"You''re better suited for it than I am."

    Reese smiled as she toyed with the ne. "Really? Thanks, Sylvia."

    "Don''t—don''t thank me," Sylvia replied, her face betraying a touch of awkwardness.

    Before she could say more, a cold voice sliced through the air.

    "What are you doing?"

    Rupert had arrived, with Chris trailing behind him-clearly here to visit.

    Sylvia turned at the sound, meeting Rupert''s dark, unreadable eyes.

    His gaze flicked over the ne around Reese''s neck, his expression darkening.

    Assuming Rupert was speaking to her, Reese stepped forward with a grin. “Sylvia already gave me a New Year''s gift. Where''s yours?"

    "I brought it," Rupert said coolly, nodding at Orson.

    Orson handed over a long, elegant box.

    Reese''s face lit up with delight. She shot Sylvia a meaningful nce-one of those looks you share when you''re genuinely happy to receive a gift from someone you care about. It wasn''t smug, just honest excitement.

    But as she opened the box and saw the diamond ne inside, her smile froze on her lips.

    After a few seconds, Sylvia even heard Reese whisper to herself, trying to stay positive. "Guess I misheard. Not a pearl ne... but a diamond one. So sparkly."

    Sylvia lowered her head, her heart twisting painfully.

    She was a woman herself-how could she not recognize the disappointment in Reese''s tone?

    "Let me put it on for you," Rupert said, his voice casual.

    Reese''s eyes sparkled as she lifted her hair with a smile. "Okay."

    Rupert unsped the pearl ne from her neck, recing it with the diamond

    one.

    Then, without a word, he turned to Sylvia, holding out the pearl ne. "Take it back."

    Sylvia stared at the pearls, refusing to reach for them.

    People were milling about, and the two stood locked in this awkward standoff.

    Orson, sensing the tension, quickly interjected, "Mr. Rupert, everyone''s waiting for your scene."

    Nearby, Chris nced at the red marks on Sylvia''s neck, and something seemed to click for him.

    He leaned in and whispered, "Let''s talk privatelyter. Ms. Sanford is watching." Sylvia caught his words.

    Of course.

    The second Rupert heard Reese''s name, the dangerous glint in

    nce in hand, and left with

    eyes vanished. He turned a his

    Sylvia stood there in the chilly evening breeze, feeling numb.

    Naomi came over and gently brushed Sylvia''s hair aside.

    "You''ve broken the skin. Sylvia, what happened?"

    "It''s nothing, Mom. You should go enjoy the show. I just need a minute to rest."

    Sylvia absentmindedly smoothed her hair.

    Naomi nodded. "Alright, take your time."

    They parted ways, and Sylvia headed in the opposite direction, away from the crowd.

    She made her way to the garden, only to find her path blocked by a tall, imposing figure.

    Tristan.

    He sneered as soon as he spoke.

    "I knew it, Sylvia. You''re exactly the kind of woman I thought you were. Throwing yourself at your so-called Uncle Rupert."

    She''d known this wasing.

    At his words, Sylvia felt her stomach churn.

    Once, she might have protested, but now... she was living proof of his usation.

    She let out a coldugh. "Maybe you should thank yourself, Tristan. If you hadn''t pushed me so far, I wouldn''t be like this."

    "Oh, really?" Tristan gave her a mocking smile. "You ran from the Garcia family, and what? Fell right into Rupert''sp. If he had evidence, why didn''t he use it then? Why wait until you were desperate and came crawling to him?"

    Sylvia''s face went pale, her stomach cramping, her whole body aching.

    Tristan looked down at her, eyes icy "Getting it now? You''re just a toy to him. Men like to y, Sylvia. That''s

    all this is. So, what does that make

    you?"

    A single word echoed in her mind: ything.

    When she came to, Tristan was gone.

    AQUMS

    She crumpled to the ground, her usually bright eyes now empty, and let out a

    bitter, mockingugh at herself.

    Her phone buzzed twice.

    "Sylvia, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

    "I''m sure."