"And who are you?" Bae questioned, glancing over her shoulder with a cold, commanding stare, her authority unmistakable.
"Her night-shift maid, assigned specifically by her doctor," Adeline shot back, her tone almost matching Bae's icy demeanor.
Bae chuckled at Adeline's audacity; the maid's fearlessness amused her as if Adeline believed she owned the room.
"Get out," Bae commanded, her suspicions pointing at Penny's involvement.
"I'm sorry, but I can't. Her doctor doesn't approve of her staying up this late," Adeline responded, looking Bae dead in the eye.
"I won't repeat myself," Bae's tone turned sharp, her patience wearing thin.
She was intrigued but barely holding her anger in check. Adeline, surprisingly, didn't flinch.
"The only one who needs to get out is—" Just then, Bae slapped her, making Silva flinch on her bed.
"For a maid, your attitude is nerve-wracking," Bae hissed coldly, watching Adeline's shocked expression.
"And don't think for a second I don't know Penny's behind your newfound wings," she whispered in Adeline's ear, tauntingly.
"Now get out before things get ugly."
Adeline shot a defiant, grudging glare at Bae as she left. Bae ignored it, unfazed by Adeline's hostility, and firmly closed the door.
"What injection was she talking about?" Bae turned her gaze back to her mother, noting a slight look of relief on Silva's face.
Bae smiled, sensing her mother wasn't entirely blind to the dangers around her.
"How about this, Mother? You switch me out with Penny, and in return, I'll find you a real doctor who can help you. After all, I'm sure you sense what's happening around you," Bae said, sitting beside her.
Silva looked at Bae, pleased by her willingness to help, but she hesitated. The thought of angering Penny—and risking losing another beloved daughter, especially one as dear to her as Penny—left her torn.
Bae noticed her mother's hesitation and quickly picked up on her fear of Penny's reaction.
"If you're worried about Penny, I assure you she'll be more than willing to hand that over," Bae said, smiling with feigned reassurance.
Silva used her only functioning hand to grab her iPad.
"Alright, fine. But can I at least talk to Penny about this? I want to make sure she's okay with it. I don't want any more fighting, and you know she still holds resentment toward you for past actions." Bae read her mother's message.
"Sure, Mother. But if she still dislikes me that much, then I have every right to feel the same. After all, she was the one who pushed me off that cliff," Bae said, revealing the cause of her past accident that had left her with memory loss.
Silva's eyes widened at this revelation, a stark contrast to the story she'd known.
"Anyway, Mother, I'll be waiting for your answer." Bae stood up, giving her mother one last look, her mother offering a faint, reassuring smile.
With that, Bae left the room, leaving her mother to absorb the shocking revelation
"Regardless, Penny will have to give that up," Bae muttered, reaching for her phone to call Paverick.
But just as she did, her eyes widened at the sound of a voice ahead.
"Do you have a minute to spare?"
Bae glanced up to see Brag standing with his arms crossed, leaning casually against the wall, watching her with a faint smile.
"About time you showed up, Brag," Bae thought, transforming her cold gaze into a smile, mirroring his energy as she met his eyes.