"Wow, Lisette, your taste is really something else. I can''t believe you''re actually into Robert," Portia drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm.


    All around, a wave of shocked whispers erupted.


    "Lisette has a boyfriend? And she''s still messing around with Robert?"


    "You''ve got to be kidding. Robert? With a reputation like his? And she''s sleeping with him?"


    "This is insane."


    "I can''t believe it!"


    Everyone was talking at once, gaping at Lisette. That she would cheat on her boyfriend was bad enough, but with Robert-the one guy everyone in their circle looked down on? It was almost impossible to imagine. Then again, after her humiliating performance earlier, maybe this wasn''t such a leap after all. Maybe she really was the kind of girl who would stoop this low.


    Lisette, by now, was mostly sober again. She stared in disbelief at the crowd packed into the room-how had all these people gotten in here? It had to be Calliope. That bitch must''ve sent for them.


    Yes, that had to be it. That bitch Calliope must''ve told Portia to bring everyone here to see her like this. Lisette''s face burned as she clutched the bedsheet to her chest, desperate to cover herself.


    "Get out! All of you get out!" she screamed, panic and rage cracking her voice.


    “Lisette!” Valerian was suddenly at her side, storming into the room with eyes full of hurt and fury. "So you''ll crawl into anyone''s bed, is that it? Are you really that disgusting?"


    He looked shattered. She''d told him she loved him, said she wanted to be with him. They''d finally gotten together, and he thought their rtionship was solid—mutual love, total trust. And now this: she''d gone and betrayed him for another guy.


    A bitter, self-mocking smile twisted his lips.


    “Let me exin!" Lisette cried out desperately. "I was framed! It was Calliope—she set me up! Calliope did all of this!"


    Tel


    "Oh, you''re going to me Callie now?" Portia cut in, rolling her eyes. "Please. Callie''s passed out in her room from drinking too much. How exactly did she set you up from there? Is using other people all you know how to do? Why not just say it was me while you''re at it?"


    "But look at you-lying in someone else''s bed, and by the look of it, enjoying yourself plenty! Nobody forced you into that bed, Lisette, Who made you throw yourself at him? Portia''s tone was ice cold. "You honestly expect us to believe you were forced? Give me a break Looks to me like you were more than happy about it."


    Portia''s harsh words crushed the meager hope that had flickered in Valerian''s eyes-the hope that- Lisette had been coerced, that


    Somehow it wasnt really her fault.


    Despair settled over him.


    “Lisette..... I can''t believe I ever trusted you," he said softly, devastated. “All that talk about loving me was just a lie, wasn''t it?"


    He''d even been thinking about when he''d propose. And this was how she repaid


    him.


    The crowd fell silent for a moment, then broke out in a new burst of chatter, everyone riveted by the unfolding drama.


    "So Valerian is Lisette''s boyfriend?"


    "No way-wasn''t she always calling him her brother?"


    "Wait, aren''t they basically family? They grew up in the same house that''s just sick."


    "Damn, the Jewell family is really messed up."


    "My God, Lisette is wild."


    "This is better than any gossip I''ve ever heard!"


    While everyone else gawked at the scandal, Portia slipped out unnoticed. Her work


    here was done; she''d seen the best part of tonight''s spectacle and could finally head back to her room.


    She''d barely cleared the chaos when she nearly mmed into Blythe. who was just arriving.