"Why didn't you tell me you guys were attacked?"
Marliese's voice cut through the quiet room. She sat propped up against the silk pillows of her bed.
Jae-Hyun stood by the window, his back to her. Kendella wasn't in the room; she was downstairs, likely barking orders at the security team, unaware that her mother was even awake.
"We didn't want you to get worried, Marliese," Jae-Hyun said, his voice dropping into that smooth, respectful tone he only reserved for her. "I didn't think it was necessary. We handled it."
Her gaze hardened.
"You handled it?" she repeated. "Someone threw acid at my daughter in the middle of Manhattan, and you decided I didn't need to know?"
A bitter smile touched Marliese's lips.
"Jae-Hyun," she said softly, "you don't get to decide what worries me. I don't have much time left to be 'worried."
