Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert) novel Chapter 532

Hearing footsteps, Yves immediately let go of Sylvia, straightened his suit, and stood up with an easy grin.

“Ms. Sanford! Long time no see.”

“Yves?” Reese’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

She quickly turned a bit to introduce him to the others. “When I was getting treatment abroad, Yves was in the hospital too—battle buddies, you could say. Small world, huh?”

It was only then Sylvia realized Reese wasn’t alone.

Rupert and Kay had come, too.

She lifted her gaze just slightly, meeting Rupert’s eyes—cold and impossibly deep, like looking into the ocean at midnight.

His face showed nothing, but the chill in the air was unmistakable.

Yves and Mrs. Hanson noticed Rupert too, nodding politely. “Mr. Rupert.”

“Yeah,” Rupert said, his tone unreadable.

Sylvia nodded out of courtesy and looked away, just in time to lock eyes with Kay.

Kay stood a little behind Rupert, giving her a gentle, knowing smile.

Sylvia’s face paled. In an instant, she understood: their appearance here wasn’t a coincidence.

She remembered Kay mentioning that her so-called engagement was the result of Rupert and Tristan’s little chat.

Just a few days ago, Rupert had warned her to stay away from Kay.

Clearly, they’d come today just to make sure she went through with this arranged date.

Sometimes Sylvia truly didn’t get Rupert—how could someone be so cold and calculating, pushing her toward a man she barely knew, and then turn around and show up at her door with homemade apple pie?

But she was about to get her answer.

Reese looked back and forth between Sylvia and Yves, curiosity written all over her face. “So… what’s going on here?”

Kay’s gaze flicked to Mrs. Hanson, who caught on instantly and beamed. “We’re discussing the wedding! Once we pick a date, you’ll all have to come celebrate with us.”

“A wedding?” Reese blurted out. “Sylvia, when did you and Yves become a thing?”

Sylvia opened her mouth to explain, but Kay silenced her with a sharp look.

She lowered her gaze, calmly sipped her coffee, and glanced sideways at Yves.

What surprised her most was that Yves and Reese actually knew each other.

And Yves, for all his charm, definitely seemed to treat Reese better than his own mother.

As Sylvia watched Yves, she could feel someone else’s burning gaze on her face.

She ignored it, focusing on her coffee.

Then Reese’s voice drifted over. “I didn’t expect to find real chicken pot pie here! I have to try it—see if it’s anything like the one Rupert brought me.”

“Chicken pot pie?” Sylvia echoed, a bit taken aback.

Reese pointed at the menu, laughing. “Rupert went a little overboard last week and ordered a mountain of it. The chef made a huge batch and we couldn’t finish it—Sylvia, want some?”

Leftovers.

Sylvia instantly remembered that night when Rupert had brought her a warm chicken pot pie.