A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

Valerian stared at Calliope, his eyes rimmed red with frustration. He looked like he was about to lose it.

"Calliope, are you really going to do this to us?"

"We're your real family. How can you treat outsiders better than your own blood? Don't you think that's wrong?"

"Don't you think you've crossed a line?"

His voice was sharp, slicing through the room as he fired off accusation after accusation.

But Calliope just met his gaze, calm and unflinching. "And what makes you qualified to call yourself my brother? When strangers treat me better than you ever have, maybe you should ask yourselves what you did wrong."

"And Lisette isn't even your real sister, but you bend over backward for her. Why is that?"noveldrama

Her words were pointed, her glare icy and unwavering. She held Valerian's gaze, refusing to shrink away. She'd never wronged the Jewell family. Her conscience was clear.

Valerian's face twisted with anger. He puffed up, jaw clenched. "Lisette is different. She might not be my real sister, but she's important to me—to all of us. We grew up together, you know that!"

"Oh, so I didn't grow up with you too?" Calliope shot back. "Why is it always me who has to suck it up, always me who's supposed to give in to her?"

"My brothers never made me put anyone else first. To them, I'm the one who matters most. I'm not stupid. You give nothing, but expect everything from me. Why would I owe you anything?"

She let out a dry, humorless laugh, the sarcasm thick in her voice.

At that, Franco, who'd been watching from the sidelines, finally chimed in, nodding along.

"Valerian, Ulysses, honestly, people

have noticed the way you treat Callie. It's not a good look. Ask anyone at the office, even the janitor could see you playing favorites with Lisette. You can't keep playing favorites and not expect it to bite

you in the end."

Valerian fell silent, while Ulysses scowled.

"We only treat Lisette better because she deserves it," Ulysses snapped back at Franco. "She's more thoughtful, more mature."

He couldn't understand why Franco was defending Calliope. In his mind, Lisette had always been the good one, the obedient one, the one who put others first. Calliope always seemed to be picking fights, always keeping score.

"Lisette's the better person?" Franco couldn't help but laugh. “If my boss wasn't extraordinary, do you think she'd be running the show? People don't follow her because they have to, they follow her because they respect her. Lisette's just a good actress who's fooled you all. Honestly, you guys are clueless."

Franco shook his head. "All the loyalty and help Callie's given you over the years, you treat it like it's nothing. She's pulled you out of a dozen messes, and this is how you pay her back?"

"If she'd done all that for a dog, at least the dog would wag its tail for her in thanks. Even a dog knows loyalty. Even a dog shows gratitude. But you guys? All you ever show her is resentment."