The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 170

Liora’s POV

I stared at Bianca’s neck, where a delicate pink ribbon had been tied. On it was hanging a familiar blue pin. A sapphire surrounded by silver.

My mother’s brooch.

“Where did you get that?” I blurted out, pointing.

Bianca stared at me. “Get what?”

“The pendant you’re wearing.” I took a step closer. “That belongs to me. I’ve been looking for it everywhere. Where did you find it?”

“Oh, this old thing?” She twirled the pendant between her fingers and scoffed. “It was a gift from Callum. Wasn’t it, babe?”

My muscles bunched at the use of the pet name, but I remained calm and turned to Callum. He was frozen, shoulders set in a tense line. I folded my arms and waited.

Finally, he said, “It was.” He stepped forward and put his arm around Bianca’s waist. “I found it.”

“Yeah, you found it because it was mine, and I dropped it,” I said, holding my hand out. “I’d like it back, please. It’s really important to me.”

Bianca’s brows arched. Neither of them made a move to give me back the brooch. Not even Callum, who I expected to at least have the common decency to take it off Bianca himself. Rather, he just stood there, glaring at me. Like he didn’t trust me. Like he didn’t believe what I was saying.

“No,” Bianca finally replied. “I don’t think I will. I like it, and it’s mine.”

Gritting my teeth, I whirled toward Callum. “Callum, if you found it, then you know this is wrong. It’s mine—I lost it last week at the market. Please, I would like it back.”

Callum’s jaw clenched. For a moment, I thought he might concede. But he didn’t. “You’re lying,” he said. “Just like you lied about those pictures. I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.”

“Just pretend. Please. Until she gives up.”

The desperation in Zane’s eyes caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever seen him look like that before.

I glanced around him, spotting Bianca and Callum still standing a few feet away, staring at us. And for a moment, as I caught sight of that brooch around her throat, I couldn’t help it. A vindictive little streak ran through me at the thought of Callum refusing to help me.

Fine, I thought. If Callum was going to be an ass, then two could play at this game. Beneath it all was a boy who wanted to be a librarian, a boy who didn’t steal things to give to his jerk of a girlfriend—I just needed to coax him out.

So, without thinking, I fisted Zane’s jacket and pulled him closer.

I didn’t kiss him. I’d rather die. But I let him fall toward me, ducking his head and tilting mine so it looked like we were doing just that.