Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)
Chapter 31

Naomi rushed to the police station, her face turning pale with fear at the sight of Sylvia's bandaged hand.

"What happened? You just got out of the hospital, and now this? You're a designer, your hands are your livelihood!"

Even Naomi knew the importance of Sylvia's hands. Surely, Rupert understood this too. Yet, he had allowed harm to come to her. If so, just be it.

Sylvia said, smoothing back her hair, "I'm fine. Mom, let's cut to the chase. Did you find out what I asked you to?"

Naomi took Sylvia's hand in hers, tears welling up in her eyes as she finally calmed down.

"I did, I did. Look."

She pulled out her phone, showing Sylvia the information she had gathered.

Sylvia's mood lightened after reading it, "Just as I thought."

Naomi pressed her lips, "Sylvia, what do we do now? With Julian's affair barely behind us, and now this incident, given Tristan's temper, he will surely banish you."

"It's probably not just banishment we're looking at."

The understanding glance they shared said everything.

Tristan knew about what happened to Sylvia and Rupert that night. He had spent years grooming Rupert, and he wouldn't let this incident tarnish Rupert's life. He was just waiting for the right moment to remove Sylvia from the picture. Julian, Bridget...

She felt like a pawn in their game, easily squashed at any moment.

Sylvia closed her eyes, feeling the sharp sting of her wounds as if they were being consumed by fire.

Naomi, visibly shaken, gripped her hand tighter, uttered with her voice lowered, "Sylvia, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you into the blind date. Then you wouldn't have gotten into this mess."

Sylvia patted her hand, "Mom, trust me."

Although Naomi was timid, her love for Sylvia was genuine. Even her insistence on blind dates was out of fear that the Garcia family would exploit Sylvia and Rupert's situation.

Naomi took a deep breath, saying, "Sylvia, when I came in, I asked around. The man who broke into Bridget's house insists you put him up to it. Now Bridget wants to hold you responsible, and with Rupert backing her, what will you do?" "Mom, just get me out on bail first."

Sylvia was uncomfortable in the police station.

"Alright, just give me a moment."

Naomi left but returned shortly, her expression uneasy.

Sylvia asked, "Mom..."

Before she could finish, a tall, imposing figure appeared behind Naomi.

Rupert.

Naomi didn't dare to move; feeling helpless, she said, "The police won't grant the bail."

It wasn't the police; it was Rupert.

Sylvia gave Naomi a look, saying blandly, "Mom, you should go back first."

Naomi hesitated but ultimately nodded and left.

Rupert stepped forward, his silhouette outlined against the light, exuding a cold aura. Before he even sat down, the chill from his gaze enveloped the room.

"You shouldn't have touched her," he sneered, a line that Sylvia felt expressly familiar, that Rupert would utter each time something happened to Bridget and her son in Sylvia's previous life.

No matter what she said, it always ended cruelly. And then he watched as she walked towards her doom.

So now, she didn't bother explaining.

"So, what now? Are you here to mediate, to make Bridget and me reconcile like with Julian?"

Perhaps Rupert didn't expect this reaction from Sylvia; he was silent for a moment before speaking coldly, his words cutting like a knife.

"Sylvia, Bridget isn't Julian. You deserve to be punished."

Hearing these words from him again didn't surprise Sylvia, but it still hurt. She curled her fingers into her palm, silently containing her anger.