Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Limping is awkward, no doubt about it.

But right now? This was way worse. Everyone in Kingstoria knew Rupert. And here he was, carrying her up the stairs like it was nothing. Every single eye in the hospital lobby was glued to her.

Sylvia ducked her head, pretending to fix her hair to hide her face.

Rupert glanced down at her, voice low and unexpectedly sharp. "Am I that embarrassing?"

In the past, she'd have blushed bright red. But now, she felt like a deer caught in headlights.

Thinking quickly, she rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "No, it's just-I think I got something in my eye."

"Mm-hmm." Rupert didn't push it.noveldrama

Once they got into the elevator-packed, noisy, elbows everywhere-Rupert set Sylvia gently on her feet.

Just then, a patient in a wheelchair rolled in, making it even more crowded. Before she could regain her balance, Rupert slipped his arm around her, tucking her into the corner.

Voices filled the air: conversations, phone calls. But all Sylvia could hear was Rupert's steady breathing.

He leaned down, his warm breath brushing her cheek. There was nowhere to hide, so she just stared at the floor.

Rupert's gaze slid to her flushed ears, and a hint of a smirk tugged at his mouth. He tilted her chin up, deliberately.

"Didn't you say you got something in your eye? Let me see."

He started to lower his head, and for a split second, Sylvia panicked it felt like he

was about to kiss her. Right here, with all these people watching?!

A little girl, squished beside them, stared up innocently, wide-eyed.

Sylvia pressed her hand to Rupert's chest, whispering urgently, "No, really, it's fine!"

Rupert's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Still lying to me?"

Sylvia's cheeks burned, caught red-handed. She pressed her lips together. "No. I'm not."

The elevator doors slid open. As the crowd spilled out, Sylvia took a deep breath, desperate to escape.

She barely made it a step before Rupert scooped her up again.

The little girl from before turned and grinned at them mischievously as they passed. Sylvia wished she could melt into the floor.

On the way to Dr. Chris's office, Sylvia didn't dare hide her face anymore, but she

still avoided Rupert's eyes, glancing around nervously.

That's when she spotted Bridget.

A couple of nurses and a doctor were changing Bridget's bandages. When they peeled the gauze away, Sylvia couldn't help and look immediately wished she hadn't.

The cut ran from the side of Bridget's nose, slashing across her eyelid, all the way to her hairline. Her face was swollen, with a patch of hair shaved around the wound, making it look even more brutal.

So much for the sweet-and-gentle act. From now on, she'd be more horror movie than debutante.

Sylvia had brushed off Rupert's talk about "ruined looks"-after all, rich girls like Bridget called a pimple a crisis. She hadn't expected it to be this bad.

Maybe Sylvia stared too long, because Bridget locked eyes with her.

Suddenly, Bridget shrieked. "Why is she here? That bitch! This is all your fault! I'll kill you!"

She shoved the doctor aside and lurched toward Sylvia-but with her broken foot, she barely made it a step before collapsing on the floor.

Rupert didn't break stride. He just kept walking, carrying Sylvia right past the scene without a backward glance.

Sylvia hesitated. "Did you want me to see that?"

Rupert didn't answer directly. "Just wanted you to settle what's in your heart."

Sylvia looked at him, feeling a pang of something she couldn't name, and a hundred new questions swirling in her mind.

A lot of her confusion from her past life was finally clearing up. But when it came

to Rupert's feelings, she still couldn't figure him out.

Maybe he felt responsible for that night. Maybe he pitied her after Warren hurt her. Maybe it was just...a guy's desire.

But love? He never said a word

about it. With Rupert, it always felt like there was someone else in his heart She'd always thought that someone was Bridget. Now..she wasn't so sure.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice when Chris arrived.