She knew it was Lester, but in her dreams, his face was always a blur.

Eventually, she just gave up, opened her eyes, and stared nkly at the stark white ceiling above her.

She had no idea how much time had passed before Chris came in, quietly pushing open the door.

"You''re awake? Still feeling sick anywhere?"

"I''m okay." Sylvia propped herself up, shaking her head.

Chris pressed his lips together, looking worried. “Do you remember what happened?"

Sylvia lowered her gaze, replying with dry honesty, "You mean do I remember how

I thought I was so clever, but still got yed and ended up jumping off that pier? Yeah. I remember every bit."

Chris''s expression froze. He started to exin, "No, actually, he—"

But Sylvia cut him off. "Dr. Chris, do you remember what I told you at the bar that night? Let me say it again: I''d rather go down with the ship than let him show up as my knight in shining armor after the fact."

Chris hesitated. "You have no idea what he "

He never finished. The door mmed open, hard, stopping Chris mid-sentence.

A crowd stormed in without so much as a knock.

Leading the pack was none other than Tristan Garcia.

Behind him stood several Garcia family elders, stony-faced and stiff, and Kay— who looked ready for a fight.

Chris, ever the professional, stepped forward politely, trying to shield Sylvia. "Tristan, Ms. Winslet, my patient needs rest. Pleasee backter."

Tristan didn''t even reply. He just gave Kay a sharp look.

Armed with backup, Kay shoved past Chris and strode to Sylvia''s bedside, casting her a withering sideways nce.

"Sylvia, did you really think hiding your mom away would just fix everything?"

"Ms. Winslet, I honestly have no idea what you''re talking about."

Sylvia''s face was all innocence. Even with a room full of hostile eyes, she calmly brushed imaginary crumbs from her nket.

Kay scoffed. "You really need to see

the truth to believe it, huh? Tristan already knows your mom''s been shacking up with some boytoy. These photos were sent straight to the Garcia

These wow long did you

think you could keep this quiet?” Cóntent belongs to s

With that, Kay pulled a stack of photos from her purse and tossed them onto the bed.fn5ecb Read full story at Find_Novel(./fn5ecb

Some of them fluttered to the floor, revealing shots of Naomi in bed with a much younger man-clear as day for all to see.

The Garcia family elders, traditional to the core, immediately hardened their expressions. Even their nces at Sylvia were dripping with disgust.

Kay twisted the knife. "I hear these guys are trained to seduce richdies. Who knows how many people he''s been with? God forbid he''s carrying something."

Sylvia snorted. "Wow, Ms. Winslet, you seem to know a whole lot about this line of work. Anyone might think you''ve had some experience yourself."

"Sylvia, I''m just being a good friend to Tristan here. Your mom—Mrs.? Naomi if this gets out, what will people think of the Garcia family? Of Mr. Edwin? It''s lucky I bought these photos before someone else did."  s

Kay''s voice was icy, her sharp eyes glinting with threat.

Sylvia understood instantly-ever since the Hanson family''s troubles, Kay had been itching to use Naomi to keep her in check.

Sylvia brushed the photos off her bed in one quick sweep, meeting Kay''s gaze. "Ms Winslet my mom''s up at St. Mary''s Chapel lighting candles. You show up with this sleaze and try to drag her name

through the mud-what are you really after?"  s

"That''s enough!" Tristan finally snapped, his voice cold andmanding. "Sylvia, look at what your mother''s taught you-lyinges so naturally! Are you sure she''s at some chapel?"

"Where else would she be?"

Sylvia stared Tristan down, but she caught Kay''s smirk out of the corner of her eye.

It was obvious they hadn''te here unprepared.