Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Chapter 27

The efficiency of the police was astonishingly high. No sooner had Sylvia agreed to a settlement than they had the documents ready for her to sign. One of the officers, who was the woman taking Sylvia's statement earlier, offered a gentle word of caution, "Are you sure you've thought this through?"

Holding the pen, her hand trembling slightly, Sylvia managed a bitter smile, "Yes, I've made up my mind. Let's just get this over with."

After all, she felt like nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game at this point. Without allowing herself a moment of doubt, Sylvia quickly signed her name. The female officer sighed, took the settlement documents, and left.

Almost immediately after, Naomi walked into the hospital room carrying a basket of comfort food.

Their eyes met, and Naomi's eyes were rimmed red with guilt.

"Sylvia..."

"I know all about it. Is Edwin okay?" Sylvia inquired.

Wiping away tears and serving up some soup, Naomi sighed, "He's fine, just got a bit of an earful. You know how Tristan can be. It's all that Julian's fault, the scoundrel! Dressed up like a gentleman, but nothing of the sort." Exhausted, Sylvia confessed, "Mom, I don't want to get married."

Naomi, wary of pressing the issue further, quickly uttered, "I understand. Anyway, the media storm has moved on to Bridget, doesn't affect us anymore. If you don't want to get married, then don't. I was just worried about what they might think, that you're holding out for someone you shouldn't."

that, she handed Sylvia the bowl of soup. Sylvia, lacking any

the deal with

the internet. They're saying Bridget staged the whole drama to trap a husband. Now everyone's calling her out for being shameless. She and Rupert, you know how many people envied them? Now that she's caught in a scandal, they're all piling

tongue in disapproval. Sylvia felt uneasy about the situation and quickly asked her

herself and

the phone away, urging, "Eat up, why do you

"Rupert loves Bridget that much.

you mean by

your old colleagues, right? Could you ask around

store. Those people seemed unimportant, and yet mingled with celebrities and

walked in with an IV

Naomi Garcia, Ms.

"Hi," Naomi responded..

Sylvia, she joked, "A colleague just saw Rupert in

couldn't help but ask, "Rupert's

a smile, the nurse adjusted the drip rate and said, "He and Ms. Simpson looked quite cozy together. They

who was quietly eating her soup