she wouldn''t admit anything before Mr. Myers."


    "It would exin her denial," Ulysses agreed.


    "Disgusting!" Zelda said, her face darkening.


    Upstairs, Lisette stood at the top of the staircase, having heard every word from below. Her fists clenched, her eyes narrowed with anger.


    "Calliope, you humiliated me, but you''ll regret it. Just wait and see. I''ll ensure you pay dearly for this."