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!"

hair, drenching her in cold, sticky blood. It trickled down her face, icy and humiliating. She stared

the surface of a pond on a windless

again, but Rupert stepped in,

barked. "That was your child. Is

low and unyielding. "I'm not wasting any more time

man gave an inch, until finally, Tristan let out a shaky breath and

Orson, his

is a gray area, but the drugs prove she planned all this. She shouldn't be going with

and looked at Tristan whose gaze was cold and unrelenting, as if he wouldn't rest until she was

"Fine by

have proof that'll hold up in court. Otherwise, the most she'll get is a couple days in a cell. It's pointless. And

explain. But the words

useless. She'd already

butler returned and

he

deepened, but he

quietly, his tone brooking no

guide her away. She didn't look back