Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Eloise noticed that Sylvia looked pale and tired, so she offered a few comforting words before telling her to head to her room and get some rest.

Neither of them mentioned what had happened earlier that day. They both knew better than to poke at fresh wounds.

But when Sylvia lay down, sleep was the last thing on her mind.

Mark had said she'd been sold.

But who would do that to her?

Bridget had shown up acting like she knew something, but she was always hanging around Rupert. And then there were those jumbled flashes of memory in Sylvia's head-where did those come from? She racked her brain, but in both of her lives, she didn't recall anything like that.

The more she thought about it, the more tangled everything became. Eventually, all that thinking just left her feeling hungry.

She got up, grabbed the menu sitting by the phone, and flipped it open-every item had a price tag in the quadruple digits. Sure, Edwin had given her a credit card, but she needed to think about her own future.

After a moment's hesitation, she got dressed.

She remembered reading online that Mountain City's night markets were famous for their street food. A quick search pulled up pages of local food guides.

Ten minutes later, Sylvia was in a taxi, headed to the nearest night market.

The smell of food was enough to lift her spirits a little. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through social media for the must-try stalls.

"Okay, the chili cheese dogs are to the left, the funnel cakes... wait, is that east or west?"

Anyone who's ever used a phone map knows the drill-you have to spin around a couple times to figure out which way you're actually facing.

As Sylvia turned, she noticed three men hovering nearby, standing out like sore thumbs. They wore basic black jackets and tried to blend in by pretending to buy snacks whenever she glanced their way, but their stiff, alert expressions gave them away. They looked nothing like the relaxed crowds all around her—these guys were obviously trained for something.

Sylvia didn't panic or bolt. Instead, she kept up the act, pretending to browse different stalls, weaving deeper into the crowd.

Once she was sure she'd vanished into the sea of people, she hunched down and started to make her escape.

But the men weren't amateurs. As soon as she entered the thickest part of the crowd, they split up and started closing in from different directions.

Sylvia's heart pounded as she realized she was boxed in. She glanced around, searching for an exit-but then, out of nowhere, a hand reached through the crowd and yanked her sideways. Before she could react, she was pulled against a man's chest.

Somehow, she found herself gripping a gun.

The man's hands closed around hers, steadying her aim. His cheek brushed against hers, warm and rough, and he whispered in her ear, his voice low and edged with the scent of cigarettes, "Focus"

Sylvia froze, stunned. It wasn't until a balloon popped in front of her that she realized the man behind her was real.

It was Rupert.

One shot after another, ten in a row, each one bursting a balloon. The booth owner rushed over, impressed.

"Ma'am, your boyfriend's got skills! Ten out of ten-pick any prize you want!"

"He's not my boyfriend," Sylvia protested.

The stall owner just grinned, pretending not to hear her. "Had a fight? No worries, give her a stuffed animal, that always helps."

Sylvia pointed at Rupert. "He's my uncle."

The owner paused, then chuckled. "Well, aren't you lucky? Uncles always know how to spoil their favorite nieces."

Sylvia pressed her lips together, embarrassed, as Rupert chimed in, deadpan. "Yeah. I spoil her."

The owner pulled out a sack full of plush toys. "Take your pick! Our most popular one is the capybara. You girlfriend's upset-you'll need the big one to make it up to her.”

Rupert frowned. "A capy-what?"

Sylvia nearly burst out laughing.

The three of them were talking at cross purposes, but somehow the whole scene

felt weirdly funny.

In the end, the owner handed Rupert a slap bracelet with a plush capybara attached.noveldrama

"Go on, put it on your girlfriend. She'll love it."

Rupert, used to closing million-dollar

deals but apparently clueless about slap bracelets, looked at it in

confusion until the owner

demonstrated. Rupert watched, then

nodded thoughtfully.

Sylvia wasn't about to wear something so childish, but as she tried to pull her

hand away, Rupert caught her wrist.

With a snap, the bracelet curled around her arm, capybara and all.

Rupert looked down at her, his voice cool and even. "Looks like a handcuff."