A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Chapter 69

When Calliope finally arrived, Archie and Portia were already there, waiting for her in their private booth. As soon as she walked in, smiles spread across all their faces.

"About time you showed up! What took you so long?" Portia teased, looking up. "Latecomers buy the first round!"

"Alright, alright!" Calliope chuckled, waving her hand in mock defeat. "Just had a few things to wrap up. I'll make it up with a drink.

True to her word, Calliope poured herself a glass of wine and toasted to her friends before taking a generous sip.

The three of them settled into their seats, catching up on each other's lives.

Archie was a bit quiet, but Portia eagerly shared about her latest romantic interest, a guy she'd been seeing but hadn't quite locked down yet.

Then Mavis recounted her recent daring mission. It was a nail-biter, the kind of story that made you clutch your heart a little tighter. Luckily, her top-skilled mentor had swooped in at the last moment to save the day.

going with Uriah?" Calliope asked, glancing at

relationship was complicated, to put it mildly. Calliope remembered how, in another life, Mavis and Uriah had a massive falling out, almost tearing their mentor-mentee bond

"My status and work are kind of unique. Uriah's never really cared about

took a sip of her drink, her eyes downcast, and it was

time to set your sights on someone else. Uriah's as approachable as a

a smile. If only it

her mentor - the man she loved with all her heart. He had saved her from countless tight spots, and

of the heart aren't something you can force," Archie said, pouring Mavis another drink. "If you can't

god to her, and the thought of trying to win him over seemed daunting. She admired him, and she feared him

the subject to something happier," Mavis turned

scrutinized Calliope. "You seem

up with

uh, took things to the next level..." Calliope confessed, her cheeks turning a shade of