Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Rupert turned his head to the side, but he still wouldn't let go of Sylvia's hand.

Sylvia yanked at his grip, her frustration boiling over, but it was like trying to shake off a pair of handcuffs he wouldn't budge.

His face was pale, but the alcohol had painted a weird flush across his cheeks.

Sylvia tried to breathe steady, desperate to look calm, but the redness in her eyes and the tremble in her shoulders gave her away.

She clenched her fists. "You all look down on me! Over and over, you throw your titles and your power in my face! How far do I have to fall before you finally leave me alone?"

"I'll take care of it."

His voice was as cold and arrogant as ever, always carrying that sense he was running the whole show.

"Take care of it? Your solution is to corner me until I give in! To make me the stepping stone for your fiancée! To let me be humiliated at the hands of the Garcia family! What have you ever fixed?" Her voice cracked with bitterness.

Sylvia tilted her chin to meet Rupert's eyes, her gaze glimmering with unshed tears. She was heartbreakingly beautiful, but the look in her eyes was pure despair.

"Uncle Rupert, if having a crush on you, admiring you, was a mistake, then I admit it. I'll change. You saved my life once-I can't argue that. But please, just let me go."

She stood in the wind, hair swirling around her face—a girl so vibrant, but right now, she looked like she might shatter at any second.

The light in her eyes was gone. He wasn't even there for her anymore.

She'd said all she needed to. Sylvia turned to leave.

But his grip only tightened, yanking her back.

His usually calm, distant eyes were stormy now, like he was barely holding something back.

"Did I say you could leave?"

"What do you want from me?" Sylvia's breath came out ragged.

"You started this. So I get to decide how it ends."noveldrama

"You asshole!"

Sylvia tried to slap him again, but he caught her hand and, in one swift motion, pulled her right into his arms.

No matter how she struggled, he wouldn't let her go.

Rupert ran a hand down her back, his voice deep and quiet. "If you don't want a killer hangover tomorrow, you'd better stop freaking out."

Between the drinks and the cold air, Sylvia's legendary tolerance didn't stand a chance. Her mind fuzzed, and her whole body went limp.

Rupert scooped her up and carried her back to his place downtown.

The minute they walked in, Orson was waiting with an ice pack pulled from the freezer.

"Mr. Rupert, you should put this on your face, or it's going to swell up."

Sylvia, drunk and angry, had left a red mark on Rupert's cheek.

Rupert set Sylvia down in the guest room before taking the ice pack from Orson.

Orson's face was full of apology. "I'm sorry, should've handled things betten Mountain City.

been paying attention..." Coel

He clenched his fists, reme

how Caleb had fooled him by

showing up in Chris's jacket. Orson had let his guard down and failed to get Sylvia to Rupert right away.

"Where is he?"

Rupert's dark eyes were icy and sharp.

Orson glanced down. "Chris has him locked up, said he was injured. Want me to bring him here?"

Rupert pressed the ice to his face, expression flat. "No rush. He can wait."

"But Ms. Simpson is pregnant. What about Ms. Lloyd?"

Rupert's gaze drifted to the closed bedroom door, his eyes as cold as a winter storm.

"She's got nothing to do with this. Keep her away from Bridget.” "Yes, sir."

...

In the bedroom, Sylvia clung to the doorknob, then suddenly slumped, all the fight draining out of her.

She'd woken up thirsty, then stopped in the hallway when she overheard Orson's question.

Bridget was pregnant. What was she supposed to do now?

She listened to Rupert's answer, then lowered her head and let out a bitter, silent laugh.

Of course he'd say that. No surprise.

In his eyes, Bridget could do no

novel.ne

wrong, and Sylvia... well, she was just the villain, forever the

troublemaker.