A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"My assistant's embezzlement has nothing to do with me!" Lisette was absolutely fuming. "She did it, so she's responsible. Isn't that just common sense?"

"But she's always been handling things for you, hasn't she?" Calliope shot Lisette a look. "Since she's always been working for you, how do you explain that this money wasn't for you, but for herself?"

"Of course, if you can prove that all this cash really went to her, then sure, let her pay it back."

Calliope's tone was matter-of-fact, as if she were explaining how to make a peanut butter sandwich.

"Oh, come on, Calliope! You're being downright impossible!" Lisette was nearly shaking with anger. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You load me up with all this work, make me handle everything, and then, on top of that, you want me to pay up? You're trying to push me out of the Jewell family, aren't you?"

"You promised Dad and the others you'd never kick us out, so instead you just make my life hell until I leave on my own, right?"

Lisette glared at her with a look of pure resentment.

Calliope just crossed her arms, calm as ever.

That's exactly what I'm doing. You used to love playing these little

the trouble you once gave me. And you're already losing it? If you can't

keep this up forever? Horatio and Valerian will see right through you! You really think they'll always be on your

used to be closer to her. She'd spent more time with them. Their loyalty had

really been on my side, so this is already

one day they go back to you, if they take your side again, well, that's fine too. The truth is,

let out a small,

Horatio and Valerian walked in

every word. And both of them realized, for maybe the first time, that Calliope didn't really need them. Silas

she was successful now. She had her own money, her own life, and a couple of other

Their expressions changed.

her only real brothers, that their bond with her was special. But

they

relationship with her just wasn't