A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Whatever, it's not like I matter anyway! I don't have any ties with the Jewell family anymore, and I definitely don't deserve a room allocation!"

Calliope sighed dramatically, using her words as a tactical retreat, and shook her head as she returned to the couch.

"I'm not part of the Jewell family. Even if I was, no one would listen to me!"

As she spoke, her gaze drifted up to the family portrait hanging on the wall.

"Sure enough, there's no place for me in the family photo." Calliope chuckled softly, "You all look so blissfully happy. Guess I'm just the outsider."

Monty and the others exchanged uneasy glances.

The family portrait had always been there, and no one paid much attention to it. But now that they looked, Calliope's absence was glaringly obvious. They had talked about taking another photo over the years, but somehow it never happened. Calliope was never in any of them.

The photo frames on the table showed Lisette and the rest of the family, but there was never one with Calliope.

sons all felt a pang of

their attention was on her. Thoughts of Calliope often got sidelined. But now, without Lisette,

don't be upset. We're listening to you!" Monty said quickly. "Your brother definitely deserves the big room. Let's have him take Lisette's room! Lisette can stay in the

retake

family photo taken! One with all of us in

bigger,

for him, right? After all, Horatio's always been so good to her.

things Lisette had said before, though no

the room seemed perfect for Horatio. It seemed like Calliope was only thinking of Horatio's

came into the room,

overheard the conversation. She

didn't object.

up his room

fair Though she liked Lisette, Zelda's heart was with her eldest son. It seemed natural for Lisette to make this