Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Rupert had gone silent. Chris figured the conversation was over and was about to put his phone down when suddenly, an image popped up on the screen.

"What about this?"

Chris had no idea what had gotten into Rupert in the middle of the night-why was he sending portraits, of all things? Still, he opened the image, just to humor him.

One look, and Chris froze. He felt a chill run down his spine, which wasn't helped by the fact that he was standing alone in a deserted hospital corridor in the middle of the night.

He quickened his pace, tapping out a reply.

"It's identical."

"I used to think it looked like Sylvia when she was a kid, but now I can see the difference. Those eyes-they're exactly like yours!"

Chris shut himself in his office, gulped down some water, and tried to steady his

nerves.

He'd always thought dreams were just dreams—nothing more. But now? He wasn't so sure anymore.

"I see."

Rupert didn't respond again.

Chris didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

...

Sylvia, on the other hand, had been given a dose of sedative and slept like a baby. When she woke up, she felt a lot better.

She glanced over at her mother, Naomi, who was sitting by her bed and pouring oatmeal into a bowl. Sylvia immediately pushed herself up and grabbed Naomi's

arm.

"Mom-I know that doctor."

"What doctor?" Naomi jumped, nearly spilling the oatmeal all over the sheets.

"The one who did Bridget's surgery. Mom, can you help me check his background?"

He was the same doctor who'd prescribed Bridget those pills last time. There was no way it was just a coincidence that he was involved again with Bridget's miscarriage.

Sylvia was sure something was off. She looked at Naomi, searching her face for hope.

Naomi's expression turned strange. She gently pulled her arm free and kept her eyes on the oatmeal. "Sylvia, let it go."

Sylvia stared at her, stunned. "Mom, what's going on?"

"That doctor-and the nurses from the OR yesterday-they've all been sent

off some training program out They won't be back for at

of town. They won

least three months. There's even an announcement posted on the door."

"An...announcement?"

Sylvia's lips trembled as she forced out the words. Just hearing them felt like a cruel joke.

Naomi's eyes turned red as she

choked out, "They're basically

forcing us to take the blame. We

have no choice,

Sometime's

you just have ow the bitter

pill."

"What about Edwin? Fine, I'll take the hit, but there's no way he'd let you get dragged into this!"noveldrama

Sylvia threw off the covers and tried to get out of bed, but Naomi held her down.

"Edwin's out of town on business. He doesn't know what's going on. I didn't tell him."

"Why not? For-" Sylvia stopped mid-sentence, realization dawning. She slumped back onto the bed. "Tristan threatened you, didn't he?"

Naomi's tears spilled over. "Tristan said I failed to raise you right, made a fool of the family. He said if kept talking, we'd be kicked out of the Garcias. Sylvia I'm so sorry a

just...not strong enough."

Sylvia knew exactly where she stood in the Garcia family hierarchy. She managed

a weak, bitter smile.

"It's okay. Pass me the oatmeal."

She took the bowl and started eating, but the food felt like lead in her stomach.

She'd tried so hard to make different choices this time around. So why was everything still so hard?

After breakfast, Sylvia changed the dressing on her wrist and asked Naomi to sign her out of the hospital.

But someone had caught her argument with Bridget on camera, and now the video was all over the internet.

Bridget's fans were relentless, attacking Sylvia and her agency online.

Sylvia felt terrible for Eloise, her boss. She went to her, ready to hand in her resignation, but Eloise refused and told her just one thing:

"Sylvia, is your dream really worth so little that you'd let a bunch of internet trolls decide your future? Remember-what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Sylvia tore up her resignation letter on the spot.

At first, it wasn't just the online hate her coworkers started giving her the cold shoulder too.