Over the phone, Bridgetughed with a carefree malice.


    "What do I want? No surprise you can''t see it, considering your mom''s lowly background. How could someone like her raise anything but a daughter who does nothing but seduce men? Shouldn''t I, the future Mrs. Garcia, be the one to set things right? So fond of stealing, huh? I''ll show you how to spit it all out! Feeling sorry now? Bitch! You got what you deserved!"


    Bridget wished her words could morph into the sharpest des, slicing Sylvia into pieces. The her right now bore no resemnce to the calm and elegant beauty admired by the public.


    Sylvia''s voice was cold as she spoke, "All this talk, and you still haven''t said what you actually want."


    "It''s simple. Quit working at Eloise''s studio, and I promise to treat you and... your mom well."


    As Bridget spoke, her freshly manicured nails clicked intentionally against the phone screen. Her tone was dismissive yet threatening.


    "Bridget, I won''t agree to that."


    "You won''t understand until it''s toote, will you? Just watch how your mom gets humiliated!"


    Then came a series of pings.


    Sylvia''s phone lit up with photos from Bridget - her mother forced to kneel on the ground, being fed rotten sandwiches, and Edwin dumped in a trash heap. But Bridget was cautious, retracting the photos shortly after sending them.


    The imagery twisted Sylvia''s heart in agony. She bit her lip, her eyes lowering to hide her turmoil, even her voice was altered.


    "Bridget, this is between us. You shouldn''t drag my mom and Edwin into it. Edwin is Tristan Garcia''s son, and while my mom''s background may be humble, she is recognized as Mrs. Naomi Garcia."


    "She''s been cautious and respectful in the Garcia family for years, never stepping out of line. You''re not just making things difficult for Rupert, you''re also pping Tristan and the Garcia family in the face."


    Barely had she finished when Bridget''sughter boomed through the phone, mixed with Mrs. Simpson''s scoffing. "You really think that highly of yourself, don''t you?"


    Bridget''s voice dripped with scorn.


    "Sylvia, you''re really out of options, huh? Resorting to those losers for a lecture! Remember, the Garcia family will belong to Rupert, and through him, to me, the future Mrs. Garcia. What are those people to us?


    Even Tristan will have to y by our rules!


    If you don''t want your mom and Edwin''s photos to be the talk of Kingstoria, you better behave."


    Sylvia choked up, "Don''t hurt my mom and Edwin. Please don''t


    they face anyone after that? What


    spread those photos. How


    about the Garcia family?"


    "So what? Who''s going to stop me? I''m Rupert''s fiancée. Who would dare touch me?"


    Bridget was smug. The thought of Rupert''s intimate moments with Sylvia while she was left in the cold only fueled her hatred. Why Sylvia?


    She spitefully said, "Sylvia, stop resisting. You stand no chance against me."


    Beep... beep... beep...


    The call ended.


    Sylvia stared at the phone screen, her eyes dim with despair.


    Suddenly, Naomi began to have a nightmare.


    "No! I won''t eat it! Let me go! Ugh..."


    Naomi vomited again, but only bile came out, continuing to retch.


    Sylvia frantically called for a doctor. The doctor administered a shot to soothe Naomi''s stomach, slowly calming her down.


    Sylvia stood by, her face pale with helplessness, digging her nails into her own hand to find some semnce of calm. She left the room, picking up her phone to call the police.  en


    "Hello, I need to report a..."


    Before she could finish, someone snatched the phone from behind.