After thinking it over, Calliope drafted a message to Ss, summarizing how she''d ended up saving Nigel. She left out the part where she and Nigel had drinks together at the bar—and especially how Ss''s name hade up.


    Yawning as she hit send, Calliope realized exhaustion was finally catching up with her. She washed up, crawled into bed, and didn''t stir until morning.


    When she finally got up, Portia was still fast asleep. A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. Opening it, she found a few friends from yesterday''s private room gathering clustered in the hallway.


    "Breakfast?" one of them invited.


    "Plus, maybe we can talk more about the specifics of that project?" Mr. Larson chimed in.


    "Sure," Calliope said, ncing at Portia, who was still deep in sleep. She scribbled a quick note and left it by her pillow before following the others down to the restaurant.


    They settled in at a table and quickly picked up where their previous conversation had left off. Calliope mostly listened, chiming in only to offer a crucial suggestion when the group hit an impasse.


    Partway through the meal, Jett and his wife entered the dining room. Calliope almost automatically nced in their direction.


    Jett and his wife noticed her as well-and the group she was sitting with. Both of them looked genuinely surprised.


    Jett gave Calliope a polite nod, a silent greeting. Calliope just met his gaze coolly, her expression unreadable.


    Jett was left slightly stunned, unable to quell the sense that he''d unintentionally gotten on the young woman''s bad side. She seemed downright indifferent, if not actively unfriendly.


    After they took their seats, Jett couldn''t help but voice his confusion, "Darling, did you notice that? I get the feeling Ms. Jewell isn''t too fond of us."


    "It''s almost as if she''s holding a grudge," he continued, puzzled. "Did we do something to offend her?"


    Mrs. White smiled, a trace of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Maybe it''s because of Blythe. Your remember their little wager? And then you stepped in imagine she you, as an elder, shouldn''t


    3le in a squabble involving Blythe. Maybe she didn''t approve of that."


    Jett shook his head. "No, that doesn''t seem to be it."


    "Then what do you think it is?" Mrs. White mused. "Honestly, I find this Ms. Jewel rather fascinating. Take a look at those young people she''s sitting with-they''ve got their own exclusive circle. Blythe always wanted to be part of it and tried all sorts of ways, but she never quite made it. Yet this girl...she just


    waltzed right in."


    Jett cast a look in their direction. "Those kids are something else—they''re the cream of the crop."


    "Blythe really tried to join them?" he asked.


    "She did," Mrs. White said with a soft sigh. "She tried every trick she could think of, but nothing worked. Eventually, she just gave up."


    "Their group is pretty unusual—their parents don''t interfere, they run their own show. It''s all aboutworking and influence, and from what I hear, they''re a force to be reckoned with."


    "Blythe just never quite measured up.”


    "For Ms. Jewell to be wee among them, and to see the respect she gets... Well, her talents must go far beyond her abilities at the card table," Mrs. White added, her voice holding real admiration. "She''s got something special."


    "I thought the same. I heard someone say yesterday that she''s also known as ''the Miracle Doctor Jett said kind of like our Blythe both have healing hands, I suppose." Despite his words, his confusion returned. "But I still don''t understand why she seems to


    dislike me so much."


    Mrs. Whiteughed quietly. "Since when do you care so much about what a young


    woman thinks of you? You''re usually never this worked up."