A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

"Lisette, what are you doing here?"

The moment Lisette walked in, Valerian jumped up and hurried over to close the door behind her, as if he was terrified someone, especially Calliope, would catch them plotting together.

"I need to talk to you guys," Lisette said, looking at Horatio and the others. "I just went to see Callie. I talked to her, and she's agreed. She'll treat you, Horatio!"

"Wait, Callie agreed?" Monty asked, eyes wide.

Lisette nodded. "Yeah. I told her we only had lunch together because I asked, and that none of this is your fault. I told her if anyone needs to be punished, she can take it out on me. She can pick on me all she wants, as long as she helps Horatio. And she said yes!"

She tried to give them a smile, but it came out more like a grimace, like she was putting on a brave face for their sake. "Don't worry, even if Callie's upset with us, I'll take the heat. I'll keep my distance from you guys for now, just in case."

The three of them stared at her, surprised. They'd been wracking their brains for solutions, but Lisette had gone straight to Calliope and taken the blame herself, just to make sure Calliope wouldn't take it out on them. For a second, all three felt a strange mix of guilt and gratitude.

"Lisette, you didn't have to do that," Monty said softly. "You've been through so much lately, and you're still the kindest person I know. You're not even jealous of Callie. You just want to help us."

Lisette shrugged, her face earnest. "You guys are my family. Of course I want to look out for my family. All I want is for you all to be happy. If I have to sacrifice a little, that's fine. As long as you're all okay, it's worth it."

She looked at them with those big, sincere eyes. "I know I've messed up a lot in the past. If making up for it means giving everything I have, then that's what I'll do."

The room went quiet for a second.

Monty felt a lump in his throat.

"Lisette, you're incredible," he said finally. "So sweet, so selfless. You're always thinking of others."

Compared to Lisette's gentle understanding, Calliope sometimes seemed impossible, so stubborn, so hard to please, and they could never seem to reason with her.

Monty felt his heart lean even more towards Lisette. She admitted her mistakes and tried to make up for them even after draining the company's accounts, she was doing her best to set things right.

Meanwhile, Calliope always seemed to want something in return, never givingnoveldrama

without demanding payment, always asking for more, never satisfied.

Monty clenched his fists, thinking of how Calliope had nearly emptied his precious wine cellar. It was just too much.

Horatio, too, looked at Lisette,

feeling a pang of gratitude. He was

always worried Calliope might

refuse to help him, but Lisette never gave up on him. Even if it meant getting on Calliope's bad side, she stiff pleaded his case.

Lisette was willing to do anything, risking her own place in the family, even her

own happiness, just to make sure he got the treatment he needed.

"Thank you, Lisette," Horatio said quietly, voice thick with emotion. "You're amazing."

She wasn't even his real sister, but she tried so hard to care for him. Meanwhile, his own sister left him constantly worried she'd turn her back on him, leaving him stuck like this forever.

Just thinking about it made Horatio's jaw clench. Ever since the accident, he'd lived in fear that Calliope would one day refuse, and he'd never get back on his feet again.