Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Chapter 24

By the time he slumped unconscious beneath the seats, Sylvia finally ceased her assault. She adjusted her clothes, stumbling and rolling out of the car.

As she propped herself up, not a word could escape her lips; dragging a blood-soaked, deformed purse, she shuffled step by step towards the exit.

Halfway there, a car's dome light suddenly flickered on across the way.

Sylvia shielded her eyes momentarily, and then, as her vision adjusted, she saw Rupert, impeccably dressed, stepping out of his vehicle, in stark contrast to her disheveled state. Their eyes met, and Rupert frowned. It wasn't until the sound of police sirens filled the air that Sylvia snapped back to reality.

A gloved officer approached her, extending a hand, "Ms. Lloyd, we need the evidence you're holding."

"Is he dead?" Sylvia asked coldly.

"No, he's been taken to the ER."

Noticing her distressed state, the officer's response was cautious.

Sylvia nodded, though a tension remained in her mind.

evidence bag, offhandedly

onto

she asked,

officer glanced at Rupert, who was leaning against his car smoking, and

approached Sylvia callously, his black suit exuding a forbidding aura, out of place amidst the

his gaze briefly flitting over the swelling

his words, the tension in

of blood, she quivered her lips while gazing at

Rupert silently acknowledged.

cold laughter; head down, she casually wiped away the blood stains on her

do you want then? For me to kneel and apologize? If that's the case, you could've said so." Stepping back to put distance between them, she bowed, her voice thick with

voice was cold and deep, his expression turning stormy like

look at him, attempting to walk past to somewhere else. But he grabbed her hand, pulling her in front of him with a warning

refused to comply? Refused to be a scapegoat in the public

loved him? Did she deserve this

have agreed to the dinner with Naomi, shouldn't have sought Rupert's

neatly adjusted collar coming