A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

Calliope stood so close to Silas she could catch the scent of his cologne, a comforting blend of cedarwood and something warm, like cinnamon.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his, and a flutter of panic stirred in her chest.

She had always focused on Gideon, holding Silas in a sort of reverent awe. Despite having helped him once before, her feelings for Silas had always been more about respect, and maybe a touch of intimidation.

Silas was a few years older than her, and to top it off, he was Gideon's uncle. Every time she saw him, it was like facing a stern elder, and for reasons she couldn't explain, it always made her feel a pang of guilt. But now, standing so close to him, she realized how blind she had been.

Silas was handsome, capable- the kind of man she should have noticed long ago. Yet, she had wasted so much time chasing after Gideon, who was nothing short of a jerk.

Sure, Silas was her husband now, but it wasn't like she had won him over in any fairytale fashion. Their relationship had been built on a deal, and that made her feel a bit uneasy.

Silas handed her phone back to her. Calliope glanced up, swallowing nervously.

"What brings you back?" she asked.

"Are you not happy to see me?" Silas's lips curled into a slight smile, his deep eyes twinkling in a way that was almost hypnotic.

For a moment, Calliope felt as though she were lost in a dream.

She remembered the day he had carried her broken body out of that hellish place, his face filled with anger and determination. It was a scary memory, yet somehow brought her a sense of safety that only Silas could provide.

That's why, in this lifetime, she had sought him out without hesitation. To her surprise, he hadn't turned her down. Even though helping her didn't seem to benefit him, especially since the end of their agreement might leave him labeled as a divorcee, he still agreed to the marriage contract.

"No, it's your home; you should come back whenever you want," Calliope said with a small smile.

"It's not just my home, Calliope. It's ours," Silas replied softly, his voice like velvet. "Adah's made dinner. Let's eat."

"Okay."

Calliope sat down to eat with Silas.

Dining with this intimidating uncle figure made her nervous, especially knowing he would be home tonight. Who knew what might happen later?

The contract was clear: obligations should be met, respect was mutual, but if Silas wanted to exercise his marital rights, she wasn't sure she could easily refuse.

Lost in her thoughts, Calliope absentmindedly picked at her dinner.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Gideon was fuming.

He'd called Calliope countless times, only to have each call go unanswered. It suddenly dawned on him— she'd blocked him!

Frustrated, he even tried reaching out on Twitter, only to be met with a glaring exclamation mark, indicating his messages were being ignored.

"Calliope, you've lost your mind!" he shouted, jumping up from the couch.

After taking a deep breath, he tossed his phone aside, refusing to believe she'd just give up on him like that. For years, she'd clung to him. Surely, she couldn't walk away so easily.

Luckily, they were married, and his grandfather hadn't insisted on him attending the wedding. The

wedding had happened, and the shares his grandfather promised would still be his.

With that thought, Gideon relaxed a little. Now, it was her turn to come crawling back. He'd just wait and see how long she could keep up this rebellion.

Just then, Laird called, inviting him out for dinner with the guys.