A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

"With your background, it'd really be best if you just cooperated with us. Don't worry. We're not looking to shortchange you or anything."

Calliope just shrugged. "Sorry, can't help you there. Maybe you guys should be the ones cooperating for a change. Or better yet, how about you just get lost?"

"Honestly, if you had any real skills, you wouldn't even be here talking to me. Shouldn't you be dealing with Silas instead? You're too scared to go after him, so you come here first. That just proves you're not up for the challenge, doesn't it?"

"You-!" Oliver snapped, her words hitting him right where it hurt.

Sure, he was satisfied with Silas these days. But trying to convince Silas wasn't easy, especially now that Silas had grown into someone you couldn't just push around.

So Oliver wanted to keep things simple: get Calliope out of the picture, let Blythe get close to Silas, and everything would fall into place.

After all, Blythe was on his side. Plus, Blythe genuinely cared about Silas, and she'd made it clear she'd choose him. The two of them had hit it off right away.

Who could've guessed Calliope would be so damn stubborn?

Oliver had sensed trouble the last time he'd talked to her, but he hadn't expected her to be this much of a headache.noveldrama

She was clever too clever, honestly. She saw right through him. But in his mind, she was also foolish for picking a fight with them. She was just a regular woman, nothing special, except that Silas liked to play knight-in-shining-armor for her.

"You're missing something here," Oliver said tightly. "You think Silas will always protect you, but that only works if he's actually in love with you. What if he's not? What if he doesn't care? You really think he'll stand up for you then?"

"And another thing: Blythe knew Silas way before you did. They have history together! There's something real between them."

"When Silas sees Blythe, do you really think he'll still have your back? You're just dead weight to him, he won't bother."

Calliope glanced over at Blythe. She remembered what Yara Xander had said: Silas had a woman in his heart, someone who looked a bit like her. But Blythe didn't resemble her at all.

So, clearly, Blythe wasn't the one Yara meant. Maybe Blythe and Silas had something, but it couldn't have run all that deep.

Calliope gave Blythe a cool look, then turned to Oliver. "Wow. You really don't know your son at all. And you think he's going to inherit everything from you?"

She stood up, grabbing her purse. "Dream on."

"You've never been a real father to him. Never did a thing for him. Why would he ever help you?"

"Anyway, I've got to get home. My family's waiting for me. We're having a big Christmas Eve dinner. You've wasted enough of my time, and honestly, I'm done being polite.”

"Calliope, why do you have to be so stubborn?" Oliver snapped, his face reddening in anger. "Do you really want to force our hand? Because we're not just coming after you. We'll go after your family, too. Aren't you scared? When the Jewell family goes down, you won't be living the good life anymore!"

Calliope glanced back, her voice light and even. "Seems like you don't know

Silas, and you sure as hell don't know me."

With that, she strode out the door.

Oliver slammed his fist on the table, seething with frustration.

Blythe could barely hold it together. She gritted her teeth and hissed, "How can

she be so brazen? So... so impossible!"