Chapter 75

“She’s mine! I’m gonna talk to my uncle about this tomorrow! Calliope is my woman, and she’ll always be only mine!” Gideon shoved aside a few of his buddies.

“My uncle wouldn’t even like her. If I’m not interested, there’s no way he would be! As for her, she’s just acting out! Once I have a chat with him, my uncle will send her straight back to my bed!” he boasted.

Laird and the others exchanged a weary glance, watching Gideon with mild disbelief.

It was one of those nights at the club, bustling with energy and filled with familiar faces, including Silas and Calliope.

Word was, Silas was in a particularly good mood tonight. Some thought it was because of Calliope. A few business moguls, eager for Silas’s favor, had complimented Calliope, and in return, Silas had granted them a piece of the action.

Even Wynton, who wasn’t known for his savvy, had managed to please Silas with some flattery about Calliope on Twitter and secured a partnership.

If Silas wasn’t interested in Calliope, he sure had a funny way of showing it. For years, he’d avoided entanglements, not even sparing a glance for women practically throwing themselves at him. Yet Calliope had become his wife. There had to be something special about her.

Sure, maybe she wasn’t Silas’s first love, but why would he turn away a beautiful woman like her?

Calliope didn’t have the most impressive background, but her looks were another story. She could outshine anyone, even in showbiz.

“Gideon, give it a rest. You don’t want to cross your uncle,” Laird cautioned. “Everyone knows they’re married. Whether Silas loves her or not, she’s Mrs. Myers now.”

“He’s my uncle, after all. And you think he’d get mad at me?” Gideon sneered, “If anything, he’d take it out on Calliope, the outsider.”

Laird fell silent.

Out of nowhere, Archie appeared, landing a solid punch on Gideon’s face.

“What the hell?” Gideon staggered back, caught off guard.

Laird and the others were just as baffled, staring at Archie.

“Mr. Yoder, what gives? Gideon hasn’t done anything to you,” one of them asked.

Archie, hands in his pockets, shrugged casually. “Nothing much. Just can’t stand jerks who bully women.”

“Who are you calling a jerk?” Gideon fumed.

“You,” Archie replied, tapping his finger against Gideon’s forehead. “Stay away from Calliope, or you’ll end up with a terrible death.”

“I know you…” Gideon snorted, gazing at Archie. “You’re into Calliope too, huh?”

He stepped closer. “Too bad for you, you can’t even say it out loud. You’re just a Yoder, no status, no power, and a stepmother who keeps you down.”

Archie’s face remained stoic, his eyes fixed on Gideon.

“Not even brave enough to pursue her, are you? Pathetic!”

“So what? You’ll never have her in your life,” Archie replied coldly, staring Gideon down.

“She’s mine!” Gideon shouted, his anger boiling over.