Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Sylvia was sipping her chamomile tea when a sensational live stream notification popped up on her phone.

"Notorious Jewelry Studio Intern with the Last Name Lloyd Caught Seducing a Married Man."

Unfortunately, Sylvia was the only person in the entire studio with the last name Lloyd.

Might as well have called her out by name.

Bridget had jumped the gun on this one.

A live stream to catch a cheater?

Who was really going to face ruin here was up in the air.

The live stream showed a dimly lit room, shadows flitting about amidst curses and the faint strains of suggestive music.

Candles were scattered in the corners, more for mood than illumination, but they certainly set the scene.

Sylvia had arranged this little rendezvous for Hilbert and today's leading lady.

Suddenly, the screen flickered as someone in the scuffle yanked open the curtains.

The room was fully revealed to the online audience.

Mrs. Carmen, concerned about appearances, had somehow managed to get Hilbert into a bathrobe amidst the chaos.

So aside from looking a bit pale, he wasn't exposed.

The woman next to him wasn't so lucky.

Mrs. Carmen vented all her fury on her, yanking her hair and keeping a tight grip on her waist.

You could almost hear the strands being torn from the scalp.

The sound of it.

Clearly, Mrs. Carmen was not holding back.

The woman's clothes had been shredded by the intruding crowd, leaving only a pillow to cover her essentials.

But the paparazzi, paid to capture her at her worst, was determined to expose every inch of her humiliation.noveldrama

They maneuvered for the perfect

theg her exposed curves,

t on her hip stark e

against the light.

The live stream exploded with chatter.

People started sleuthing through the staff list for Eloise's studio and found only Sylvia with the surname Lloyd.

Without verifying a thing, some viewers began shamelessly commenting on her supposed figure.

"Not much to look at, huh?"

"She could definitely arch more."

"Using a pillow, huh? Guess that's how she designs all those custom pieces."

The comments were vile.

Sylvia's face turned pale, her breath catching in her throat.

From start to finish, the camera barely

followched Hilbert, instead

audience demands to

capture the woman's most degrading angles. fo

Even Mrs. Carmen, a fellow woman, had made sure Hilbert was dressed

before opening the curtains, one

let the woman's last shred of dignity be torn away.

And the keyboard warriors behind their screens? They didn't care about the truth, quick to hurl accusations.

The live stream hadn't been shut down for violating terms, which meant someone had paved the way.

Sylvia's hand shook as she clutched her phone.

If she hadn't been cautious, how would she have faced this?

The shot shifted, leaving only the humiliated woman in view, Hilbert having vanished.

Mrs. Carmen gave a nod to the man holding the woman, who then forced her face into the camera.

The live stream hit a new peak of attention, yet the room itself fell silent.

This... wasn't Sylvia!

It was Freya.

From the day Bridget had helped Freya clear her name using office surveillance, Sylvia knew it had all been a ruse.

They wanted Sylvia to focus on Bridget, to waste her time chasing shadows.