A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Lisette paced around her bedroom, her mind racing with thoughts she kept carefully hidden behind a calm, pleasant face. Out loud, she even found herself saying nice things about Calliope to Zelda, trying to keep the peace.

But the more Lisette talked up Calliope, the more Zelda's opinion soured. The way she saw it, Calliope had done nothing but make Lisette's life harder, and yet here was Lisette, still defending her. Zelda's heart ached. Lisette was just too good, too forgiving.

It didn't take long before Lisette started noticing something strange: her room felt emptier than before. Several of her favorite things were missing. Some of them were keepsakes she'd won in childhood tiffs with Calliope, others were genuinely valuable.

"Mom, do you remember that butterfly-shaped necklace?" Lisette asked, unable to keep the concern from her voice. “It's gone. I can't find it anywhere."

Zelda's expression darkened immediately. "Isn't it obvious? That was Calliope. She's been taking things from your room, more than just that necklace."

She clenched her jaw, her voice trembling with anger. "But right now, everyone needs Calliope. With Horatio so sick and the company in trouble, no one dares to call her out. She's like a bad omen. I swear, she only came back to rob us blind."

But for the sake of the family business, Zelda had to hold her tongue. Monty had already told her to stay quiet; all she could do was stew in silence.

worried. "What about my mom's keepsakes? Did she take

caught off guard. She hadn't seen what Calliope had actually

through her drawers. In truth, she'd hidden

with stealing from her, she had another thing coming. Lisette had played this game a thousand times; she knew exactly how to make the Jewell family fret over her and resent Calliope

one I love the most. But that looket is all I have left of her. I could give up everything else to Calliope, but not that. It's not even worth much. What would Callie

voice broke as she dabbed at her eyes, the picture

finger. She'd raised her like her own flesh and blood

could she? She's already gotten so much, how can she be

times, her face

it back!"

Lisette hesitated.