Chapter 179

Silas strolled into the room, looking every bit the part in his impeccably tailored suit. It was as if the crowd parted for him naturally, sensing his commanding presence that demanded respect.

The chatter among the guests ceased almost instantly, leaving a silence that seemed to amplify his every step as he made his way toward Calliope. When he reached her, he offered a tender smile. “Don’t worry, honey. I’m here.”

When Calliope saw Silas, all her bottled-up emotions threatened to spill over. Her eyes welled up, and she felt a lump in her throat.

Silas gently tousled her hair, leaning in close to whisper, “Don’t be afraid. If they don’t want you, I do. I’ll take care of you and give you everything you need.”

His voice was soft and reassuring, enough to melt anyone’s heart. He took Calliope’s hand, turned to Zelda, and said, “Give me your account number.”

Zelda glared at Silas, her jaw clenched tight in anger. She venomously glanced at Calliope before begrudgingly rattling off her bank account number.

Silas nodded to Fagan, who had accompanied him.

“Transfer one million,” he instructed.

Fagan promptly arranged the transfer.

“Mrs. Jewell, the money’s been sent. Please sign the agreement,” he said. “Let’s not have any regrets later, coming back to ask for Mrs. Myers.”

“We won’t need to ask for her back!” Zelda snapped, snatching the agreement and signing it with a flourish.

Fagan continued, “Mr. Monty, Mr. Horatio, Mr. Valerian, Mr. Ulysses, please sign as well. Mrs. Myers will have nothing more to do with you all from now on. This agreement is in duplicate. One copy for you, one for Mrs. Myers.”

Monty frowned deeply, glancing at Silas before letting out a resigned sigh. He signed the document, followed by a hesitant Horatio and a somewhat eager Valerian and Ulysses.

Once everyone had signed, Silas collected their copy of the agreement. He gave the Jewell family a steely look. “From now on, leave my wife alone. She’s no longer your concern. Don’t think of asking her back. She doesn’t need you.”

With that, Silas led Calliope away.

“Let’s get going,” Uriah called to Mavis, who quickly followed suit. Portia and Archie also hurried after them.

At the door, Silas paused, turning back to address everyone present. “From this day forward, I won’t do business with anyone associated with the Jewell family.”

After making his declaration, he turned and left.

The room was momentarily stunned into silence.

“What did Mr. Myers mean by that?” someone finally asked.

“It’s pretty clear that he’s protecting his wife!”

“Better get out while you can if you want to work with the Baker Group. Don’t get dragged down with the Jewell family!”

Several attendees exchanged looks, weighing their options. Realizing that crossing Silas could be costly, many decided to discreetly leave, some offering polite excuses, others slipping out without a word.

Before long, the ballroom was half-empty. The remaining guests had no ties to the Baker Group or were close friends of the Jewell family.

Monty’s face darkened with rage as he turned on Zelda. “Are you out of your mind? You think a million is enough to live on for the rest of your life?”