Monty looked like he had just bitten into a lemon. "Sure, I may not have showered you with allowances, but you turned out just fine, didn''t you?"


    "And besides, aren''t you loaded now? I heard you''ve got a whole bunch of businesses, that fancy club is yours, isn''t it?"


    Calliope raised an eyebrow. "And you think I thrived on thin air? My club, my businesses, you think they came from you?"


    Monty was at a loss for words.


    "They gave you life, and that''s the greatest gift of all! Without our parents, you wouldn''t exist, nor would anything you have!" Valerian chimed in, clearly frustrated, "Calliope, you need to be grateful. Nothing in life is a given. Even if they didn''t raise you, your life is theirs. Are you going to give it back to them?" "Did I ask them to bring me into this world?" Calliope asked with a wry smile. Valerian spluttered, "That''s just childish nonsense!"


    Calliope nced into the room and made a quick gesture to Zachary.


    Zachary seemed to get the message and nodded.


    Once Calliope left the room, Monty and Valerian helped Horatio back into his wheelchair and followed her out.


    The corridor was quiet, almost eerily so.


    Calliope stood to the side, tilting her head as she looked at Monty and his


    entourage. "So, did you bring this whole circus of reporters to put on a show? nning to guilt-trip me into helping you and use public opinion to back me into a corner? Your little scheme is pretty transparent."


    Her words hit the nail on the head.


    Horatio and the others looked visibly ufortable.


    They had indeed nned exactly what she used them of. But they hadn''t expected Calliope to be so sharp, to see through it all. Nor did they expect the reporters to lose interest and just ignore them.


    "Calliope, stop being so unreasonable," Valerian protested, denying everything.


    "You''re just projecting your own negativity onto us!"


    Calliope just pped her hands.


    Bravo!


    "Callie, just help out the Jewell


    family," Monty pleaded, looking at


    Calliope with big, sad eyes. "You know how bad things are for us. You don''t even have to do much just say a few words, spend some time with us. People will notice.


    "I don''t feel like it," Calliope replied icily.


    "You" Monty was fuming.


    "If you want my help, it''s simple: meet my previous conditions. Then, his legs, the Jewell familypany, everything will be saved," Calliope said, nodding toward Monty.


    "You-"


    "Hand over thepany for me to manage. Give me your position. I won''t touch anyone else''s job." Calliope continued, "Lisette can stay too. Oh, and with one phone call, I can have your precious sister back. Really, you don''t want to take this offer?"


    Valerian seemed tempted by her words.


    "Dad," he looked at Monty, "For Horatio, Lisette, and thepany, maybe we should agree."


    "Calliope, you really won''t meddle with anyone else?"


    "Not at all. Just give me his position," Calliope said, raising an eyebrow. "So, what do you think? It''s a win-win."


    "Dad, let''s agree!" Horatio chimed in, looking at Monty. "It''s not just for my legs, but for Lisette and thepany, we can''t just do nothing!"


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!