Chapter 243

Valerian lunged forward, grabbing Lisette as she struggled against Upton. Ulysses quickly joined in to help, his face tense with urgency. Horatio, confined to his wheelchair, could do nothing but plead, “Mr. Thorne, your child is fine, isn’t he? I think Lisette just acted on impulse. She didn’t mean any harm. This should serve as a reminder to all of us to be more careful when watching the children. Please, let Lisette go! She didn’t do it on purpose!”

“Not on purpose? So, what, it was intentional?” Calliope leaned casually against the doorway, eyes gleaming with scorn. Of course. They always defended Lisette. No matter what she did, no matter how far she crossed the line, she was never truly at fault.

“Calliope, do you really have to kick her when she’s down?” Ulysses snapped, glaring at her.

“Can’t you say something to defend Lisette for once?” Valerian frowned. “She takes you as her sister. She’s never done anything to wrong you. She’s always stood up for you. Do you really want her to suffer for this?”

Calliope studied her nails, arching a brow. “She’s never wronged me? She took Baber away today just to stir up trouble between Upton and me. Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me she did that for my sake?”

“She didn’t mean to!” Ulysses’ face was flushed with frustration. “Do you have to be so ruthless?”

“Is she the one being ruthless, or is it you all?” Silas had moved behind Calliope, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. His sharp, ice-cold gaze swept over Ulysses and the others. Calliope felt the warmth of his touch, that familiar, steady presence that made her feel safe.

“Mr. Myers, we just don’t want anything bad to happen to Lisette,” Valerian said stiffly. “Calliope is her sister. Shouldn’t she show a little more kindness?”

Horatio looked up. “Callie, let Lisette go. She wasn’t thinking straight. She’s never done anything like this before. She was probably just upset because of me. You wouldn’t tell us where the Miracle Doctor is, and she lost her temper. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.”

Calliope’s lips curled into a smirk. “Sorry, but you’re not that important. Even if she was doing it for you, what does that have to do with me? And for the record, I didn’t do anything to her. She pissed off Upton all on her own. Why are you blaming me? This is ridiculous.”

With that, Calliope turned back to Baber. Silas lingered at the doorway, his chilly gaze sweeping over Horatio and the others. His brows slightly furrowed, displaying how displeased he felt with the bunch of people.

“You shouldn’t treat Callie this way. She was your sister once, too. But all you’ve ever done is let her down, over and over again. I think she’s finally reached her limit. You’ve lost her, for good.”

Silas turned away, walking back to Calliope’s side. Calliope remained calm, playing with Baber.

Upton didn’t send Lisette to prison, but he did break her hand.

“You touched Baber with this hand,” he said coldly as Lisette screeched in pain. He barely spared her another glance, his expression icy as he looked at Horatio and the others. Their eyes burned with fury – at Upton for punishing Lisette so harshly, at Calliope for not stepping in, for sitting there inside the room, laughing softly as she played with Baber.