Chapter 648
For Julius, she’d picked out a play script, one he’d been wanting for years, and a bracelet. Not just any bracelet, either, but a vintage rosary bead bracelet, the kind you’d find in an exclusive antique shop, worth more than most people’s homes.
She’d chosen every gift with care, matching each one to what the guys actually liked. It was the kind of gift-giving that hit people right in the heart.
Quentin and the other two were genuinely thrilled with what Calliope had brought them.
But honestly, even if Calliope had shown up empty-handed, they’d still adore her. The fact that she brought such meaningful, extravagant gifts? Just icing on the cake.
People standing around couldn’t help but stare, pure envy in their eyes.
Everyone now knew Calliope’s wealth was something else. She could casually hand out gifts that cost more than most folks would ever make in a lifetime.
It was almost unreal.
For regular people, it was the kind of thing you couldn’t even dream about.
But for Quentin and the others, the price tag didn’t matter. Whether the gift was a homemade cookie or worth a fortune, as long as it was from Calliope, it was precious.
Upstairs, Ulysses and Valerian hadn’t come down, but word travels fast. The staff was buzzing about Calliope’s generosity.
When Ulysses heard that Calliope had given Julius that script, the very one he’d been searching for, he could hardly believe it. How did Calliope even get her hands on that script? And why would she give it to Julius, of all people?
But he knew Julius was resourceful, so it had to be the real deal. Calliope had really given Julius something so rare, so valuable.
The thought stung.
The thing he’d wanted most, Calliope had given away to someone else.
He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been kinder to Calliope, would she have chosen him instead?
But it didn’t matter now. He could tell things had changed. Calliope used to go out of her way to make them happy, but not this time. Not a single attempt at appeasing them.
She’d even handed out gifts to the staff, but hadn’t brought anything up for him or
Valerian. They hadn’t even gotten what the staff got.
As for the family dinner, it was clear Calliope wouldn’t be joining them.
Ulysses felt a pang of regret and a heavy sense of loss.
Calliope and her three brothers headed back to the villa she’d arranged, a place they sometimes stayed in over the years.
This place was massive, with a yard that made the Jewell family’s house look tiny by comparison.
Everything was spotless, freshly
cleaned, and though there were no maids around, the house felt warm and welcoming. Some of their old things from the countryside had already been unpacked and set in their rooms.
After dropping off their bags, they all gravitated to the living room, flopping onto the big, cozy sofas.
“Hey, Callie. Are you staying here tonight?” Quentin asked.
Norton and Julius both looked up at her at the exact same time, faces full of hope.
Truth was, the three of them hadn’t always been this close. It was Callie who’d brought them together, made being a family feel fun and effortless.
But for years, Callie had been busy with the Jewell family, with Gideon, hardly ever around. So this time, they couldn’t help but hope she’d stay.
Calliope could read them like an open book. They wanted her to stick around, but none of them would
asay it out loud for fear of
making her feel pressured
Compared to the Jewell family, these brothers of hers really did care about her, in
their own quiet way.