A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

Lisette had heard every word Calliope said, but she still bolted straight up to the top floor in a huff.

Once she got there, she started to wait. She was sure the Jewell family would come after her, just like they always did. They'd try to talk her down, shower her with affection, and, in the end, promise her anything just to make her feel better.

She was convinced Calliope must be scared she'd actually do something drastic. If she did, wouldn't that make it Calliope's fault too?

So there Lisette stood, right on the rooftop terrace. She hadn't bothered to put on much that morning, and now the chilly breeze up there made her shiver so hard her teeth almost chattered.

But she told herself, if she wanted to get the upper hand with the Jewells, she couldn't back down now. The more pitiful she looked, the more they'd worry, and the more likely they'd cave to whatever she wanted.

So Lisette stayed put. She didn't jump, but she stubbornly remained on the terrace, keeping up her act.

Meanwhile, downstairs.

Monty and the others hesitated.

"What if she actually jumps? Maybe Valerian should go check on her," Monty suggested, glancing at Silas and Calliope for approval. He clearly wasn't about to send his son upstairs if they didn't back him up.

"If she wants to jump, let her," Calliope replied bluntly, fixing Monty with a look. "You feeling sorry for her or something?"

Silas raised an eyebrow and chimed in, "Maybe you should go up there and jump with her, give her some moral support."

Monty shut his mouth instantly.

Zelda looked a little worried, but remembering the rumors about Lisette's infectious illness, she quickly thought better of it. No way was she going up those stairs alone.

Horatio and Valerian, meanwhile, had zero intention of playing along with Lisette's drama. They weren't stupid. Calliope had already called her bluff. If Lisette was really going to jump, she'd have done it by now. She'd had plenty of time since she stormed upstairs. Clearly, she was waiting for them to come running.

Horatio was thinking about his upcoming surgery. Valerian was eagerly anticipating his favorite present. Both decided it was smarter to side with Calliope. None of them wanted to deal with Lisette. noveldrama

"I'm starving," Calliope announced, standing up. "Can we have breakfast now?"

"Absolutely!" Monty said, jumping at the chance. "I already asked Valerian to pick up your favorite pastries. They're still warm! Let's eat."

Everyone made their way to the table, pointedly ignoring the whole Lisette situation, as if she didn't even exist.

They focused on their breakfast, chatting about anything but Lisette. No one seemed to care whether she jumped or not.

Of course, if Lisette really did jump, they'd definitely hear the commotion from up there.

But it was obvious she hadn't. Everything was quiet.

"Shouldn't one of you go check upstairs?" Calliope said after a couple bites, glancing at the others "She's obviously waiting for someone, either for you to beg her to come down, or for one last dramatic goodbye! She must be so disappointed! Her face is all puffy and swollen, and yet the people who used to fall for her tricks aren't even pretending to care anymore."

Calliope grinned, her tone playful. "Maybe you should go try to persuade her. Poor thing! You used to care so much, and now suddenly you don't care at all?”

Monty just huffed.

"Don't worry about her. If she realizes we're not coming, she'll come down on her own," he said.

"Exactly. She's not the kind who'd actually do it," Horatio added.

And with that, they all went on eating, letting Lisette stew on the rooftop, waiting for attention that wasn't coming.