a/n: Yay! We got new gorgeous covers for this fic! Thank you so much. 
 

Enjoy Reading.

Gasp.

Dara woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. Lying on a soft white bed and alone in a room. She was disoriented for a while trying to remember what happened when memories of a bloodied and unconscious Jiyong in a handcuff flooded her mind.

Tears swelled up from her eyes right away.

"Jiyong!" She called his name in agony.

The door burst open as Taeyang came into the room.

"Dara!" Taeyang sighed in relief seeing her awake.

"She's finally awake." Muttered by TOP who looked at her, expressionless.

She got out of bed, barefooted as she ran towards Taeyang and shook him on the shoulders.

"Jiyong!" She screamed, panicking. "What happened to Jiyong? Is he okay?" She bit her lips. "W-Why did we leave him behind?"

Taeyang and TOP looked at each other before the former held her arms and guided her to the nearest seat.

"Calm down, Dara. Jiyong is fine. He's not in danger." Taeyang gulped. "But he's in jail right now."

She was stunned. "J-Jail?"

Taeyang nodded.

TOP sighed, frustratingly. "Jails are nothing new to the boss so don't worry too much, princess." He looked at her straight in the eyes. "Seungri and Dae are currently on the lookout near the prison so the boss has help if plans go south. Besides, it's up to you if you want the boss out of jail sooner."

"Me?"

She was confused as she searched for answers at Taeyang. What the heck is TOP talking about?

"It's up to me?" She asked him. "Taeyang, what's going on?"

Taeyang looked at her with an uneasy expression on his face. She had a feeling whatever his answers would be, she wouldn't like it.

"I'm sorry, Dara, but Jiyong has a specific order for us that it will be you to bail him out of jail."

She blinked. "What?" She's even more confused. "I have no problems doing that. Let's go. What are we waiting for?"

She grabbed her shoes and started to put them on when she realized something.

She glanced up at both the serious faces of Taeyang and TOP.

"Specific order?" She asked.

Taeyang nodded and gave her a small smile. "Yes. He wants you to go alone."

She shook her head. "You are talking as if Jiyong knew this would happen. Have you contacted him while he's in jail? Wasn't he hurt from the race back in the No Man's Land?"

TOP grind his teeth as he turned his back from them to leave the room. "I'll be waiting outside."

"Taeyang?" She sought for an explanation as an ominous feeling came to her.

Taeyang sighed, regretfully. "I'm sorry, Dara if you have to find this out from me...but Jiyong orchestrated the whole thing. He planned his own capture."

She widened her eyes as she dropped her shoes on the floor. "W-What are you talking about?"

Taeyang massaged his temple. "I received an order from Jiyong early this morning that he'd be in jail after the race and he wants the media to see you while you're bailing him out. The police ambush earlier was his idea."

She bit her lip. "Why? Why would he do that?" Her chest was heaving fast. "How about when he was bloodied and got hurt from the race? When those cars behind him crashed and burned? D-Did he plan that as well?" She's in disbelief.

Taeyang looked at her sympathetically. "I didn't anticipate the crashes in the middle of the race. My guess is it had to do with Woojae." He sighed. "All I know is the cops would be there in the event today."

She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. "Why would Jiyong plot this and endanger himself? Is he out of his mind!?"

"He wants the bad publicity it would put Mayor Yang in the spotlight regarding his stepson in jail because of the illegal drag racing." Taeyang answered, truthfully.

She gritted her teeth. "And me?" What's her role in this plot? Is her role bigger than him being the Mayor's troublemaker stepson?

Taeyang sighed. "Former maid of Mayor Yang now his stepson's lover, bailing him out of prison. The bigger the scandal, the better."

Her world shook. She couldn't believe Jiyong would put himself in danger like this to get back at Mayor Yang. Was this really necessary? While involving her too. And not telling her ahead of time, on top of that?

She didn't even know his full reasons to begin with. All she knew, Jiyong hated his stepfather and was keen on ending his political career. On why? She had no idea. To think, she's already asking a lot of questions here.

But then maybe, she's not asking the right questions.

"The more genuine your reaction would be to the public when Jiyong was hurt the better it would cement your relationship status. This will be in the news tomorrow," Taeyang add