She honestly couldn''t wrap her head around it-Calliope actually had the guts to kiss Ss in front of everyone. Did she have a death wish or something?


    "What''s the problem with kissing my own husband?" Calliope shot back, rolling her eyes at the woman''s outrage. "Not only do I kiss him, I sleep with him, too."


    She let out a sharp, mockingugh. "Or have you never slept with your own husband? Is he even your husband then?"


    "What?!" The woman''s eyes went wide, staring at Ss like she''d just seen a ghost.


    "Ss, tell me this isn''t true! She has to be dreaming, right? There''s no way you''d sleep with her. She''s making it up. She must be out of her mind. You couldn''t have slept with her!"


    She looked genuinely bewildered. In her mind, Ss was untouchable-no


    woman could ever get close to him. Sure, she''d been chasing him for years, but never seeded. So she figured that was just how it was. He was her ultimate goal, and she always believed that, one day, he''d be hers.


    But now, the ground was slipping out from under her.


    What was this woman even saying? Ss, the guy everyone called “the unattainable", had actually been imed by this woman?


    All those years waiting, hoping, and it turned out he belonged to someone else?


    She desperately wanted Ss to exin.


    And everyone around was watching, buzzing with curiosity, especially since most of them didn''t even know who Calliope was.


    Ss pulled Calliope close, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. He nced at Phoebe, his tone steady. "She''s my wife. And I''m entirely hers."


    "What do you mean, your wife?" Phoebe''s voice cracked, and she pointed a finger at Calliope. "You can''t mean her!"


    "Of course I mean her," Ss said. "She''s the most important woman in my life. She''s my wife."


    He fixed Phoebe with a cool stare. "Ms. Turner before I was married, I let your little rumors slide, mostly out of respect for your father.


    now, I''m a married man. P


    I my wife. So I''d appreciate it if you''d show some respect. Stop iming you have anything to do with me. Stop trying toe between me and my wife. And definitely, don''t even think about bullying her."


    His tone was icy, his handsome face set in a stern expression. The warning in his voice was unmistakable.


    Phoebe stared at Ss, her eyes darting to Calliope, then back again. Suddenly, she burst into tears like a heartbroken child.


    "Why?!" she sobbed. "When did you get married? Why didn''t I know?! How could she be your wife? You never told me! What does she have that I don''t?"


    She was practically hysterical. In her mind, Ss was the man she was


    meant marry. He was perfect in


    everyway—and she never imagined he''d end up with someone else.


    "You don''tpare to her at all," Ss said bluntly, his brows knit together.


    "There''s nopetition. I love her. To me, she''s perfect."


    Then, turning to the crowd, he announced, "Everyone, let me introduce my wife,


    Calliope. I love her very much, so please treat her with respect."


    Heads nodded all around. No one was about to cross Ss, not with his reputation.


    Phoebe copsed onto the floor, stunned and disbelieving, crying out like a little kid, "No! It can''t be! Ss you''re supposed to love me. Your wife should be me! Don''t you care about working with my father anymore?"


    Ss''s voice was icy cold. "If your father doesn''t want to work with me, that''s fine.


    I can always find someone else."