Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Last night, Sylvia took her meds and drifted off to sleep early, only to be swept into a whirlwind of dreams that seemed to tumble over one another without rhyme or reason. By morning, she felt utterly drained, as if she'd been running a mental marathon in her sleep.

Rubbing her temples, she glanced at the clock and realized she needed to hustle. After a quick wash, she headed to the hallway to grab her scarf. But something felt off. The texture was different.

Unfolding the scarf, she noticed a golden thread embroidered with the word "weight" glinting in the corner. She paused, puzzled.

Wasn't Rupert the one who said this scarf was super important and he'd never just hand it over to anyone? What on earth was he up to now?

Her first instinct was to think Rupert was roping her into something again. Frustrated, she tossed the scarf aside but couldn't find her own anywhere.

Just then, her phone buzzed with a notification from her work group: a meeting in an hour. With no other choice, she reluctantly wrapped Rupert's scarf around her neck, hoping it would hide the marks there.

As she hurried out the door and into the elevator, she was surprised to see her neighbor already inside. Remembering last night's events, Sylvia felt a flush of embarrassment and avoided eye contact.

Her neighbor gave her a knowing glance, taking in Sylvia's rosy lips with a sly smile. "Slept in, did you?"

"Yeah," Sylvia admitted, feeling sheepish.

"Can't blame you," her neighbor teased. "If I had a boyfriend with a body like that, I'd struggle to get up too." She chuckled behind her hand.

Sylvia's cheeks turned crimson. "It's not..."

Before she could finish, her neighbor handed her a wrapped breakfast. "Don't skip breakfast. I made extra this morning and was going to knock, but I thought you two might be..."

"I wasn't..."

Her neighbor gestured at Sylvia's lips. "Put on some lipstick, will you? Your boyfriend sure left his mark."

Sylvia pressed her lips together, speechless. This misunderstanding was going to be tough to shake.

...noveldrama

At the studio, Sylvia walked in to find Bridget, who seemed to be on cloud nine, chatting and laughing with everyone. They were treating her like a celebrity compared to yesterday's cold shoulder.

Confused, Sylvia sat down, and her phone buzzed with a trending news alert.

"Mr. Rupert spends the night at Bridget's place, wedding bells soon?" the headline read.

The accompanying photo showed Bridget holding Rupert's arm affectionately, leading him toward the Simpson family home, her face alight with joy, like a bride awaiting her groom's return from work. Judging by the time, this was right after he left Sylvia's apartment.

No wonder everyone was fawning over Bridget. Although Bridget and Rupert were engaged, he hadn't

stayed over at the Simpson's fornet

over three years. Now, him spending the night there was practically a public announcement of their engagement moving forward.

Sylvia felt a sting of betrayal as she stared at the photo, her emotions numbed. When she looked up, Bridget was smirking at her with a coy smile.

"Thank you all for your well wishes. Once we set a date, you'll be the first to know," Bridget announced.

"Looks like we'll soon be calling you Mrs. Garcia," a colleague joked.

"Oh, please, that makes me sound old. Let's not keep Ms. Eloise waiting for the meeting," Bridget replied, feigning modesty but clearly relishing the attention.

With everyone fawning over her, Bridget was practically floating on air as she headed to the meeting room, surrounded by her admirers.

Sylvia lowered her gaze, expressionless, and picked up her notebook, As she stepped out of the office, she was surprised to find Bridget waiting for her. With only ten minutes until the meeting, Sylvia had no desire for a confrontation and pretended not to see Bridget.