A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust novel Chapter 911

After leaving the casino, Calliope and Portia set out for a night of karaoke.

Several of Calliope’s friends from the auction had invited her to join them—sing a little, catch up, maybe talk some business on the side. Without hesitation, she brought Portia along.

By the time they arrived at the private lounge, the place was already buzzing with laughter and chatter.

The room was packed with some very familiar faces: celebrities from home and abroad.

Nearly everyone there owed Calliope a favor or two.

“Callie’s here!”

They all rose from their seats to greet her.

Portia nearly stumbled in surprise. She’d always known that Calliope’s social circle was impressive, but she had never imagined it was this glamorous—or this intimidating. Nearly every guest in the room was someone she’d seen gracing the covers of magazines and newspapers: movie stars, chart-topping singers, ambitious young financiers, heirs and heiresses of world-famous names.

Every last one of them carried serious weight.

“Do you know all these people?” Portia whispered, gripping Calliope’s arm, her confidence faltering for the first time.

“Of course. These are all my friends. Everyone’s so busy, it’s rare for us to gather like this. Thanks to the auction, we made it happen. Don’t worry—they’re all kind.”

“These people are legends!” Portia hissed beneath her breath.

The Sutton family was famous, but compared to these global icons, they barely ranked. Portia felt utterly out of place.

“Legends are the same with common people,” Calliope teased. “Besides, you’re not afraid of Silas, are you?”

“That’s different!” Portia protested, flustered. “I’ve spent so much time around him, and besides, he’s your husband. Why would I be afraid?”

Calliope laughed. “Exactly. These are my friends, so no need to be nervous.”

She’d always known Calliope was remarkable, but she had never understood just how far her influence reached—these movers and shakers were literally in her debt, and from the sound of it, would do anything she asked.

Soon enough, Portia found herself settling in among the group.

Meanwhile, Calliope slipped away with a few friends to a smaller game room off to the side. Once they’d settled around the card table, someone quietly shut the door behind them.

In the cozy private room, it was just Calliope and a handful of her close associates, dealing cards and sparking easy conversation.

As they chatted about work and traded tidbits from their latest ventures, one of the women—Nadine—fixed Calliope with a thoughtful look. “Callie, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I just don’t know if I should bring it up.”

Calliope’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Come on. You might just tell me.”

The others laughed. “Don’t be coy, Nadine. If it’s on your mind, spit it out. You know Callie’s not the type to shy away from anything.”