The two of them finished their cake and chatted for a while.


    After their coffee, they decided to stroll around the mall for a bit. Calliope definitely hadn''t expected to run into Lisette and Zelda.


    The pair were shopping together, and Zelda kept fussing over Lisette, helping her pick out jewelry.


    When Portia spotted them, her face soured instantly. "What are they doing here? Shopping like they don''t have a care in the world-someone must''ve helped them out, and now they''ve got money again!"


    Before Calliope could say anything to Portia, Zelda and Lisette noticed them too.


    Lisette shot Calliope a cold, smug smirk.


    "Well, well, Calliope, what a surprise! Didn''t expect to bump into us, did you?"


    "You thought that after you left the Jewell family and stirred up all that drama, we''d just go down the drain?"


    "Hate to break it to you, but ever since you, our so-called bad luck charm, walked out, the Jewell family''s been on a winning streak!"


    "Things only got better after you left. Isn''t that right, Mom?"


    Lisette was practically gloating, her tone dripping with arrogance.


    Portia''s lips twitched. "Who''s helping you guys out?"


    Lisette just snorted. "Why should I tell you? nning to mess things up for us? Sorry, but you two aren''t exactly a threat."


    Zelda nced at Calliope with thinly veiled disdain before turning to Lisette, her voice soft and doting.


    "Lisette, how about this bracelet? It really suits you. Let me get it for you, sweetheart."


    "Don''t waste your breath on toxic people like her. She''s just bad luck. You''re my lucky charm-I want to spoil you, and we''ll be nothing but happy, okay?"


    Zelda made a show of ignoring Calliope, focusing all her warmth on Lisette as she shopped.


    Lisette, of course, yed right along, exaggerating every move as if to show off. "Mom, I love this one-and this one too. Can I try them all on?"


    "Of course, honey. Anything you want, I''ll buy it for you!" Zelda beamed, signaling the clerk to bring out the jewelry for Lisette to try.


    Lisette turned, sneering at Calliope. "Jealous, Calliope? Never had a mom who cared for you huh? That''s what happens when you''re awful to the Jewell family-no wonder Mom doesn''t like you!"


    "I heard you don''t even know who your real mom is. She must''ve ditched you too, huh? That''s just sad."


    "Imagine your own mother didn''t want you. You can''t even find her."


    She clung to Zelda''s arm. "But I have a mom. And my mom loves me!"


    Calliope just looked at her coolly. "If you want to call trash ''Mom,'' that''s your business. Garbage suits garbage. Not my thing."<fnb692> Read full story at find?novel</fnb692>


    Portia snorted. "Lisette, aren''t you a little old to still be clinging to Mommy?"


    "All grown up and still chanting ''my mom loves me, my mom loves me''-can''t survive without her?"


    "And Zelda-she might be blind, but you, Lisette, have a heart of stone. No wonder you two get along so well."


    "Oh, and by the way, is your mom


    only buying you these cheap trinkets? There''s a yacht auctioning up in a few days. Think you can get your mom to buy


    something there?"


    "These little bracelets? Please. I could get Callie here ten of those if she wanted."


    "Honestly, Callie could buy out this whole store if she felt like it.”


    Portia turned to Zelda with a smile.


    "You must really love having a


    daughter like Lisette, huh? Grown woman still leeching off you-what a


    talent if you''d had a better daughter, you''d be living the easy life by now?


    But hey, some people just love being taken advantage of!"