Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

"Tell the driver to bring the car around," Rupert instructed, then turned to look at Sylvia. "Have it ready for me in a week."

Without waiting for a response, he strode quickly toward the backyard.

Sylvia blinked in confusion. Wait, who agreed to that?

She started to follow, but Edwin stepped in her way.

"Sylvia, just let it be. Fiona's not doing well right now, and I don't want her taking it out on you. Go find your mom."

"Okay."

Sylvia realized he was right. After everything that had just happened, it didn't feel right to get involved in the drama of the main house.

Once the two men had walked away, she headed to the back to find Naomi.

She pushed open the door, surprised by the silence. Naomi was usually bustling about, making noise, but this time there was nothing.

It wasn't until Sylvia walked upstairs that she spotted her mom sitting by the window, lost in thought.

"Mom, are you okay?"

Naomi jolted, blinking a few times. "Oh, I'm fine. Where's Edwin?"

"Mrs. Fiona coughed up blood. It's not looking good."

Sylvia said it flatly, her voice calm.

To her surprise, Naomi just sighed.

"A reckoning... It's all just a reckoning."

Sylvia frowned. Something felt off. She walked over, and only then noticed

Naomi's red-rimmed eyes.

"Mom, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not," Naomi protested, but she wiped at her eyes anyway.

Sylvia watched her, refusing to look away.

Naomi realized she couldn't hide it, and gave a sad, crooked smile. "Seeing them like this, mother and son... It just reminded me of..... my own child.”

Sylvia froze, taking a moment to process.

"Mom, what child?"

"I was pregnant with Edwin's baby once," Naomi said, voice trembling. "But before

I could tell him, I was in a car accident. I lost the baby, and the doctors told me

there was little chance I'd ever get pregnant again. That's when I married into the Garcia family."

As she spoke, tears streamed down Naomi's face.

Sylvia wanted to comfort her, but something about her words gnawed at her.

"Wait, Mom, what do you mean you couldn't get pregnant, and then you married into the Garcias?"

"I just drop it, okay?" Naomi pressed her lips together, suddenly aware she might have said too much.

"Mom, tell me the truth!"

"Keep your voice down! Edwin doesn't know! Fine, I'll tell you, but please keep it between us."

Naomi almost covered Sylvia's mouth in her panic.

Sylvia's heart pounded. She realized this was bigger than she thought.

Naomi got up, closed the door, and sat back down with a weary look.

"I found out I was pregnant while Edwin was away on a business trip for Tristan. I wanted to tell him when he got back, face to face."

"But the very next day, I was in that accident. I lost the baby, and the doctors said I'd probably never have another child."

"I didn't want to break Edwin's heart,

so I never told him. When he

returne

Tristan suddenly decided

he wanted me to marry into the family." noveldrama

"You can't imagine what that felt like. Knowing exactly what was going on, but

forcing yourself not to think about it."

"Then today, seeing the way Tristan

treats Warren and that little girl... finally understood: no matter how old he gets, he's always been selfish and controlling."

"He can't stand anyone in the family he doesn't like. Now, the only one he cares about is Rupert. Whatever woman gives Rupert children she'll have to be someone Tristan picked himself..."

Sylvia felt the blood drain from her face.

A man who could destroy his own flesh and blood-what wouldn't he do?

No wonder, in her last life, every time she and Stella left Rupert's place, trouble seemed to find them.

All this time, she'd blamed Bridget for everything.

But thinking about it now-how else could that kidney transplant have gone so

smoothly, unless Tristan was pulling the strings all along?

She didn't know who to feel sorry for anymore.

Tristan, tricked by Bridget's fake DNA test, had ended up killing his own granddaughter.

And in the end, all the family's glory went to an outsider.

It was almost laughable.

Just as Sylvia's eyes filled with tears, Naomi's phone rang.

She listened, then the phone slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor.

"Fiona's dead," she whispered.