A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

When Calliope reached the end of the letter, her eyes were rimmed with red. She knew Kermit had always cared about her, always worried for her. Even though he wasn't her real grandfather by blood, he might as well have been. He treated her just like a granddaughter-his own granddaughter.

At the end of the letter, Kermit mentioned there were a few things inside the box for her. He admitted he hadn't managed to find out who Calliope's biological mother was, but he left her a necklace that she'd been wearing as a baby. The pendant was unique, and Kermit figured maybe, just maybe, it could be a clue to finding her real mother or her family.

He'd also left a portrait-his own drawing-of what he remembered Calliope's mother looking like.

Finally, Kermit apologized. He felt guilty for not being able to spend more time with Calliope, for not being there for her longer.

As Calliope stared at the letter, her eyes filled even more with tears.

At the same time, she felt a jolt of shock. She'd wondered, once or twice, if she was really a Jewell by blood. She never expected her suspicions to be true. She really wasn't a biological member of the Jewell family.

"What's it say?" Silas asked, watching her from the side.

Calliope looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then handed him the letter. "See for yourself," she said quietly.

finished, he looked a little

like any of the Jewells," he said, trying for a light tone. "Turns out, you're not really one of

let out a long breath. "If I'm not a Jewell, then who are

after giving her

mother to hand her

said, if she survived, she'd come back for

But...

trailed off, a little afraid to

back, not in all these years. Did that mean

on her mind. "Maybe something happened, or maybe... maybe she's still out there, and just thought you were

she left me with Grandpa Kermit, and gave him enough money to take care of me. That means she

loved her, after all.

Calliope had been safe and unharmed in her arms. Her mother must have done everything she could to protect her. She must have loved

her anger toward the Jewell family faded. Still, if