A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Chapter 773

Calliope and her friends had gone out for the afternoon, laughing and chatting as they strolled down the busy main street, the early spring sun warming their backs.

Meanwhile, the Jewell family trailed behind at a not-so-subtle distance. They tried be discreet, but their anxious glances and hushed whispers made it clear they were anything but calm.

Watching Calliope surrounded by so many friends only made their nerves worse.

This year had started out well for the Jewell family. After all, Lisette was back, and the family business seemed to have steadied, at least for a while.

But that good fortune didn't last long.

As soon as Calliope sold off her shares, the company's situation took a nosedive. Monty's phone was ringing off the hook. Executives wanted answers. Was Calliope leaving? Was she abandoning ship?

Worse yet, longtime partners started backing out of deals. The company's reputation was unraveling fast, and Monty felt like he was drowning.

Monty as the boss. He was her father, after all. But now, with the

if she walked away for good, Monty would be left to deal

of his depth. He needed Calliope. The whole family did, none of them

her friends didn't bother looking back. They knew the Jewells were following them, lingering just far enough away to avoid direct confrontation but close enough to be obvious.

steaks and truffle fries in town. They'd booked a table weeks in advance, so they walked straight

up just in time to

hostess said with a polite but firm smile. "We're fully booked for the next month. If you'd like to make a reservation, I can put you on the list, but I'm afraid we can't seat

just pay a bit extra to get in? Just

their mismatched clothes and uncomfortable shoes, clearly unimpressed. "I'm sorry, but we have

the Jewell family had no choice but to wait outside, watching through

has to help us

his forehead, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on him. The

seemed to