A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Why don't we just take the photos ourselves? I mean, she's not even your biological daughter. Or is it that you all don't want to take a picture with me? You only want photos with Lisette?"

"If that's the case, forget it. It's not like I've been in any of these pictures for the past twenty years anyway."

She gazed down at her plate, picking idly at the mashed potatoes, as if she couldn't be bothered to continue the conversation.

Her demeanor made the others at the table tense up. Maybe she had a point. They'd taken family photos with Lisette before when Calliope wasn't around. So, why not take them now without Lisette? After all, Lisette was adopted. She'd been in plenty of pictures already.

"Alright, alright, let's do it!" Monty chimed in, trying to smooth things over. "When do you want to take them? You decide!"

Zelda shot a chilly glance at Calliope, clearly wanting to say something, but Monty nudged her to keep quiet.

"Let's do it after dinner. I'll call a friend over to take them for us," Calliope suggested, looking directly at Monty and the others.

"Uh..."

"Fine, then. It's not like we have to. We aren't exactly

trying not to rile her up. After all, with her connections and influence, it was best not to make her an enemy. It's

and the others nodded

arrived, camera in hand.

estate, ready for

Calliope sat regally

a queen on her throne, while the others stood behind her, creating

about

out the door. She then took a leisurely stroll around the Jewell family villa, eventually making her way to Monty's study. Despite Monty's initial reluctance,

a secret room behind this bookshelf, right? Mind if

asked, eyeing the towering

chill of foreboding, but he couldn't refuse her request. Reluctantly, he opened the hidden room. Though not wealthy, Monty had amassed quite a collection of artifacts, some