A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Just as the commotion started, everyone's curiosity was piqued. People gathered around with wide eyes, whispering and trading theories like they were at a neighborhood barbecue.

"It's not for me? Oh, come on, it's obviously for me!" Valerian insisted, grinning. "Franco, you knew about this, didn't you?"

"Callie told you to order this car, right? She specifically wanted you to get it for me, didn't she?"

"I heard you both talking about ordering the car, you know!" Valerian added matter-of-factly, as if everything was already settled. "You won't help me? Fine, I'll take care of it myself. The keys? Are they in the car?"

He started tugging at the car cover, determined to see what was underneath.

Franco tried to stop him, but Valerian was having none of it. He was absolutely set on seeing and test-driving the car.

Ulysses, standing nearby, started to get the feeling something wasn't right.

If this car really was for Valerian, Franco wouldn't be trying so hard to block him from it. Odds were, the fancy new ride wasn't his.

"Valerian, maybe you should double-check," Ulysses suggested, shooting a look at Franco. "There's a chance it's not actually for you."

and felt a pang of annoyance. She had more

it was for her second brother, and that's me!"

three "brothers" at the airport that day. "Second brother" might be

for you. If it were, I would've handed you the keys already. I really don't want you to

could see how things stood: this car definitely wasn't Valerian's. But Valerian was convinced. In his mind, Callie wouldn't give a gift like this to anyone but him. He'd already forgotten about the other "brothers" in her life, thinking only ofhow she must

whipped the cover off

could only watch

came off. Someone whistled. "Isn't that the new

a handful of those in the whole country! Did the

giving it away as

Valerian? That can't be

it either," someone

In

through the crowd. The car was just too extravagant. No one could picture Valerian behind

something like that.