"You want to talk to Teddy? Why? What has he done?" Zoe panicked as she stepped in front of him, both in a protective manner but also trying to get her mother's attention on herself.

Rin's threatening gaze fell from Teddy and landed on her daughter. "Who said he's done anything? I just want to chat. Maybe, he knows how you've forgotten to properly greet your mother."

Instantly flustered by her own mistake, Zoe placed both hands neatly across her stomach as she politely bowed to her mother. "Hello, Mother. Welcome home."

"It's too late for that, darling." Rin rolled her eyes and placed a hand on Zoe's shoulder to push her aside and remove the small obstacle standing between her and Teddy.

As Zoe stumbled over her feet from her mother's gentle shove, Teddy reflexively reached out to make sure she didn't fall. She didn't, luckily, but he still had his hands gently around her biceps to make sure she was steady. Zoe was too embarrassed to look up at Teddy or her mother, keeping her head down and hands on her stomach. Teddy frowned at the sight of Zoe being pushed around right in front of his eyes, by her own mother, and returned his attention to Rin, now ready to burn her alive with just his glare.

Rin wasn't paying any attention to him or Zoe, though, as her black eyes scanned the foyer and she took a moment to carefully examined her surroundings. A few of Bailey's and Malik's toys were still littered around the foyer but, the amount of shoes by the door was just plain obnoxious. There were multiple pairs from all four residents of the house and they were stacked on top of each other and toppled over and kicked sloppily aside. Howl and Fisher's shoes added to the problem but, they blended into the mess just fine.

Rin was disappointed when Carmen came to mind. She gave Carmen permission to seek refuge in this house and she obviously made herself very at home since then. Rin simply hoped Carmen would take better care of the place. Her children's things were everywhere and the floor in the foyer was dirtied by melted snow, dirt, salt, and car oils that everyone drug in from outside. Rin couldn't help but wonder how Carmen had been kept as a housewife for all those years if she couldn't even keep a tidy house.

Carmen could almost tell that Rin was thinking about her and that suspicion was confirmed when Rin looked up from a rubber duckling at her feet and instantly locked eyes with Carmen through the glass door separating them. They had come face to face once before but, Rin wasn't angry at her the first time they met. She was annoyed, obviously, since Ezra created a scene at their party. However, Rin looked much, much angrier now. Carmen worried that, if there wasn't glass between them, then Rin's glare would've drew blood.

"Oh, you have friends over. What a delight." Rin chimed as her attention shifted to Howl and Fisher. They both simply stared in awe, as if they were looking into the eyes of a dragon. "I guess I'll make my visit short then. Teddy, follow."

Rin didn't even bother looking in Teddy's direction as she made her commands and strutted forward to delve deeper into the house. Teddy was struck by her command, caught off guard by the fact that she just assumed he would listen. The last time this woman involved herself in his life, he was nearly beaten to death. There was no way he was just going to follow her without question. He didn't trust her. When she was miles from him, she set her dogs on him but, now, he felt like she would just grab him by the throat and strangle him without even flinching.

"I'm not following you." Teddy scoffed at Rin's ridiculous demand.

Zoe's head raised with a snap as she snatched his arm into her hand and desperately squeezed. "Teddy!" Zoe quietly scolded between gritted teeth, silently begging him to behave so nothing bad happened to him.

Rin stopped in her tracks and slowly turned on her stiletto heels, her eyes feeling even deader than when she walked in. Teddy didn't back down from her challenging stare as she slowly stepped towards him, the sound of her heels clacking against the marble floors echoing loudly in his ears. Rin didn't stop until she was inches from Teddy, and before he could react, she had his face in her tight grasp. Her long, sharp, black nails dug painfully into his cheeks as her fingers squeezed his jaw with an angry grip that made him gasp.

