Chapter 517 Octavius, You Are Such a Bastard!
Octavius stared at her for what felt like an eternity.
After years of marriage, she had simply handed him over to another man without a trace of reluctance, without even a flicker of jealousy. She had spoken so plainly about wanting a better life, about living freely, about ascending to the upper echelons of society.
Octavius should have turned and walked away.
But perhaps it was that fatal masculine pride—he couldn't accept defeat, couldn't bear her apparent indifference. What was so special about that other man? He looked like he was going bald, practically an old fool. How could she stand him?
Driven by irrational desperation to prove she still belonged to him, Octavius pulled her against him, demanding a kiss, demanding intimacy.
Calliope fought back, pounding her fists against his shoulders. "Octavius, what are you doing?"
But the physical disparity between them was undeniable. She couldn't stop him. Octavius's eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that was both seductive and unsettling.
Calliope knew this meant the end of whatever she might have had with Eldric. It wasn't fair to him.
His ego somewhat restored, Octavius gave a sardonic laugh. "Naturally, familiarity breeds the deepest connection. What we have is something he could never match."
He seemed to think he had won her back.
Pulling away, he settled onto the nearby sofa, reaching for his cigarettes before glancing at the sleeping child and thinking better of it.
Watching his demeanor, Calliope could guess his intentions. She felt no anger, asking with studied casualness, "So what are your plans?"
She was giving Octavius one chance. If he said he would cut ties with those other women immediately, they might still have something to work with.
But Octavius had no such intentions.
While he craved Calliope's tenderness and passion, he wasn't ready to give up the intoxicating allure of women like Seraphine. Besides, the child remained an obstacle he had no desire to overcome—he had no intention of playing stepfather.
When Calliope pressed him, Octavius toyed with his cigarette pack, appearing to consider before saying, "Let's just see how things go. Give it six months, maybe a year, then we'll decide."
Calliope's smile was cold and knowing.
She understood perfectly—Octavius wanted to have his cake and eat it too. His idea of "dating" wouldn't be exclusive to her; he'd continue his dalliances with Seraphine and whoever else caught his fancy. He simply refused to commit to anyone.
She wasn't angry. They were divorced adults, after all. Was occasional intimacy supposed to come with obligations?
Calliope turned to the mirror, casually arranging her tousled hair. Her voice was light, almost amused. "Octavius, we do have history together, and I'm not getting any younger. I can't afford to waste time on uncertainty. You're in your prime, wanting to explore your options and play the field a while longer—I understand that. But I won't wait around."
She added, "One disastrous marriage was quite enough for me. I have no intention of repeating the experience."
Octavius frowned slightly. "No matter how many women are in my life, you'd always be the most important. Your position would never change."
Calliope's voice carried a lazy, slightly husky quality. "You really think you're some kind of king, don't you? Good men aren't exactly rare commodities. I'm hardly desperate for your particular... services."
Her expression grew even more glacial. "You should leave, Octavius. Tonight was just physical attraction, nothing more. Don't feel obligated, because I certainly don't need you to. At my age, I have needs, and without a steady relationship, I might as well have hired an expensive escort."
She reached for her purse, pulling out a stack of bills. "Excellent performance. I'm quite satisfied."
Octavius stared at the money—roughly two thousand dollars—his anger building.
Calliope continued her provocation. "Take your payment and get out. Don't come back here again. You're not welcome."
His face darkened. "Are you serious, Calliope? Weren't you the one wanting to reconcile? Weren't you the one begging me to come over? I'm here, we've been intimate, what more could you possibly want?"
If not for fear of waking the child, Calliope would have physically thrown him out. Suppressing her rage, she ground out through clenched teeth, "Yes, I was pathetic. Now I'm choosing not to be. Is that a problem?"
Octavius had his own pride. He studied her cold demeanor, then began dressing. As he adjusted his clothes, he looked at her silhouette in the vanity chair. "It seems we're truly incompatible. In the past, despite our problems, you at least showed some feminine consideration. Now you've become completely unreasonable. There's really no point in continuing this charade."
He rambled on with his grievances.
Calliope dismissed every word as hot air.
She wanted a loyal husband, a man who would genuinely love Elspeth as a father should. Octavius clearly possessed neither quality, and she had finally given up on him completely.
To say her heart wasn't breaking would be a lie.
