Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Sylvia winced as a sharp pain shot through her neck. Rupert had bitten down hard this time, as if he wanted to punish her.

She didn't dare make a sound, instead taking deep breaths and clenching her fists to endure the pain.

Rupert pried open her clenched fists, intertwining his fingers with hers. The biting on her neck softened into a gentle caress.

Sylvia was momentarily dazed until the sound of the neighbor knocking on the door brought her back to reality.

"Let go," she whispered, trying to pull away.

"The scarf," Rupert demanded.

"I threw it away."

"Sylvia, you know what happens when you lie to me."

His voice was low and commanding, leaving no room for argument.

"In my bag," Sylvia admitted quietly, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink, highlighting the red marks on her neck.

She shifted uncomfortably, but Rupert held her firmly by the waist.

"Don't move."

His breath was hot against her ear, and the tension in his muscles made her freeze.

After a moment, she felt warmth against her neck as Rupert wrapped the scarf around it once more, finally releasing her.

Sylvia glanced down at the scarf, puzzled by his actions.

Suddenly, an insistent knocking shattered her thoughts. She peeked into the living

room where Rupert stood before opening the door slightly.

"Sorry, I was in the bathroom and didn't hear you. Also, I'm out of vinegar," she said apologetically.

"No worries." The neighbor craned their neck, trying to peer inside.

"What are you looking at?" Sylvia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," the neighbor replied hastily, handing her a casserole dish. "I brought some lasagna for you."

“That's alright, I've eaten. You have it. Goodbye," Sylvia said politely, closing the door quickly.

Her instincts kicked in and she peered through the peephole, watching the nosy neighbor press an ear to the door, clearly eavesdropping.

She tiptoed back to the living room, where Rupert was already heating water for tea, absentmindedly fiddling with a ring on his finger.

"Uncle Rupert, you've seen the scarf. It's late, and I'm really tired. I just want to go to bed early.” Sylvia approached him.

Rupert paused, tapping his forehead

with his fingers before looking at

her. "You're sure your neighb

won't

be curious seeing you with a man's scarf?"

Sylvia looked down, biting her lip. "You did that on purpose!"

He didn't respond, calmly pouring himself a cup of tea and taking a sip.

Sylvia sank into a chair, pulling out her phone to avoid conversation.

As soon as the screen lit up, an article caught her attention.

It was a scandalous report about Hilbert's corruption and how he framed others, going viral online. Several former female employees of the Carmen Group had come forward, accusing him of sexual harassment.

Interestingly, there was no mention of Freya and Hilbert being caught together, despite many sensationalized media stories painting Freya as the seductress.

But this wasn't the real issue at hand.

Sylvia felt a sense of satisfaction as she read. Finally, the media was focusing on the real culprit.noveldrama

Hilbert was no longer flying under the radar, with the Carmen Group's stocks plummeting as if orchestrated by some unseen force.

As Hilbert's world crumbled,

Bridget's began to unravel too, as photos surfaced online of her dining with Freya, buying her gifts, their friendship unmistakable.

Combine this with Hilbert's framing of Sylvia and Freya's incomplete accusation during her live stream, and Bridget suddenly found herself under suspicion.

There wasn't any concrete evidence, but the doubt was enough to make Bridget uneasy.

Sylvia mused that if Freya had explicitly named Bridget during the live stream, it might have been dismissed as nonsense.