Maya's point of view.

My eyelids fluttered open and closed, opened once more, and took in the drowsy environment. Images were a blurry sight until I squeezed my eyes and tried looking again, where was I?

The machines attached to me hinted I was in the hospital but when a certain face hovered over me, my heart skipped a beat.

I jerked upright without warning but the sudden movement caused a sharp twinge to shoot from my stomach to my chest, I groaned in pain.

It was so painful that tears spurted from my eyes, I had no choice but to bite down on my lips and endure the torture as it faded away slowly.

"What do you think you're doing, do you want to end your life that badly?" She scolded me while laying me back on the bed gently - that was very weird.

"What the hell happened?" I ignored her chidings, going straight to my question.

"You don't remember?" Angela asked in surprise.

I shook my head, feeling the band-aid on my temple with my hand. I couldn't remember anything, my memory was scrabbled.

"There was an incident, you're badly Injured " she disclosed to me.

My face scrunched," I still can walk, right?"

I've watched enough movies to know that when scenes like this happen, the female lead ends up paralyzed. The doctor tells her she might never be able to walk and then months later, she begins to even leap.

Kim's mother gave me the look,

"What do you think?"

There was a deadpanned look on her features but I didn't trust her one bit and checked for myself by slightly lifting my leg.

Phew, what a relief. Being unable to walk was a nightmare - least to me. Done with my confirmation, my gaze settled on Kim's mother.

"So why are you here? Of all people, why are you the face I woke up to?" I gave Angela questionable looks. It was super awkward, the way she tended to me like this.

"Why? I shouldn't be here?" She asked with a straight face but I could sense the tightness in her voice.

"Who knows? Perhaps you're here to confirm I was dead so you could live on with your life finally?"

"It would be such a relief if that happened," She taunted me, "But I'm here, so your grandmother doesn't hassle me "

I chuckled, "Does your wonderful daughter Kimberly know you're nursing me to good health? If I could move around with ease it'd be so comforting."

" What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that I don't need someone putting something into my drink out of jealousy," I said, hinting her daughter might harm me now I was disabled thinking I wanted to snatch her mother's attention from her.

"Kim would never do such a thing" she refuted my claim firmly.

I tried to laugh but the side of my stomach hurt so much leaving me with no choice but to settle for a smirk.

"Then you don't know what your daughter is capable of doing at all "

She was annoyed," I know my daughter like the back of my hand and she would never think of murdering anyone because it is not in her blood!"

"I'm your daughter too! " I blurted.

I regret saying that out loud, but the words flowed out of my mouth before I could take it back.

Averting my eyes, I looked everywhere but her, and thankfully the doctor coming in cleared the awkward tension hanging in the air.

"How do you feel?" He asked and flashed a small flashlight into my eyes that made me blink and squint repeatedly.

"I feel good -"

"She has lapses in her memory" Angela divulged to the doctor causing me to roll my eyes towards heaven - after the doctor had withdrawn his torchlight.

Angela was confusing me, I couldn't tell if she was genuinely concerned about my health or just playing the role of a concerned mother so people wouldn't talk.

Well, she was probably on with her pretense. Someone who wanted to abort me when in the stomach and didn't care about me growing up, why would she care about me now? The truth hurts but it is better than being fed with false hope.

"She suffered a concussion so the loss of memory is common. The effects are subtle and temporary but can last for days, weeks, or months and even years depending on how traumatic the injury was to the brain.

"As her mother, you should be alert, during this period because your daughter might experience problems with balance, concentration, coordination, and memory-as you complained"

I wanted badly to roll on my belly and laugh so hard till tears came off but I couldn't - ugh, this was so frustrating.

But the doctor's words were funny,

"As a mother? Daughter?" Hahaha - ouch, my stomach.

"Sure, doctor" She nodded," I'll be sure to take note of that. Thanks for your time, doctor "

Angela even smiled at him and the doctor left.

"I'm afraid I'm an amateur," I said.

She took her phone out of her handbag resting on the vanity table beside me, "How so?"

I stared at Kim's mother in mocking awe" I need to tip my hat to you, you're an almighty pretender; it's no wonder both daughters got their acting skills from you"

She gave me a look of disdain, scrolling through her phone unconcerned.

"Doesn't it get tiring?"

Angela sighed vexed, "What is it this time?"

I looked her in the eyes," Being this way, don't you get tired?"

My badgering must have gotten to her this time cause she dropped the cellphone, scratched the bridge of her nose, and began, "Am a human and it gets tiring always looking out for a daughter whose very existence threatens my happiness"

Her words pricked my heart, but I refused to show it, "What's so bad about being an illegitimate daughter? I get that you're ashamed of my very existence but it's been years -heck, I'm twenty-four! It's been god-damned twenty-four….! " I winced from the pain in my chest.

F*ck this injury! I needed to give this woman a piece of my mind!

"Your precious daughter Kim, what has she achieved so far if not being a lawyer which she was able to accomplish because of your support. But for me, what have you done for me mother? Tell me ?! "

"The fact you're that man's daughter disqualifies you from receiving anything from me !" She said in an outburst.

I froze, then my eyes narrowed into slits as her words dawned on me, "That man's daughter?" I pointed out.

Angela trembled, I saw a trace of fear flicker across her face proving the fact she knew something about him.

"You talk as if you know my father?"

She threw her face to the side briskly, "I have no idea what you're talking about?" Angela denied it as usual.

"You called him 'that man' with a tone that shows acquaintance not to mention the nostalgic look" My heart hammered against my chest, there was this nervousness mix with excitement coursing through my vein at the thought of uncovering this secret.

"Didn't you say you were taken advantage of? Why do I feel you had a night of passion with another man and blamed it on rape in order not to get caught by your hus-

A slap met my cheek.

I wasn't surprised, I saw it coming and did nothing to avoid it. The slap stung my cheeks but it just proved my point, Angela knew about my father.

"It was a mistake coming here "She picked her bag in a haste to leave my room but I followed after her.

"No, you're not leaving" I grabbed her arm, even though my side was hurting like crazy.

"Tell me about my father, I need to know about him!"

She struggled with me but I felt a sudden ringing in my ears before my vision blurred and lost consciousness

By the time I woke up, a different face was by my bedside, were they taking turns? Eden cast a heated gaze on me, what did I do this time?

"Hey"

The words hardly left my mouth when he pulled me into a hug albeit very gently because of my injury.

I was stunned, simply limped against him while he rubbed my back; I didn't see that one coming.

"Nobody would hurt you anymore" He murmured against my ears before pulling away.

As comforting as his words were, why does it seem like there was a story backing it.

"Your family would never come near you" he tucked my hair behind my ear.

Definitely weird but my attention was on something else, "I don't understand, Eden "

"Your mother would not touch you ever again "

I gulped, an unsettling feeling rising in my belly.

"What did you do, Eden?" There was a slight panic in my voice.

"I saw it when she pushed you to the ground, I came into your room that very moment. But that worry, I had her locked up; she would pay for her crime"

Uh-oh, it seems Eden was misunderstanding something here. Yes, she did slap me but that was because I provoked her, the whole fainting issue was caused by my frail health.

"You don't understand, Eden" I expressed myself animatedly, "She didn't push me, I was the one who lost consciousness "

Eden clasped my face with both palms, "You don't need to cover up for her anymore sweetheart, she'd pay for hurting you"

I tried explaining again but the more I did, the more convinced Eden was that I was covering for my mother. His mind was determined.

Oh boy, what have I done?