Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Fanny had spent the whole evening focused on Chris, and only now did she notice that Bridget was dressed exactly like the woman in the video.

"You..." Fanny narrowed her eyes, staring hard at Bridget.

Bridget's face went pale with panic. "You're not suspecting me, are you? I was with Mr. Rupert all night."

Fanny's gaze wavered, unsure.

Chris flicked his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his boot. "Looks like someone was targeting Ms. Simpson. Fanny was just a pawn. Ms. Simpson, have you pissed anyone off lately?"

Bridget lowered her eyes, pretending to think. “Uh... maybe Sylvia?"

"We've had our disagreements," she went on, "but I can't believe she'd drag Fanny into this. What if she's got more deep fake videos like that one?"

"If those get out online, we're finished."

Her eyes glossed over with tears.

Fanny slammed her palm on the table. "She wouldn't dare!"

Bridget tried to soothe her. "Don't worry about me, it's enough that you two have cleared things up. You should get some rest."

Fanny just turned on her heel and walked out.

Bridget and Chris exchanged a sly smile.

"The bar's security footage was wiped," Chris murmured. "Can't say for sure it was Sylvia."

Bridget shrugged, a sly grin on her lips. "Doesn't matter. I say it was her, that's enough."

After the mess at the bar, Sylvia hadn't slept a wink all night. She was so out of it she could barely keep her eyes open at work. She kept glancing over her shoulder, convinced someone was watching her.

By the time she finally clocked out, all she wanted was to get home and collapse into bed.

She was fumbling for her keys at her apartment door when she heard the elevator ding behind her.

Thinking it was her neighbor, Mrs. Ward, she turned to say hi-only to be grabbed by two dark figures.

Wham.

One of them yanked her hair and slammed her into the wall. She clutched her purse, knees buckling.

Through the blur and the ringing in her ears, she caught a couple words- something about her phone.

Then everything went black.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she finally came to. The world was upside down. Literally.noveldrama

As Sylvia's vision cleared, her heart nearly stopped. She was hanging upside

down from the ten-meter diving board.

Below her was a filthy, abandoned swimming pool.

The place looked like it had been

deserted

years-bleacher seats

faded and cracked, some swallowed up by weeds, shards of broken glass glinting in the window frames above.

A cold wind howled through the building, making an eerie, buzzing sound. The rope suspending her groaned as it rubbed against the edge of the platform.

Sylvia dangled there, the rope swaying, feeling like she could plunge into the muck at any second.

Her cheeks burned, and her breath came in ragged gasps. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

Suddenly, she heard the click-clack of high heels below.

Fanny appeared at the poolside, flanked by five or six men, the collar of a men's leather jacket turned up around her neck.

She crossed her arms, smirking up at Sylvia. "No wonder you tried to seduce Mr. Rupert. You've got that classic homewrecker look. Too bad I'm not a guy. I don't go easy on pretty faces."

With a snap of her fingers, she gave a signal.

Sylvia barely had time to react before the rope slackened, sending her crashing

down into the filthy water.

Even braced for it, she screamed.

"Ahhh!"

She hit the water hard, panic exploding inside her. Her hands and feet were bound-she couldn't even struggle.

Just when her lungs felt like they were about to burst, someone yanked her back

up.

She broke the surface, choking and gasping for air.

Fanny's laugh echoed through the empty building, sharp and mean.

"Sylvia, this is what you get for screwing with me," she sneered. "They're filling this pool in tonight. you want to avoid spending the rest of your days under this stinking water, you'd better hand ove every last one of those deep fake videos." Cóntent belongs to