A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

When Calliope reached the end of the letter, her eyes were rimmed with red. She knew Kermit had always cared about her, always worried for her. Even though he wasn't her real grandfather by blood, he might as well have been. He treated her just like a granddaughter-his own granddaughter.

At the end of the letter, Kermit mentioned there were a few things inside the box for her. He admitted he hadn't managed to find out who Calliope's biological mother was, but he left her a necklace that she'd been wearing as a baby. The pendant was unique, and Kermit figured maybe, just maybe, it could be a clue to finding her real mother or her family.

He'd also left a portrait-his own drawing-of what he remembered Calliope's mother looking like.

Finally, Kermit apologized. He felt guilty for not being able to spend more time with Calliope, for not being there for her longer.

As Calliope stared at the letter, her eyes filled even more with tears.

At the same time, she felt a jolt of shock. She'd wondered, once or twice, if she was really a Jewell by blood. She never expected her suspicions to be true. She really wasn't a biological member of the Jewell family.noveldrama

"What's it say?" Silas asked, watching her from the side.

Calliope looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then handed him the letter. "See for yourself," she said quietly.

Silas took it and read quickly. When he finished, he looked a little surprised, but somehow he also seemed like it made sense to him.

"No wonder you don't look like any of the Jewells," he said, trying for a light tone. "Turns out, you're not really one of them. The real Jewell child... is gone."

"Yeah." Calliope let out a long breath. "If I'm not a Jewell, then who are my real parents?"

What had happened to her mother after giving her to Kermit all those years ago?

What would drive a mother to hand her baby to a stranger?

She said, if she survived, she'd come back for her.

But...

Calliope's thoughts trailed off, a little afraid to follow them to their conclusion.

She hadn't come back, not in all these years. Did that mean her mother was... gone, too?

"Hey, don't go thinking like that," Silas said, guessing what was on her mind. "Maybe something happened, or maybe... maybe she's still out there, and just thought you were better off here."

"Yeah." Calliope nodded slowly. "At least, she left me with Grandpa Kermit, and gave him enough money to take care of me. That means she loved me."

She had a family who loved her, after all. Her real mother did love her.

Kermit said her mother had been hurt when she left her, but Calliope had been safe and unharmed in her arms. Her mother must have done everything she could to protect her. She must have loved her enough to keep her safe, no matter what.

Calliope's feelings were all tangled up inside. And thinking about it, some of her anger toward the Jewell family faded. Still, if the real Ms Jewel had survived, she probably

would have been treated just as badly, just as ignored.

The Jewells deserved to pay for that.

Calliope reached into the box and pulled out the portrait Kermit had left for her. She unfolded it and stared. Kermit had real talent-he'd captured the woman's likeness well. There was a resemblance to Calliope; she was beautiful. She looked strong, too, with a fierce,

protective love in the way she held

the baby in her arms.

Calliope studied her mother's face, and for the first time, allowed herself to hope

she might find her one day.