A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

None of them noticed it, except Ulysses. No wonder he'd been acting so weird lately. Clearly, he'd been hung up on this for a while.

Lisette forced a shaky smile. "Ulysses, I'm actually closer to you guys than to my biological parents. I barely even know them. They're the ones who reached out to me. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I was scared you'd judge me... I've been racking my brain for how to say it."

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have kept it from you! Ulysses, is this why you've been so distant? Is this why you're mad at me?"

Lisette looked absolutely crushed with guilt.

"I'm sorry, really. It's all on me. I messed up. If it bothers you that much, I'll leave the Jewell family right now. I'll pack my bags, and I'll go. I promise I won't make a scene."

She straightened her shoulders, bracing herself, and headed for the door, half- expecting Ulysses to stop her.

But he didn't.

She made it all the way to the front door, pulled it open, and still nothing. Ulysses didn't say a word.

Lisette walked out, her face pale with humiliation and anger.

He really didn't try to stop her. He didn't even glance her way.

while, hoping he'd

Damned Calliope.

Ulysses had been looking at

Damned Calliope!

cursed her under her breath as she finally gave up and slunk back to her room,

...

He'd been right about Lisette all along. She wasn't the innocent she pretended to

around her little finger from day

it, the worse he felt. Lisette had been playing them for

realized just how many times Lisette had stirred the pot,

what was he

If he tried to talk to Valerian, it wouldn't

with Lisette

a word

Horatio, maybe he'd listen. But was Horatio really

more clearly?

their parents? They'd