Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert) novel Chapter 386

Instead, the room filled with the low, breathy sounds of men and women moaning.

Sylvia froze, thinking maybe she was hearing things. But when she spun around, she realized the giant screen really was showing a scene straight out of a late-night cable show—explicit, and way too real.

And the stars of the show? None other than Bridget and… some tall, dark-skinned jock from the football team.

Wait, the guy wasn’t even Caleb!

Or rather, it wasn’t just Caleb.

Because in the next clip, the man swapped out for some blue-eyed, blond model type.

The whole minute-long video had so many different guys, Sylvia couldn’t even keep count.

Off to the side, Bailey just slumped to the floor, still in her white lace gown, looking like she’d seen a ghost.

Her voice shook as she screamed, “Turn it off! Turn it off! This is all fake!”

But the big screen couldn’t care less about her begging. It just kept rolling, exposing one jaw-dropping secret after another.

Turns out, Bridget was a serial thief. All those design projects she’d posted online and racked up fans for? Stolen from other people.

And the Simpson family? They’d been secretly using their ties with Rupert to line their own pockets, backstabbing him by investing with his rivals, and even taking bribes on the side.

One bombshell after another, the entire Simpson clan was getting dragged through the mud.

Miriam, who’d been acting like the queen of the ball, suddenly rolled her eyes back and fainted dead away.

And that so-called “happily ever after” red carpet? Bridget didn’t care about dignity anymore—she went crawling, literally, to Rupert’s feet.

“Mr. Rupert! Please! I’m begging you, turn it off! For the sake of the baby I carried for you, don’t do this to me!”

Rupert just stared down at her, his voice cold. “Bridget, I threw out that bowl of chicken soup you made that day.” His gaze shifted to the head table, landing on Tristan.

Tristan clenched his fists, his face stormy. He’d never imagined his own son would keep secrets from him.

Rupert looked back at Bridget, towering over her. “Keep watching.”

The next thing up on the screen? Bridget’s medical files from her time overseas—records of secret abortions she’d never bothered to hide, not even changing her real name.

Freya grabbed Bridget by the hair, yanking off her veil, leaving her disheveled and frantic.

“She’s not the one who saved Mr. Rupert! She’s a fraud! I have recordings of her and Mrs. Simpson admitting it. I’ve got video proof she bribed a doctor to fake her pregnancy, and she made me help her frame Sylvia for a fake miscarriage!”

“Bridget, you ruined my life—I’m taking you down with me!”

That was just like Freya—she could never stand to see anyone else happy.

Rupert’s voice was low and cold. “Freya betrayed Sylvia for money, and now she’s betraying you. She’s getting what she deserves, and now it’s your turn.”

Bridget sucked in a shaky breath, her whole body trembling as she met Rupert’s icy gaze, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I’ve been by your side for over three years. Why are you doing this to me?”

Rupert glanced away, his tone frosty. “Because this is what happens when you lie to me.”

Bridget followed his gaze, and her sobs turned into something darker—hate.