"Ulysses..." Lisette hadn''t expected Ulysses to act like this. She looked at him, eyes wide and brimming with hurt.


    She''d always thought he''d be happy to see her. He usually spoiled her rotten, after all. But right now, he was ice-cold, and it left her feeling uneasy, even a little scared.


    Why was he treating her this way? Didn''t he care about her? What was going on? Why the sudden change?


    A thousand questions raced through Lisette''s mind as she tried to figure out what was happening.


    "I just saw you seemed upset, so I came over to talk," she said quietly, fiddling with the sleeve of her cardigan. "You know you''re the most important person to me. If I did something wrong, tell me, Ulysses. I''ll fix it, I promise."


    She slipped her hand around his arm, her voice trembling. "I don''t want anything to mess up what we have. You know that, right? You''re the one I care about most. I can''t lose you."


    Lisette''s anxiety grew as she studied Ulysses'' stony face.


    Is he really angry because of me? she wondered. Is it about Callie? Is he ming me for her noting home?


    "If you''re upset with me because Callie won''te back, just say so. If that''s how you feel, I''ll leave right now," she blurted, her throat tight. "But... am I really the one you care about most?"


    Ulysses sat back on the couch, giving her a long, unreadable look. She''d just poured her heart out, insisting she cared for him more than anyone. But was that really true?


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that she was being fake. He''d never noticed it before, buttely, with a bit more attention, it was like her whole act was see- through. Always ying some part.


    "Honestly, you''re the one I care


    about the most!" Lisette pressed, her voice bright and desperate. "You know, we''re the closest in age, we''ve been best friends since we were kids! That''s always been our dittle secret, right? I always thought we just... got each other."


    Ulysses'' lips curled into a sly, almost wicked smile. "You sure you don''t say that to everyone?"


    The realization hit him like a bolt:


    maybe Lisette always told everyone they were her favorite, that they had a special bond. Maybe she''d whispered the same thing to him, Valerian, and Horatio, keeping each one convinced they were her number one. No wonder they all hung on her every word.


    Lisette''s face drained of color as Ulysses voiced what she''d always managed to keep hidden. She stared at him, shocked and silent.


    "Ulysses, how could you think that? I''ve always thought it was you and me, you know that!" she insisted, her voice brittle but stubborn.


    She''d never let him know the truth. If he found out, it''d ruin everything for her.


    "Is that so?" Ulysses said, clearly unconvinced. He watched her, his gaze sharp and unblinking.


    "Funny, Callie mentioned you''ve been in contact with your birth parents. Why didn''t you tell us you found them? Who are they? Why keep it a secret?" he pressed. "And if you know where your real home is, why aren''t you there?"


    Lisette''s face turned even paler, her lips barely moving.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!