Zoe let go of Teddy and took a step back, her eyes wide and legs beginning to tremble. She could easily stand in front of Teddy when Rin approached but, when she attacked, there was no way Zoe could get in her way without causing a scene. And, with Howl and Fisher observing from behind Rin, Zoe had no interest in creating a scene. Besides, if Zoe even dared to step in Rin's way right now, she'd simply be pushed down again and isolated from Rin and Teddy by the bodyguards. It was best that Zoe simply crossed her fingers and hoped that Rin would show mercy.

"I know you have trouble heeding the warning of those with higher power than you, brat-" Rin seethed, specifically hinting at the fact that Teddy was still spending everyday with Zoe, despite the fact that she beat him and warned him to stay away from her. "But now is not the time for negotiation. You will follow me and you will listen or we can do this the hard way and see if you've toughened up since our last encounter."

Teddy tried to wiggle his head out of Rin's grasp, but that only made her hold on tighter and create more pain. He wanted to argue her even more now, but the memory of that night haunted him. It didn't feel good to be stalked by a mysterious car and then chased through the night by a bunch of dangerous men in all black. It felt even worse when they caught up with him and beat on him until he was worried about internal bleeding. The memory flashed in Teddy's head until he could feel phantom pains from that night in his gut. Even mentally, Rin could beat him down.

It felt like Rin could read Teddy's mind because, as he began to submit, she began to visibly and physically relax. She always liked when such stuck up, stubborn brats like Teddy were reminded that she wasn't a force to be reckon with. He still glared at her when his face was free from her wrath, but she could tell he was done fighting now. It was that look in his eyes that revealed he was only going to obey to survive. She loved that look. It meant she won and Rin loved winning more than anything else.

"What do you say, Teddy? Care to have a chat?" Rin asked with a smug smirk, her voice quiet and slithering tightly around Teddy's neck like a deadly serpent.

"Fine." Teddy conceded as he rubbed his jaw in an attempt to relieve the pressure he felt there just a moment ago.

Rin didn't waste anymore time before she turned around again and headed back towards the rest of the house beyond the foyer. Zoe reached for Teddy again and gently squeezed his arm to get his attention and, when he turned around, he was worried by the look in her eyes. He could tell she was silently begging him to behave and also wishing him luck. Those big, brown eyes looked like they would pool with tears at any moment, which almost made Teddy want to laugh. He wasn't going to die or anything. At least, he hoped he wasn't.

"I'll be alright. Don't worry about me. I'm not scared of her." Teddy softly smiled as he placed a hand over Zoe's to soothe the tension in her grip.

"You should be.." Zoe whispered.

Teddy's soft smile faded as he gulped. Rin would have said that with an evil smile on her face but, Zoe said it when she looked like she was about to cry. That scared him, for sure.

Still, Teddy had to swallow his fear and step away from Zoe to follow Rin. The second his feet started moving, two bodyguards followed in his path. He tried not to look back at them and display any kind of fear or paranoia, however, he was wildly paranoid over the fact that he didn't know which one of these asshats had beat him that night. He couldn't even be sure if it was all of them because he never saw their faces and only barely saw the face of the man that actually spoke to him that night.

Zoe wanted to wait in the foyer or follow her mother or, at least, eavesdrop on their conversation, but she knew she couldn't. It didn't matter anyways because, as Teddy walked away and the bodyguards followed, another one stepped towards Zoe and gestured towards the living room. She looked up at the huge, broad golem with facial scars beside her and then towards the living room, seeing through the glass doors to Carmen and her friends. They were all staring, all watching, all looked a little scared of the situation they were suddenly in.

Without anymore instructions, Zoe grabbed the door and pushed them open. She only made it half a step past the doors before the bodyguard grabbed them and pulled them shut again. Zoe silently hoped and prayed that her mother only came here to scare Teddy, not actually hurt him. Part of that depended on Teddy behaving and part of that depended on why Rin was even here in the first place. If Teddy was in trouble, it was likely that she would hurt him in some way. If she only came to chat and agree to some kind of coexisting relationship, then he might be okay.

"What the hell is going on?" Howl cautiously and quietly asked as he leaned forward in his seat, Fisher still caught protectively in his embrace in his lap.

