"No way, are you serious?"


    "You mean Calliope actually helped Kermit get better?"


    "So all that stuff the Jewell family''s been saying about her being responsible for Kermit''s death is just nonsense?"


    Portia nodded. "Total nonsense. Not a word of it''s true."


    "No way!"


    "But then-how does she know she''s not really their daughter? I mean, Kermit''s already gone, right?"


    "Yeah, that doesn''t add up. If she didn''t know before, how''d she find out now?"


    "And Kermit really left everything to her? She didn''t, like, trick her way into getting it?"


    Portia jumped in. "Of course not! Kermit did pass away, but he left her a letter."


    "Calliope had no clue about it before. She only found it when she went back to her hometown."


    "She just learned about it recently—and told the Jewell family right away."


    "Hang on, Callie''s gonna show everyone that letter in a minute. Then you''ll all see for yourselves!"


    Portia was practically spinning in circles, trying to exin to the crowd.


    Meanwhile, Calliope had already walked up to Monty and the others.


    Zelda looked a little nervous when she saw hering.


    Monty frowned, got up from his chair, and looked her straight in the eye. "Calliope, are you here to apologize to us now?"


    "Now that we''re about to hold a press conference, you finally show up to say sorry?"


    "So, what are you nning to do to make this right?"


    He stared at her, waiting.


    Calliope met his gaze. "Did I say I was here to apologize? I''m here to ask you all for an apology."<fn6778> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn6778>


    "Oh—and while I''m at it, I''d like you to apologize on behalf of thete Calliope, too!"


    "She''s dead and gone, but you guys never stopped ming her for everything."


    "She never felt an ounce of love from her so-called parents—not for a single minute. From the day she was born, she was shipped off to live with strangers in the country You really think that''s fair?"  s


    There was a ripple in the crowd.


    "Wait, what''s going on?" someone called out, agitated.


    "Yeah, now that you mention it, the Jewell family''s oldest son Horatio, the second, Valerian, and the third Ulysses, all grew up with the family. So why was the youngest, Callope sent away? And how did they even mix her up with someone else?"  s


    "Exactly! If Calliope had been raised with the Jewell family from the start, how could there have been a mix-up?"


    "So Calliope was never living with them as a child!"


    "No-she wasn''t with the Jewell family from day one. She was with Kermit!"


    "What the heck? So the sons stay home, but the daughter just gets tossed aside?"


    "What, do they have a throne to pass down or something?"


    Everyone was eyeing Monty and Zelda, demanding answers.


    Ulysses, standing nearby, rxed for a moment when Calliope approached, but worry flickered across her face.


    "Callie..."


    "You..."


    How could her sister possibly exin all this?


    Would anyone even believe her?


    Calliope gave Ulysses a nce, then stepped forward, taking the center of the


    room.


    She didn''t give Monty and the others a chance to speak. She started, loud and clear:


    "Calliope never had parents from the start Zelda had a rough childbirth and med Calliope caller curse. She just wanted her gone."  s


    "Kermit couldn''t stand by and watch, so he took Calliope in."


    "But Calliope was a sick baby. Not long after he brought her home, she died."


    "Then, by some miracle, my grandfather found me and raised me as if I was Calliope."