A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

Lisette's dramatic warnings left Zelda a little uneasy. She glanced at Valerian.

"You don't think anything's going to happen to Horatio, right? Calliope wouldn't do anything reckless, would she? She's always so unreasonable... Of all the people to be 'the Miracle Doctor,' why did it have to be her?"

Valerian shot her a look. "Mom, you're overthinking this!"

Then he looked at Lisette. "I really don't think Callie would go that far. She's our sister, after all. No matter how mad she gets, she wouldn't actually try to hurt her own brother. This isn't a joke. If Callie wanted to get back at us, she wouldn't pick now to do it."

"I just worry about Horatio," Lisette said, her voice small and wounded.

"She's not wrong to worry," Zelda muttered. "Who knows what Calliope's really up to..."

But she stopped herself, not wanting to make Horatio more anxious.

When they reached the doors to the operating room, Calliope came out, dressed in scrubs, her hair tucked away and her face all business. She looked so different. Suddenly she seemed like a real pro.

She explained the consent forms quickly and efficiently.

"The surgery's got a high success rate, but there are always risks," she said, flipping through the paperwork.noveldrama

Zelda opened her mouth, but Monty cut her off. "C'mon, don't make this any harder. Callie knows what she's doing. She's the Miracle Doctor, remember? If anything went wrong, her reputation would be toast! And she's our family. We gotta trust her."

"Right, Callie?" He smiled at her, but there was a challenge in his eyes, too. Calliope just shot him a cool glance. She didn't say a word, just slid the forms across the table. "Sign here if you want me to go ahead."

Monty grabbed a pen and scrawled his name.

When it was done, Calliope turned and disappeared into the OR.

The rest of them hung back in the waiting room, nerves on edge.

Inside, Calliope got to work. The anesthesiologist put Horatio under, and Calliope's team moved with practiced efficiency, following her lead.

Meanwhile, outside, Lisette excused herself to use the restroom, only to find one

of Damien's guys trailing her down the hall.

She whirled around. "Why are you following me?"

"Sorry, but we need to make sure you don't... do anything you shouldn't," Damien said politely, but firmly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lisette sputtered.

"You know exactly what I mean. You've always been out to get our lady. We're just making sure you don' Dtry to mess with Horatio and pin it on her later."

Lisette's jaw dropped in outrage. "Excuse me?"

Damien just shrugged. "You've pulled stunts like that before. Can't blame us for being careful."

Lisette was so furious she forgot all about the restroom and stormed back to the waiting area.

"Can you believe this?" she fumed to Valerian. "Callie's got her people watching us like we're criminals!"

Zelda shot a glare at Damien and

crew.

didn't like them one bit

But could think about was oratio, and whether he'd make it

okay.

his