A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

"Are you worried that if I have a baby with Gideon, you'll never have a shot again?"

"You say you don't love Gideon anymore, but I bet you're still hung up on him, aren't you?"

"There's no need to use such a lousy excuse just to hurt my baby. Babies are innocent, you know."

She looked like she was about to burst into tears, as if Calliope had somehow bullied her.

Calliope could barely believe what she was hearing. She honestly regretted even bringing it up. Even if those two had a kid with no brains at all, it wouldn't have anything to do with her.

"So what, you think I'm not as good as Gideon? That's why my wife still thinks about him, huh? Is it because Gideon's richer than me? Or maybe you think he's better-looking? Or is it his fancy job and his stupid reputation?"

No one had noticed Silas had followed them outside. Now he was standing right next to Calliope, looking at Gideon's whole family with an amused grin.

Gideon's family just stood there, completely dumbfounded.

"Love isn't something you can measure with looks or money," Gideon said, taking a deep breath.

"Then how do you measure it, exactly? Are you better at having kids? Or is it that even with a broken leg, you can still... perform, so now you're the big hero?"

Silas narrowed his eyes, then glanced over at Yvette. "You sure are proactive. His leg's busted, but you're still all over him. Honestly, you two are made for each other. Perfect match."

Silas just kept going, firing off one line after another. Callie could barely keep from laughing.

By now, Calista and Dahlia had come outside, and they immediately started clapping for their uncle.

"Yvette, didn't you try to seduce our uncle too?"

"What was it? When you were after someone else, they were better than your husband? But now your husband's suddenly amazing?"

"Come on, Yvette, everyone knows what you're up to. Don't even bother to deny it."

"Gideon, seriously, can't you and your family just chill for once?"noveldrama

"God, you guys are embarrassing yourselves. Do you really want the whole world to see this circus?"

"Exactly," Verity chimed in, "it's Christmas for crying out loud, and you people just have to stir up drama?"

The whole group started laying into Yvette and her crew.

"And by the way," Dahlia added, "it's not just Aunt Callie who thinks there's something wrong with your pregnancy. I do too. It's not a curse, it's just us being honest. If you want to twist it, that's on you."

Dahlia looked Yvette dead in the eye.

"My medical skills aren't as good as Aunt Callie's, but if both of us see a problem, well, there probably is one."

"We're not buying any of your crap," Fleur snapped. "You just can't stand to see us happy!"

Suddenly, Yvette clutched her stomach. "Ow, my stomach! It really hurts!"

"Yvette, are you okay?" Fleur panicked, grabbing her arm.

"My stomach hurts, Mom. Let's go home," Yvette said, holding her side.

Fleur shot Calliope a furious glare. "Are you trying to make Yvette lose her baby, you spiteful woman?"

Silas just looked at her, eyes narrowed. "You got a death wish or something?"

Fleur gulped, realizing she couldn't

afford to piss off Silas, and quicket

helped Yvette away. Gideon followed right behind.

"They're nuts," Verity said, patting Calliope on the shoulder. "Don't worry,

We've got your back. Gideon's family is just a bunch of idiots anyway."