A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"These styles are just awful. Let's try somewhere else,” Valerian said, picking up

on the awkward atmosphere and quickly steering Lisette away.

Horatio and Ulysses trailed behind, neither saying much. Ulysses kept glancing

back at Calliope, unable to help himself. He knew it now—she had those amazing

new brothers in her life. There was no way she'd ever look at them, her original

brothers, the same way again. Of course she didn't need them anymore.

A strange, heavy sort of sadness settled in Ulysses' chest. Horatio looked just as

conflicted.

Up ahead, Valerian and Lisette walked in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

Neither had realized just how well Calliope had been doing since she left the

Jewell family, or that she'd found brothers who could easily replace them.

Lisette especially couldn't believe it. She had tried so hard to win Calliope over, to

be the sister she never had, but apparently, Calliope didn't even need her.

If Lisette had brothers like that—tall, charming, successful—she probably wouldn't

bother with her original family either. These guys weren't nearly as handsome or

accomplished as the new ones.

Eventually, the four of them reached a little rest area in the mall, a cozy spot with

vending machine humming nearby. They

looking more than

guys," Lisette said, her voice earnest. "This was supposed to

didn't mean for

The silence dragged on until Valerian finally

his throat.

none of this is your

hadn't

we wouldn't have run

Lisette replied quietly,

hands. "And

her, everyone would still be in

mood. So it's

let out a long, frustrated

sorry. I ruined

And it's not like I'm

change how she feels.

rich, perfect brothers

wonder she doesn't

back to the

her?" Lisette continued, her tone wistful. "They can

the Jewell family

why bother?"

like she was just thinking out loud, but her words had

wanted the others to

them for money and

and the others

notice her angle. They were

up in their own