A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Lisette stared at the message on the nameplate, her eyes practically burning. She looked at Calliope with a mix of annoyance and reluctance, her jaw set, trying to hold back her frustration.

"If it's not about work, I really don't see what we need to talk about," Calliope replied, not even bothering to look up from her paperwork.

Lisette marched right up to Calliope's desk and stood in front of her, arms crossed. She locked eyes with her for a long, tense moment before finally speaking.

"It was me who reached out to Horatio and the others. Don't blame them for anything, and don't make things hard for them," Lisette said, voice tight but determined. "If you have a problem, take it up with me. They haven't done anything wrong. It's all on me."

Calliope looked up, surprised. This wasn't like Lisette at all; she was never one to take the blame for anyone else, let alone stand up for someone else in front of her.

Calliope studied her for a second, her curiosity piqued.

the sudden compassion?" Calliope drawled. "Shouldn't you be bragging about it instead? Standing up for them isn't really your

fell into a guilty frown. "I don't even know why they're so nice to me. Maybe they just like me better, but it's not their fault. You shouldn't take

God's sake. You should take care of them. Isn't that what you want, to

it out on me. I can handle it. I'm not

you upset.

all the world like she had

saw right

to rub it in. She wanted Calliope to see that she didn't have to do anything, and the

know that they care about you, not me. No matter what I do, you'll always

get under my

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