Joanna hadn’t expected Sylvia to return. Panic flickered in her eyes, quickly replaced by a dark scowl. “Sylvia, all I saw was you showing up here unexpectedly and then leaving just as mysteriously.”
She wanted Byron to think Sylvia had ulterior motives, maybe even that she’d come to steal something important. As she spoke, she shot Byron a sideways glance; her words were meant for him.
Wasn’t she right? Why else would Sylvia show up while Byron was unconscious?
When Byron saw Sylvia had returned, his gaze turned colder. ‘Just waltzes in and out whenever she pleases! Gives me no warning at all!‘
“Wait here. I’ll deal with you in a minute!” he snapped. He gritted his teeth and stormed upstairs.
Sylvia narrowed her eyes. ‘Ungrateful jerk,‘ she thought bitterly. ‘I shouldn’t have even bothered treating him!‘ Her first instinct was to turn and leave.
“Sylvia, where are you going?” Joanna quickly moved to block her path. “Don’t go! Didn’t you hear what Byron said? He told you to stay.”
She was sure her words had hit their mark. Byron must have gone upstairs to check if anything was missing; he’d be down soon to confront Sylvia. Worried she couldn’t handle Sylvia alone, Joanna called out, summoning the butler and a few maids into the living room.
Sylvia’s eyes flashed, and a cold smirk touched her lips. Fine, she wouldn’t leave. She walked straight to the living room sofa and sat down, deciding to wait and see what exactly Byron had planned.
Back in his bedroom upstairs, Byron frowned at his reflection in the mirror.
Bandages were wrapped tightly around his torso due to his back injury, covered loosely by an unbuttoned shirt. ‘After all these years, Sylvia was back in the Blair house. And this is how she sees me…‘
He opened the closet, pulled out a suit and a black dress shirt, changed quickly, and ran a hand through his hair.
When he emerged again, he was sharply dressed in a tailored black suit, gold cufflinks gleaming, a rhinestone eagle pin fastened to his lapel. He looked powerful and imposing, radiating authority.
Hearing footsteps, Sylvia looked up from the sofa, a slight frown creasing her brow. ‘All that time upstairs just to change clothes?”
Despite herself, she had to admit Byron cut an impressive figure – broad shoulders, lean waist. He could give any runway model a run for his money.
Seeing Byron descend the stairs, Joanna immediately got up from the sofa and went to him.
“Byron, did you have something to say to Sylvia?” she prompted. She’d been waiting for Byron to lay into Sylvia, to tell that malicious woman to stay away from the Blair house for good, whether anything was missing or not.
Byron nodded, then turned to Joanna. “Could you give us a minute?”
Joanna desperately wanted to stay and watch Byron tear into Sylvia, but his tone left no room for argument.
She obediently left the living room. However, she lingered just outside the door, hiding. She wasn’t about to miss this drama.
Sylvia remained seated coolly on the sofa, wondering what game Byron was playing with all this fuss.
Byron sat down on the sofa opposite Sylvia, crossing his long legs. He cleared his throat deliberately before speaking slowly. “Sylvia, since you came back to the house, it proves you still have feelings for me.
“I’m quite fond of your daughter, Ruby, too. I wouldn’t mind at all if you moved back in with her. I’ll treat Ruby well.”
Sylvia flushed crimson and shot to her feet. “Byron! What are you talking about?”
1/2
13:15 Tue, 17 Jun G
Chapter 70
66%
‘This clueless man is so full of himself!‘ She hadn’t thought once about coming back since the divorce. If it weren’t for Zack, she’d never have set foot in this house again.
Eavesdropping outside, Joanna’s eyes widened in shock. She’d assumed Byron sent her away to reprimand Sylvia, not invite her back! ‘If Sylvia comes back, what about me?‘ Many people already thought she was Mrs. Blair. This would be humiliating!
Hearing Sylvia’s rejection, Byron’s expression instantly frosted over. He scoffed. “Sylvia, don’t pretend. I know you came back secretly to treat me because you were worried. We may be divorced, but we can always get remarried.”
Sylvia couldn’t believe he was actually suggesting this. She was shaking with anger. “Byron, stop being so narcissistic! The only reason I came here to treat you is because Zack begged me to. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered!”
Byron blinked, momentarily taken aback. His face darkened as it sunk in that he might have actually misunderstood. After a brief silence, his tone softened slightly. “Don’t you want to be with Zack? If you move in here, you can.”
Sylvia looked disgusted. She’d treated him out of kindness, and this was the conclusion he jumped to? She couldn’t be bothered wasting another breath on him. She stood up and headed for the door.
But after a few steps, she turned back, snatching the bag of herbs off the coffee table. “Maybe you should just stay sick. Let’s pretend I was never here, save you the trouble of jumping to conclusions.”
Byron’s face turned thunderous. He strode over, grabbed Sylvia’s wrist, and pulled the bag of herbs from her grasp.
“Since you brought this medicine specifically for me, I’ll accept your ‘kindness‘!” he retorted sarcastically.
Sylvia bit her lip. She had the sudden, sinking feeling that this dense man wasn’t going to let this go easily. Has he completely forgotten all the humiliation he put me through?‘
Fuming, she turned on her heel and left.
Byron watched her retreating back, the anger slowly fading from his face, replaced by a deeper, more thoughtful expression.
‘One day,’ he vowed silently, ‘I’ll get her back.’
“Byron, you can’t let Sylvia fool you! She came back with an agenda!” Joanna hurried back into the living room from the doorway, her voice urgent.
She managed to keep her composure, her gaze fixed on the herbs in Byron’s hand. “Byron, haven’t you considered she might be back for revenge? What if those herbs she gave you are poisoned?”
Byron looked thoughtfully at the herbs. Just as Joanna thought she’d gotten through to him, he raised a hand and called for the butler. “Prepare this medicine.”
‘If it’s poison, I’ll find out soon enough.‘ Sylvia had saved his life once before. If she wanted it now, he figured he owed it to her.
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