Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)
Chapter 85

Tears streamed down her face as she inched closer to Rupert, her gaze at the two men carrying a sharp warning. Know whose woman you're talking about before you speak!

The two men froze, their breath hitching as they instinctively thought of their companion still lying in bed.

Crossing Rupert was a fate worse than death - a lesson they weren't keen on learning firsthand.

They could only hang their heads in apology. "Sorry, Ms. Lloyd, we had a bit too much to drink and got carried away. We were wrong. Please, let us off this once!"

"No chance," Sylvia retorted coldly. "Letting you off would only embolden you. Someone else might suffer next time. You brought this upon yourselves, listening to whoever whispers in your ear. You've no one to blame but yourselves." Her scathing rebuke left Bridget seething, but she dared not voice her anger.

Refusing to accept their fate, the two men attempted to plead with Sylvia, disregarding the police's attempts to stop them.

"Ms. Lloyd..."

Before they could finish, Sylvia's reaction was explosive.

"Ahh! Get away! Don't come any closer!"

She grabbed the freshly poured hot water from the table, flinging it in panic. The target was Bridget, lounging on the couch.

Quick on her feet, Bridget ducked behind Rupert, thinking that if Sylvia harmed him, neither the Garcia family nor Rupert himself would let her off the hook.

But to her surprise, Rupert leaned down as if to retrieve something, leaving Bridget fully exposed. A scalding wave of hot water hit her squarely in the face.

"Ah! My face! My face! Sylvia, have you lost your mind?"

Sylvia, now hiding behind Naomi, was trembling with fear. "Mom, someone's trying to grab me! I'm scared!"

Naomi, enraged, snapped. "Bridget! You've only yourself to blame! The doctor said Sylvia can't handle stress. Had you not sided with these two in framing her, she wouldn't have snapped. Now, with her unable to see, your misfortune is your own fault!" "You... you... Rupert, my face is burning."

Bridget's cheeks were ablaze, too painful to even touch, as she turned to Rupert for sympathy.

Rupert, examining her face, simply hummed. "Let's get that looked at by a doctor."

Tears poured down Bridget's face, her cheeks red and swollen, her beauty marred by pain. Yet, she took solace in Rupert's protection, believing he would always stand by her

Sylvia, blind to their actions,

red indifferent. Even if sheet

could see, it wouldn't matter. In Rupert's eyes, Bridget could

wrong.

no

The officer stepped forward and said, "Since we've clarified everything, we'll be leaving now."

Sylvia nodded and with Naomi's support, made her way to bed.

"Don't overthink it, just get some rest, Sylvia."

"Mom, you should go back," Sylvia whispered, nestling into her pillow.

Naomi, stroking her hair tenderly, reassured her, "I can't leave you like this."

Feeling her mother's care, Sylvia's heart ached, drawing closer. "Mom."

"Sleep now." Naomi gently patted Sylvia's back until she fell into a weary sleep.

...

In the burn unit.

The pain on Bridget's cheeks was unbearable, worsened by the tears that followed.

"Rupert, is it not our turn yet?" she asked, struggling with the pain.

Rupert looked down at her, his voice cold. "No."

"Can't we ask the doctor to see me first?"

As Bridget lifted her gaze and met Rupert's deep, intense eyes, a wave of fear washed over her, silencing her plea. The man before her, casually twirling a ruby ring, exuded a dangerous charm. His towering presence felt suffocating. Bridget instantly knew he was angry.

Rupert's gaze deepened, his tone icy. "You first? And who are you exactly?"