Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert) novel Chapter 217

Sylvia had always believed that Rupert wanted nothing to do with her and her daughter, Stella. To protect Stella from any potential backlash, she made sure they kept their distance from him.

As Sylvia pondered this, a flash of lightning suddenly cut through the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the old chapel. The thunder that followed felt like a blow to her heart, leaving her with a sensation of blood rushing uncontrollably through her veins, bringing with it an overwhelming sense of panic.

When Sylvia snapped back to reality, she found herself in the yard, with Naomi gently toweling her damp hair.

"Go change into some dry clothes," Naomi suggested, only to realize Sylvia had moved out, leaving nothing behind to reassure Tristan.

With a hint of sadness in her eyes, Naomi said, "I'll fetch you something of mine to wear."

Sylvia nodded numbly.

After changing, Naomi couldn't help but notice how pale Sylvia looked. Concerned, she offered, "I'll make you some ginger tea."

Sylvia quickly stopped her. "Mom, I'm okay. Did you call me over for something else?"

Naomi didn't answer right away. Instead, she handed Sylvia a steaming cup of chamomile tea and sighed softly.

"After you hung up, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, so I started asking around about the Carmen family."

"Turns out Fiona is quite the actress. She seems so gentle and unassuming but is actually very cunning behind the scenes."

"The Carmens have always had big ambitions. They tried to marry into the Garcia family, thinking it would elevate them. But when the eldest Carmen son made a bad investment and the family took a hit, Fiona started leeching off him. Even Tristan made some snide comments about her lack of restraint."

"When the eldest son died in a car accident, she conveniently fell ill, and everyone praised her deep devotion. The matter was dropped."

"With the eldest gone and her unwell, and Edwin not being leadership material, Rupert was given control."