After he left and closed the door behind him, the bedroom fell into profound silence—so quiet that a pin drop would echo, broken only by the child's sweet, peaceful breathing. The little one remained blissfully unaware of the adult storm that had just passed.
Calliope's eyes filled with tears.
How could she not feel heartbroken? She and Octavius had been young when they married, had weathered hardships together. But when life improved, he forgot his promises. He treated her well enough, but it fell far short of love—tonight's performance proved that beyond doubt.
Calliope grabbed tissues, roughly wiping her face. She told herself: He's just another worthless man, nothing more.
Sitting on the bed's edge, she gazed at Elspeth's sleeping face—so innocent, so carefree. Calliope gently stroked the baby's soft cheek, humming a lullaby to the slumbering child.
She thought, 'My darling Elspeth, you must learn to see clearly. Don't let men deceive your heart so easily. Don't fall in love too quickly. My Elspeth, grow up strong.'
Downstairs, Octavius seethed with frustration. He didn't truly understand Calliope—couldn't believe she'd actually let him go to be with another man. He assumed this was all manipulation, that she was simply jealous of Seraphine.
But he knew Calliope's determination and capabilities all too well.
To prevent any betrayal, he called Percival from his car, ordering him to investigate Eldric's background. Percival was efficient—soon he had compiled a complete dossier.
Percival reported, "Wealthy businessman, widowed, has a son studying abroad."
Octavius sneered, brushing lint from his trousers. "Call him. Tell him Calliope belongs to me, and I don't want her marrying anyone else. Businessmen understand leverage—he'll get the message."
Percival felt uneasy. Though he was Octavius's secretary, he'd dealt with Calliope extensively over the years and considered her a good woman. This treatment seemed unconscionable.
"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Percival ventured. "You seem quite taken with Miss Vey—you extended your stay in Evergreen City just to spend time with her. Why are you suddenly feuding with your ex-wife?"
Seraphine? Octavius had nearly forgotten about her in the heat of the moment. She was certainly beautiful and satisfying, but merely a plaything for his physical needs. He felt nothing deeper, yet he wasn't about to sacrifice his other conquests for Calliope's sake—that would be giving her too much power.
"I simply refuse to let her think she's won," Octavius muttered.
Percival said nothing more and handled the matter efficiently.
Sure enough, when faced with potential business consequences, Eldric immediately abandoned his pursuit of Calliope, ending their acquaintance with a single phone call rather than meeting face-to-face.
Calliope felt neither surprise nor sadness—she had expected this outcome. She suspected Octavius's involvement, which only strengthened her resolve to build something meaningful in Evergreen City on her own terms. Men, clearly, were unreliable.
By remarkable coincidence, just as she committed to forging her own path, Sarah appeared at her door. Ostensibly visiting to see Elspeth, she brought tremendously exciting news—though she insisted on being mysterious about it first.
Calliope welcomed her into the living room, personally preparing tea. Leaning close together, Calliope teased, "Given our relationship, if you keep playing coy much longer, I might actually get annoyed."
Sarah sipped her white tea. "I know about your situation. I've come to offer guidance."
Calliope's pulse quickened. "Tell me everything."
Sarah finally spoke softly. "Your talents are wasted at my little gallery. After the New Year, the Windsor Group will need a new Vice President of Public Relations. Oliver mentioned in passing that he'd like you to try for it, so I came immediately."
Though Sarah spoke casually, Calliope understood the significance. The Windsor Group employed tens of thousands—such a coveted position didn't simply materialize through Oliver's whim alone. Sarah had clearly orchestrated this opportunity behind the scenes.
Calliope felt overwhelmed with gratitude and unworthiness—this was an extraordinary gift.
Reading her thoughts, Sarah smiled gently. "I have selfish motives. I know you want the best for Elspeth, and I care deeply for her too. I am her great-aunt, after all. I'm simply using you as my instrument to provide for her. I want her to live without worry in this world, with no one knowing her true parentage. Only when you become powerful can she live with dignity."
These words brought tears to Calliope's eyes. She accepted gratefully.
What she hadn't anticipated was that her first assignment at the Windsor Group would involve Seraphine directly.
The company's flagship luxury shopping center was opening—a world-class destination requiring a celebrity endorser. Seraphine was the top candidate.
Word had already spread that Seraphine was connected to Octavius from Harmony City.
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