Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

"How did you know about my mom's symptoms?" Sylvia pressed, her voice edged

with suspicion.

Chris hesitated, words caught in his throat. He quickly turned away. "I scheduled a

CAT scan. We need to hurry."

Sensing the urgency, Sylvia took the wheelchair from the driver and pushed her

mom, Naomi, forward.

Naomi tilted her head slightly. "It was Rupert. He saw something was off with me

at the church, so he made up an excuse for me to leave early. He's the one who

got Dr. Chris involved, too. Don't get all riled up just because we mention him."

"I'm not," Sylvia snapped back defensively.

Naomi just gave her a look-one of those classic "you're so stubborn" mom

glances.

Outside the imaging room, Chris scribbled something on a little card and handed

it to Sylvia.

"I can't go in with you. Here's your number-you're up next. Just show this to the

nurse."

"Thanks."

Sylvia glanced at the card. The number looked familiar, but she couldn't quite

place it.

Just then, the door swung open, and Sylvia hurriedly wheeled Naomi inside.

After the scan, Christine led them to see the department head. The diagnosis was

a simple muscle strain, so Naomi was sent off for some physical therapy.

While Naomi was in therapy, Sylvia lingered in the hallway beside Chris, studying

him.

"So, where's Caleb Lennon?" she asked pointedly.

Chris looked away, his expression stiff. "He... hasn't come back yet."

Sylvia's lips curled in a sardonic smile. "Guess Rupert's quite the hero, huh?"

She couldn't believe Rupert had basically set Caleb and Bridget Simpson up

together.

Chris's heart skipped a beat. He realized Sylvia was getting the wrong idea.

"Sylvia, it's not as complicated as you think. Rupert never had unrequited feelings

for Bridget."

"No need to explain. I just want to know where Caleb is."

There were still too many unanswered questions about Stella's kidney transplant.

Caleb definitely knew more than he'd let on.

Chris assumed Sylvia was mad

about what Caleb had done in

Mountain City. He frowned and

admitted, "To be honest, it was

partly my fault. I should have kept a

closer eye on Caleb. He pretended to

be me and knocked Orson out,

which is how Bridget got into

Rupert's room." noveldrama

"But I swear, nothing happened between Rupert and Bridget. She only thought he

was out of it and faked a pregnancy."

Sylvia stared at Chris, stunned. "Come again?"

"Look, that night in Mountain City,

Rupert wasn't feeling well and tried

to find you. Somehow Bridget found

out, and she and Caleb worked

together. That's how the whole fake

pregnancy thing got started. Rupert

just played along so Bridget wouldn't

get suspicious-he pretended to be

unconscious all night."

Chris felt guilty enough about the whole mess; now, he just wanted to clear the

air.

Sylvia opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself. Even if it was all

Bridget's scheme... so what? It didn't change the fact that Rupert let Stella die for

Bridget's sake.

She forced a laugh. "Dr. Chris, were

you hiding under their bed or

something? They've been together

for three years-stuff like this isn't

exactly surprising. Did he give you a

play-by-play?"

Chris faltered, caught off guard. "I... guess you've got a point."

He let out a deep breath, at a loss for words.

Just then, Naomi finished her therapy session.

As Sylvia put her phone away, her sleeve brushed against something in her bag,

and a slip of paper fluttered to the floor.

"Hey, you dropped something," Chris called after her.