Chapter 371

Valerian and the others had their gaze fixed on Horatio, who was sitting in his wheelchair.

“How could she be that talented? Everyone says she’s a jinx. Horatio, are you sure your friend isn’t pulling your leg?” Zelda reclined on the couch with skepticism. She couldn’t accept that Calliope might be more talented than Lisette.

Lisette was the daughter she had invested so much in, and the thought of her efforts producing anything less than exceptional was simply intolerable.

Zelda’s eyes were steely with resolve; no amount of persuasion could sway her opinion.

Horatio’s hands shook slightly as he read through the email. He looked up at Monty, his voice barely above a whisper. “Dad, my friend wasn’t lying to us. Callie really is that talented.”

He handed his phone to Valerian and fell into a contemplative silence.

Monty leaned over to take a look himself, his expression a mix of emotions. The information they’d heard was genuine. Calliope had been hiding a significant part of herself. It was undeniable that Calliope was extraordinary.

“She kept this from us the whole time!” Valerian’s brows furrowed, his initial shock quickly turning into resentment. “She could have told us!”

Horatio glanced at Valerian, his voice filled with regret. “Perhaps it was our actions that led her to stay silent. We must have done something to make her feel unwelcome.” Horatio’s eyes drifted to the family photo on the wall, a stark reminder of what had been missing. Calliope wasn’t in the picture. It seemed she’d been slowly detaching from the Jewell family for a long time, a gradual withdrawal marked by their actions and her responses.

“Valerian, did we mess up?” Horatio asked, his voice heavy with the weight of realization. “We said we’d treat them equally but always favored Lisette because she seemed more vulnerable. We focused so much on her and neglected Callie. We were always biased, and Callie was always alone.”

Valerian followed Horatio’s gaze to the family photo. Everyone was smiling, yet Calliope’s absence was glaring. She, too, had been a child wanting to be part of the family, longing for her place in that picture. When she asked why she wasn’t there, they dismissed her concerns as childish whims.

They had promised to take another photo, which included her, but it never happened. That promise, like many others, was forgotten. What she sought from them, she never received.

Valerian remained silent, reflecting on the past and his own actions. He knew he was in the wrong but struggled to admit it fully. To him, Calliope shared some of the blame. Monty set down the phone, staring at Horatio and the others in disbelief. “Can we still make things right with her?”

“Make things right with her?” Zelda scoffed, her disbelief unwavering. “Why bother with her? She’s useless. We should focus on Lisette and ensure she’s okay!”