Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)
Chapter 42

It felt like how she nestled in his arms at that wild night.

Rupert inexplicably lifted his hand, intending to caress her cheek, but his fingers curled back just before touching her. In the end, he lowered his hand.

At that moment, his phone buzzed with a new message.

Rupert frowned slightly and got up to leave.

...

Sylvia was utterly exhausted.

Ever since her unexpected second chance at life began, she'd been on edge, the mental strain making her sleep anything but peaceful. Especially since she felt like someone was watching her.

In a haze, she thought she saw a figure by the window, a lit cigarette in hand, its glow flickering uncertainly, making her unable to discern the face.

But when she opened her eyes, she was met with the comforting presence of a female officer.

Seeing her awake, the officer immediately explained her presence, "Hello, I'm the officer handling your case. I've come to discuss some developments with you."

"Okay," Sylvia managed to sit up. "What's going on?"

The officer hesitated before speaking, "Sylvia, I'm sorry, but the man who hurt Bridget has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. This means his testimony is now irrelevant. You're off the hook, and he'll be transferred to a psychiatric facility since Ms. Simpson has decided not to press charges."

"How can someone just become schizophrenic out of the blue?" Sylvia's face turned pale, struggling to accept this turn of events. She knew if she continued digging the matter, it probably was connected to Bridget.

The officer sighed, "Everything was above board, certified by the authorities. It's a difficult situation."

The subtext was clear. Only someone with connections and influence could orchestrate something like this.

And that someone had to be related to Bridget. That left...Rupert.

Sylvia stared out at the dreary sky, a heavy suffocation making it hard to breathe. Reality had dealt her another harsh blow. If she wanted to stand a chance against Bridget, she'd have to confront Rupert. But how could she possibly measure up to Rupert?

"You should get some rest," the officer said with a sigh before leaving.

Sylvia sat frozen, feeling like she was about to be engulfed by an all-consuming darkness. After what felt like an eternity, she remembered to reassure Naomi of her safety. "Mom, I'm okay."

"That's good to hear. Tristan wants you to come over for dinner at the Garcia family home this weekend. Don't turn him down; it's his way of extending an olive branch." "I understand."

After that, Sylvia lay back down, aimlessly scrolling through her phone.

Suddenly, a photo posted by Bridget caught her eye. In the photo, Bridget was propped up in a hospital bed, with Rupert attentively by her side.

Clive was also in the frame.

[One mention of my hand hurting, and someone had a renowned specialist see me overnight.]

Turning off her phone, Sylvia looked at her own hand and couldn't help but feel a bitter laugh forming.

Shortly after, the doctor came in for a follow-up visit, and Sylvia requested to be discharged.

"Ms. Lloyd, you really should stay for observation for a few days. You can't afford any more issues with your hand, or you might find it difficult to even hold a pen in the future." "I'll be careful."

Sylvia insisted on leaving the hospital, knowing she had more important matters to attend to.