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Chapter 9

After about half an hour, the driver rolled up to the Moore family's estate. It was all low-key but dripping in luxury, like money had built the whole thing.

This was her first brush with real 'luxury.' Staring at the Moore family's villas, she finally got what it meant to be loaded.

When the car finally stopped in the heart of the villa complex, Calliope started to freak out a bit. From now on, she was part of the Moore family and had to deal with that nutjob Sylvester. Her hands balled into fists, and sweat slicked her palms.

The car cruised around a fancy fountain and pulled up in front of a villa.

"Calliope, we're here. Time to get out."

A butler was already there, holding the car door open for her.

Following the butler inside, Calliope felt like her outfit was a total mismatch for the place. She felt like she was dressed like a hobo. But she didn't feel a bit of shame. She didn't want to marry into the Moore family anyway. If they saw her raggedy clothes and nixed the marriage to Sylvester, that'd be perfect.

After what felt like forever, she realized the butler had led her to the dining room. Walking in, Calliope felt a bit lost and flustered, but she kept her cool on the outside.

"Mr. Moore, Calliope is here."

The butler's voice was flat. The long dining table was packed with Moore family members, all giving Calliope, Sylvester's fiancée, the once-over.

Sitting at the head of the table, John looked calmly at the girl standing there. He never thought a girl who'd sell herself for status could be very obedient, which was why he was all about Vivian.

Suddenly!

The clatter of a knife and fork hitting a plate cut through the air, grabbing everyone's attention, including Calliope's. She looked over, her eyes narrowing.

Sylvester's knife and fork had hit his plate, a scowl forming on his face. He snapped, "Who cooked today? Is this supposed to be food?"

Everyone at the table had a 'here we go again' look, like this was just another Tuesday. The butler replied, "Please wait a moment."

Calliope felt like a total joke standing there, with everyone looking at her with mockery, disdain, and contempt.

Or maybe the Moore family didn't see her as Sylvester's wife at all. To them, she was just a pawn, a tool the Gray family used to get ahead.

After a bit, the butler brought over a guy in a chef's uniform. The chef walked up to Sylvester, speaking respectfully, "Sylvester, you called for me?"

Next thing, Sylvester arrogantly picked up his plate and, without warning, dumped the steak onto the chef's spotless white uniform. The rest of the family seemed used to this and just ignored it.

No one wanted to tick off this 'prince,' and no one dared to.

The plate shattered on the ground, the sound stabbing Calliope's ears. Sylvester stomped on the chef's dignity, and the Moore family acted like they didn't see it. Wasn't this a warning to Calliope?

Such a crazy scene, yet John, the head of the family, said nothing, letting Sylvester do whatever he wanted. Calliope felt like the world of the rich was flipping her worldview upside down.

She was just a regular girl, and these rich folks were way too high and mighty. Was she gonna get stomped on like this chef once she joined the Moore family?

"Cooking like this, and you call yourself a star chef? Did I pay you to mess around?"

Sylvester sneered at the chef's furious face, his cocky attitude just begging for a punch.

"You paid? From what I know, Sylvester, you seem to be lounging around all day. When did you start making money?"

Everyone had been quietly watching, used to this kind of drama.

But that sudden sarcastic voice caught everyone off guard. In the Moore family, someone actually dared to talk back to Sylvester?

All eyes quickly turned to Calliope. Was she nuts, looking for trouble?

Sylvester, still smirking at the chef's embarrassment, heard Calliope's sassy remark. His face turned icy, and he let out a cold laugh, turning to Calliope. "Are you lecturing me?"

"I'm just stating a fact. The money is your dad's, and it's his name on the Forbes list, not yours."

Calliope's boldness really ticked Sylvester off.

He shoved the chef aside and stalked towards Calliope, mocking as he went, "So high and mighty? Then the one who climbed into my bed and spread her legs for me wasn't you?"

Such crude words rolled off Sylvester's tongue like it was nothing, no matter the time, or the place. Calliope finally saw how shameless he was. He didn't care about his own dignity, let alone anyone else's.

"So what if it was me?"

Before Calliope could finish, Sylvester suddenly grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Then what right does a whore have to talk to me like this?"

Sylvester's voice went from playful to ice-cold in a heartbeat, his intimidating presence terrifying. The chef nearby didn't dare to breathe.

Sylvester, in front of everyone, mercilessly spat out the word 'whore.'

Calliope glared at this despicable man, her face full of defiance and disgust.

She never imagined someone could be as vile as Sylvester, openly insulting her in front of the Moore family. Luckily, she was dying soon; otherwise, staying in this world would be a nightmare!

Despite the scene, the Moore family at the table seemed to be enjoying the show, with no one stepping in to stop it. Were they all scared of Sylvester?

John kept cutting his steak, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

Without even looking, Sylvester picked up a nearby plate of salad and dumped it on her, smiling slightly, "Honey, anger without power is pointless."

His tone was so intimate yet so arrogant. The word "honey" from his mouth sounded more like "trash."

He tossed the empty plate on the table like it was garbage, wiped his hands on a neatly placed napkin, and strutted out of the dining room. After he left, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Calliope was left standing there, looking at the salad on her clothes, feeling angry but helpless, like a trapped animal.

But now that she was in the Moore family, she would either be humiliated or fight back to the end!

Calliope let out a disdainful laugh. No matter what Sylvester, this scumbag, did, she would never yield to him! Never!

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