Chapter 1049
“It’s all because of that scheming witch Lisette!” Zelda snapped through gritted teeth. “She bled us dry—swindled us out of a fortune, took out loans in our names, even put up our house and everything else for collateral p>
“Now she’s vanished, disappeared without a trace, and we’re left with nothing. The company’s gone. The house is gone. We’ve lost everything p>
“Callie, you have to help us p>
“These debts, honestly, they’re not much for someone like you. You could wipe them out with pocket change, can’t you p>
“Callie, come on. For you, this is nothing. You could take care of all this with a single phone call, right p>
All eyes fell on Calliope, heavy with a desperate, suffocating hope. Their debts might be overwhelming for the Jewell family, but for someone as wealthy as Calliope, it was a trivial nuisance. Surely, a few dollars from her would sweep away all their troubles.
They remembered how loyal she used to be, how much family had meant to her. Now that disaster had struck, they flocked to her door, certain that she wouldn’t just stand by and let them drown. To turn her back now would be cruel-she’d never been that kind of person.
Even though Ulysses barely kept in touch, everyone knew he was working on the same film set as Calliope. It meant the family’s massive debts didn’t touch him— none of this drama landed on his shoulders. Suddenly, regret began to settle in.
If only they’d tried to make things right with her sooner, reached out as Ulysses had, maybe she would’ve stepped in to save them herself. After all, she’d grown up an orphan, always longing for a real family. If they tossed her a crumb of affection, she’d have bent over backward for them.
Damien stared in disbelief at the gallery of shameless faces. He knew people could be audacious, but this? This was something else.
“Unbelievable. Did you all sell your shame for scrap? Or just feed it to the dog on your way here p>
“I mean, really-how do you even look at yourselves? After the way you treated her, after everything you put her through, you’ve got the nerve to show up here, hat in hand, and say your debts are ‘not that much p>
“She owes you nothing. Not a single thing p>
“Damien, keep your mouth shut. We’re talking to Calliope, not you,” Zelda snapped, her voice thick with pure entitlement.
Damien could only stare wordlessly. Not even Mr. Myers-the toughest boss he’d ever known—would have spoken to him like that. These people were on a whole other level.
“Says who?” Calliope’s voice cut in, cold and sure. “Damien’s with me. I say when he speaks, not you. Don’t presume to order anyone around in my house p>
“Callie, don’t you want a family anymore p>
“Aren’t you an orphan p>
“Don’t you crave the love of a mother and father? Monty’s eyes were fixed on her. “Lisette’s gone now. Come back be the good daughter weve always wanted. From now on, you be our only child. You don’t have parents; we don’t have a daughter. Isn’t that perfect p>
“You’ll be our one and only, Callie.” Monty’s expression was full of eager
anticipation. “You’ve wanted our love since you were little, haven’t you p>
“Callie, I was wrong before,” Zelda chimed in, her voice softening with false warmth.
“I regret everything now. Come home, will you p>
Though Zelda kept calling herself
“mom,” there was no real emotion in
her eyes only calculation, only hope that Calliope would bail them out. Maybe the old Calliope would’s fallen for it blinded by her hunger for parental affection. But not anymore. She knew now that even one’s own flesh and blood could turn cold as stone.