Chris immediately picked up on Sylvia''s distrust and jumped in to defend Rupert.

"Sylvia,e on. No matter what, he''s helped you out a lot. If he wanted

something bad to happen to you, why would he take the risk? Don''t just write him off like that."

Sylvia''s brows knit together, her longshes fluttering as she looked away, a touch of sadness and self-mockery flickering across her face.

She pressed her pale lips into a thin line before letting out a soft, dryugh.

"Alright, since you trust him so much, you can tell him who I''m looking for. But don''t tell him everything, okay? I''m not sure about Yves and Kay, and I don''t want Reese to think I''m falsely using her aunt."

"I get it. See, now you''re talking sense. Mr. Rupert could find anyone in his sleep. I''ll let you know when I hear something."

Chris sighed in relief and hurried off.

Sylvia watched him go, her gaze cold and distant. Her slender wrist tensed unconsciously, her eyes a storm of tangled emotion.

Back in the hospital room, Naomi sat at the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

"Mom."

Naomi snapped out of her daze and waved her over. "Come sit down and eat something."

"What''s wrong?" Sylvia asked gently, settling beside her.

"I just saw the forecast-it''s supposed to get real cold tonight. All of Edwin''s clothes, I''m the one who packs them. What if he can''t find his warm coat?"

Naomi was talking about coats, but really, she just missed Edwin. The two of them were rarely apart.

Sylvia took her hand. "Mom, we''ll be home soon. I promise."

After they ate, Sylvia stayed with Naomi for a while longer.

Just before sunset, Chris texted her.

"Found him. Sent you the address. By the way, I think he''s onto something."

"Got it."

Sylvia nced at the address and smirked.

...

The Stag''s Head Club.

This was the kind of upscale lounge where people came to see and be seen, the

sort of ce where the cocktails came with a side of secrets.

Kay always talked down about Naomi-there was no way she''d set her up with a decent guy. This ce was crawling with pretty boys who could be bought for the night the perfect way to humiliate Naomi.  s

Sylvia had borrowed an outfit from Eloise for the asion: a dark brown trench coat over a silk V-neck blouse, a dainty but obviously expensive gemstone ne at her corbone. Simple white wide-leg trousers, one hand tucked in her pocket, the otherholding a clutch that cost more than most people''s cars.  s

Anyone who knew the crowd could tell she was old money, even though there

wasn''t a single visible logo. Just the bag alone was worth a small fortune.

She''d barely sat down and propped her chin on her hand when a man approached, drink in hand.

"You''re too pretty to be here alone, miss."fnf742 Get full chapters from find{n}ovel/fnf742

Sylvia gave him a once-over, then slid the drink back to him. "Sorry, you''re not really my type. But this round''s on me."

She made sure her voice carried, letting everyone know exactly why she was here -to find a man.

It wasn''t long before she was turning down one after another, until finally, someone interesting bit.

"Stefen.” The man introduced himself, reaching out with an air of practiced charm. Every inch of him was perfectly styled.

"Wanna grab a booth and a drink?" Sylvia asked, amused.

"I''d be honored. Not every day I get to share a drink with such a beautifuldy."

He offered his arm and Sylvia slipped hers through it, smiling as they moved toward a quieter corner.

She hadn''t expected things to go this smoothly-so much so that she missed the man watching from the shadows.

He lounged back in his chair, legs crossed, his face hidden in the dim light. His suit was tailored to perfection, outlining his long, lean frame. He raised a ss of whiskey to his lips, cigarette smoldering between his fingers, eyes narrowed as he watched Sylvia walk off with someone else. He downed his drink in one go, gaze never leaving her.  s