Just then, Bae felt a drunkard lurch dangerously close to her. She swiftly sidestepped, her reflexes kicking in.
"Ugh?!" she exclaimed in disgust as the stench of alcohol hit her.
As she regained her balance, her gaze landed on someone familiar. His dark hair and charming demeanor were unmistakable, and his dark pupils glinted ominously beneath his cap. It was Brag, surrounded by a group of men who looked suspiciously like gang members.
"Brag?!" Bae thought, her heart racing. He was with the Life Gangsters, disappearing into the alley.
"What do we have here?"she smirked, knowing she couldn't let this opportunity slip away. "After all, he's the main one I'm after!"
Determined, she tracked them down, straining to catch snippets of their conversation through the alleyway walls. Then a name slipped into her ear, igniting her shock.
"Aiden!"
Bae's eyes widened. "Zanier's son?!" The revelation sent a jolt through her. Just then, she noticed one of the gang members approaching from behind.
"Damn it!" she thought, her heart quickening.
She pressed herself against the wall, feigning nonchalance as she began to walk away from the alley. As she passed the five men, their intense gazes bore into her, sending chills down her spine and making her heart race.
"Act natural, Bae," she reminded herself, keeping her pace steady and quiet.
She needed to get out before they noticed their leader was in a meeting with someone from the second alleyway she was coming from.
But then she felt it—she had been caught. The five men were suddenly aware of her eavesdropping presence.
"Good luck," she thought, slipping into the bustling street filled with people, hoping to blend in and escape unnoticed as she takes of her hood left with her face cap.
"So Brag is after the kid, huh?" Bae thought as she stepped into the bustling mall, surrounded by racks of clothing.
"I guess I'm not the only puppet in his show." A smile crept across her face, a mix of amusement and intrigue.
She grabbed a gray hoodie and matching pants, ready for a change. " I wonder why he's after Zanier's son," she mused, her smile widening as she paid for the clothes.
Once in the changing room, she changed into the new outfit, admiring her reflection in the mirror.
" this is the battle for the title I've been caught up in, and now it inevitable for poor kid to be caught in this." she thought, grinning at her reflection.
"Brag. You never ceases to amaze me," she sneered, recalling his audacity.
"A man whose crimes truly know no limits."
She thought, remembering one of her past memories that she once lost.
Bae Exiting the mall, she ordered a cab, her mind racing with possibilities.
"I don't give a damn if he harms Zanier, but Zanier is my prey!" She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, her determination solidifying.
"Then again, both of them are my beloved prey."
Just as she opened the cab door, she spotted Brag heading toward the mall.
Panic surged through her. Without hesitation, she slipped into the cab and instructed the driver to leave before he could see her. As the vehicle pulled away, her heart raced with the thrill.
Meanwhile Brag caught a glimpse of a familiar face, his eyes widening as he recognized those hazel pupils and the distinct shape that belonged to someone he knew all too well.
"That figure, skin color, and those eyes!" he thought, his heart racing at the fleeting sight of Bae.
Without a moment's hesitation, he jumped into his car, determination fueling his next move. He began to tail the cab, but soon lost it in the sea of identical vehicles weaving through the busy streets.
"Change of plan!" Brag thought, making a swift U-turn that nearly caused an accident.
"Though I intended to see her tomorrow, tonight could be even better." A faint smile crept across his lips as he considered the possibilities that lay ahead.
Meanwhile Bae exited the cab, handing the driver extra money as a token of gratitude for following her instructions. She slipped off her hoodie, a smirk playing on her lips.
" I have a funny feeling he'll be coming for me," she thought, a thrill coursing through her at the prospect.
"Which couldn't be any better."
As she entered her apartment, she noticed a missed call from Paverick.
"Go on, what do you have?" she questioned coldly, opening her room door.
"Welcome!" Paverick replied, a hint of surprise in his voice as he noticed Bae had returned. He held his phone to his ear, watching her with keen interest. "I was about to ask where you were, but it seems you're here safely."
Bae sat down at the dinner table, eyeing him expectantly. "Did he request something from you?" she asked, curious if Zanier had reached out.
"Impressive. How did you know he was going to request something from me?" Paverick replied, a mixture of admiration and intrigue in his gaze.
"Perhaps related to some support?" she pressed, disregarding his question, her mind racing with possibilities.
"You know more than I expected, Bae. But yes, he wants to discuss becoming a permanent business partner. After all, I'm going to be a suitor to Penny Frankford." Paverick leaned back, a faint smile on his face as he waited for Bae's reaction.
Bae's eyes widened in shock as she nearly choked on her food. "What? Penny's suitor?"
"Do you know what you're getting yourself into?" she glared at Paverick, anger simmering just below the surface.
"Of course, I know. But your grandmother- I mean Elaine seems to want me with Penny."
" And you know the Craneson family is quite close to the Frankfords," Paverick replied, watching Bae carefully.
"I see." Bae lowered her gaze to her plate, her mind racing.
"This old woman is truly beside Zanier," she thought, suspicion creeping in. It seems almost apparent she supports him.
"Let's see how Brag feels about that," she mused, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Well, do as you please." She dropped her utensils and stood up, determination etched on her face.
"Just know, I want you to back off from supporting Zanier and brag. After all, my enemies are your enemies." She looked back at Paverick, echoing his own words.
Paverick smiled, watching her as she entered her room. "Of course, Bae! And my enemies are yours," he thought, a sense of camaraderie building between them.
As bae disappeared into her room, He leaned back in his chair, nostalgia washing over him as he recalled their first meeting—Bae lying on the cold floor beside the subway.
"I remember that much," he reflected, his gaze turning upward, the light casting a warm glow over him.