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!"

It trickled down her face, icy and humiliating. She stared at the fearful, judgmental faces around her, feeling like some kind of outcast-like a witch in a Puritan village, shamed

the surface of a pond on a windless day. All the

but Rupert stepped in, blocking him with a

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

any more time on

an inch, until finally, Tristan let out

to Orson,

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

blood from her eyes and looked at Tristan whose gaze was

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

that'll hold up in court. Otherwise, the most she'll get is a couple days in a cell. It's pointless. And Bridget? She'd hate being known as someone who frames

to explain. But the words stuck in

and useless. She'd already been

butler returned and

record," he

deepened, but he couldn't

her away," Rupert ordered quietly, his tone

away. She didn't look back at Rupert.