Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

"Send me the recording in a bit," Rupert said flatly.

Freya, eyes red and watery, looked utterly pitiful. "Mr. Rupert, I swear, I had no idea Sylvia would do something this insane. It's just—I couldn't take her teaming up with others to push me out. That's why I went to ask her to back off today. I never thought she'd use that to hurt Ms. Simpson."

"Who?" Rupert's gaze turned sharp as a knife.

Freya froze, caught off guard. "Who... what?"

"Who did she team up with? Give me the names."

"I..." Freya's shoulders began to shake.

Right then, the surgery room doors slammed open and a doctor rushed out, looking frantic.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Rupert. We couldn't save the baby. And now the patient is in critical condition—she's losing a lot of blood and needs a transfusion immediately."

A nurse came running down the hall, clutching bags of blood.

Rupert's father, Tristan, heard the news and snapped. He didn't care about decorum anymore. He grabbed one of the blood bags and hurled it at Sylvia, hitting her square in the head.

"This family's been torn apart because of you!" he shouted, voice cracking. "I should've kicked you and your mother out the first day I met you!"

one of the hairpins in Sylvia's hair, drenching her in cold, sticky blood. It trickled down her face, icy and humiliating. She stared at

clenched so tightly, slowly loosened. Her eyes went hollow, empty-like the surface of a pond on a windless day.

again, but Rupert stepped in, blocking

are you doing?" Tristan barked. "That was your child. Is this how you explain yourself to

more time on people who don't matter. Bridget's safety is

stared Tristan down. Neither man gave an inch, until finally, Tristan let out a

Orson,

to help Sylvia, but Tristan snapped, "Hold on! Who says she's off the hook? Maybe the shoving is a gray area, but the drugs prove she planned all this. She shouldn't be going

wiped blood from her eyes and looked at Tristan whose gaze was cold and unrelenting, as if he wouldn't rest until she was

didn't flinch. "Fine by me," he

that'll hold up in court. Otherwise, the most she'll get is a couple

to defend herself, to explain. But the words

and useless. She'd already been

then, the butler returned and whispered something

he said,

deepened, but he couldn't

take her away," Rupert ordered quietly, his tone

like a ghost, letting Orson guide her away. She didn't look back at Rupert. Not