Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

The hospital room was completely silent.

Rupert reeked of cigarettes, his eyes cold and fixed on the numbers glowing on the phone screen.

"What do the numbers before the 4 mean?" he asked, his voice low.

Naomi answered right away, not daring to hesitate. "1 means home, 2 is my work, 3 is leaving town."

She and her daughter had always looked out for each other; they had to be careful.

When Naomi was young, she'd been followed by a man. Later, her sweet, pretty daughter, Sylvia, had caught the attention of someone dangerous, too.

So the two of them came up with this code. If they ever got in trouble and couldn't call, they'd text these numbers.

Back then, Sylvia was just a kid. Their lives were simple: home and work, not many numbers to keep track of.

Edwin tried to guess, "You think Sylvia's been taken out of town?"

Naomi frowned. "If she was out of town, she'd use 4. She knows I'd understand.

She'd never mess up the code. Why would she send a 5?"

"Abroad," Rupert said flatly. He turned and walked out of the room.

Orson and Chris followed after him.

Chris, always the calm one, tried to reason with him. "What if that string of numbers was just a trick? Maybe it's meant to throw us off."

Rupert's grip tightened on his phone, his eyes dark and dangerous. "It's from her. I know it."

Orson looked at him helplessly. "Mr. Rupert, I've checked every record no sign of Ms. Lloyd leaving the city or the country. But the airline shows Warren and Fiona boarded their flight to Paris today. How could they have taken Ms. Lloyd with them? Should I have someone watch their place in Paris?"

"No need. She's not in Paris," Rupert said, his voice sharp as broken glass. "But someone knows where she is."

The air around him was icy, enough to make anyone want to step back.

Airport parking garage, far from the crowds.

Caleb parked his motorcycle in a deserted corner.

The moment he got off, he grabbed Bridget's hand, kissed it, and smiled. "Bridget, from now on, it's just you and me. We've got our happy ending."

Bridget's face was blank, her eyes full of resentment.

To her, Caleb wasn't even a backup plan-just a fling, someone to pass the time with.

Running away with him felt like announcing she'd failed at life.

Still, Sylvia had failed worse. She'd fallen into Warren's twisted hands-she'd never have a good day again.

They walked toward the terminal. Suddenly, the sharp smell of cigarettes drifted by.

Bridget looked up and spotted a tall, dark figure ahead. Fear gripped her. Instinctively, she ducked behind Caleb.

Even Caleb, who usually acted like nothing scared him, was on edge. He stared at the man warily.

Rupert stood there, cigarette in hand, his stare icy and dangerous. He radiated threat.

"Where did they go?" he asked, voice cool and deadly.

"Mr. Rupert, I don't know what you're talking about," Caleb said, pulling Bridget protectively behind him.

"Oh, you'll tell me," Rupert replied.

He flicked his cigarette to the ground and ground it out with his boot.

A few men stepped out from behind him, slowly closing in on Caleb and Bridget.

Rupert glanced at his watch. "Better hurry. If you don't talk, you'll miss your flight."

He was talking to Caleb. He knewnoveldrama

Caleb had always wanted to escape with Bridget, and now was his

big

chance. But whether they leftor not,

Rupert was calling the shots.

Caleb hesitated, frowning. Bridget noticed and squeezed his hand, warning him not to say a word.

She couldn't allow Sylvia to be rescued. Sylvia deserved to rot, just like she was about to.

Rupert's gaze swept over Bridget, and he let out a cold laugh. "Caleb, looks like Bridget doesn't really want to leave with you."

"That's not true!" Bridget clung to

Caleb's arm, eyes filling with tears as she looked at Rupert. "Mr. Rupert, I've lost everything. I've been punished enough. Do you really have to destroy me completely?