"Are all of those dudes your mother's bodyguards?" Fisher gaped in shock as he stared at the four golems stood idly in the foyer. "Why does she need so many?"

Zoe ignored both of Howl and Fisher's questions as she took Teddy's spot on the couch and dropped her head into her hands. She nearly began to rock herself as she tried not to freak out and Carmen could tell. All she could do, though, was place a hand on Zoe's back and gently rub it to comfort her. Even Carmen was scared that Rin stole away her brother away like that but, she had to hope for the best. Rin was willing to give Carmen permission to come and live here and neither her nor Teddy had done anything sketchy so, she had to believe that this was going to end well.

"My daughter seems to be very fond of you, Teddy. And your family, I must say." Rin noted as she made her way around the mostly empty office that was hidden behind the foyer and staircase.

Teddy didn't dare say a word as he watched Rin look around the small office and run her nails over the almost completely empty bookshelves against the wall. While she explored, Teddy couldn't help but look at the two bodyguards that had followed them into the room. One stayed stood by the closed door with his hands folded formally in front of him and his eyes forward while the other kept his attention on Teddy as he made his way towards Rin. Teddy locked eyes with the huge bodyguard and held his stare as the guy pulled his suit jacket off his thick shoulders to get more comfortable.

As he pulled his jacket off, Teddy caught a glimpse of something red inside the jacket. Teddy kept his attention on the jacket now as the guy stopped at the empty desk and draped his jacket over the back of the desk chair. It wasn't until he did that, that Teddy spotted the little red spot. It was an enamel pin of a blossomed rose. The red color of the rose and silver of the outline stood out against his black jacket.

It took a moment but within a few seconds, Teddy remembered Kenneth bringing up Hiro's plan to put enamel pins of a snake on his henchmen. Teddy remembered cutting Kenneth off, because he didn't care at the time, but now he was more than curious. Did Hiro change his design? Or were these men actually, exclusively, Rin's henchmen? Were the Yang's a split house with two different sides? That would definitely add another layer of potential danger in both his and Zoe's lives that Teddy didn't favor.

"Are you happy living off of my daughters generosity, Teddy?" Rin asked as she stepped towards the desk. She seemed a lot less cheerful this time around.

The bodyguard who had stripped of his jacket pulled out the desk chair to offer to Rin and she slowly lowered herself into the seat. In order to not wrinkle her suit too much, she popped the only button holding her suit jacket together and revealed a simple, laced, black bra that covered her flat chest. Teddy was familiar with this type of outfit considering he had looked at a bunch of Rin's suit styles with Zoe. She liked a simple suit with some kind of revealing or sexy top. Teddy couldn't help but note that Rin must've given her flat-chested gene to Zoe.

Teddy was reluctant to answer as he stood awkwardly in the center of the room with Rin's eyes boring into his. "Is that a trick question?"

Rin sighed and rolled her eyes, gesturing with silent annoyance with a wave of her skinny, bony hand. "Teddy, if you want to challenge everything I say, I'm going to get sick of this conversation very quickly and this very civil talk we're having is not going to end well for you."

Teddy tensed as his heart raced in his chest. He feared that, if he directly pissed her off like this one too many times, she might do something even worse than sending her men to beat him. Rin obviously cared more about herself and her career than she cared about her own daughter so, the punishment level must be different. Not to mention, Rin shot a helpless intern just because she didn't like him and probably did even worse things for much less. Teddy knew he could potentially face a very bad fate if he wasn't careful. He just couldn't stop being angry st her.

"My daughter has done quite a lot for you, Teddy Morgan. Actually, she works harder for you than she does for me." Rin chuckled, although, there was no joy in her smile. And, in a flash, the smile vanished. "That's something I take issue with. However, since she likes you so much and has even taken to your sister, I can't just get rid of you like I usually would with anyone else. Not if I want her to keep listening to me, anyways. So, if you're going to stick around, I need you to prove to me that you're worth the trouble."

Teddy's eyebrows furrowed and all he did was blink. He was hesitant to ask any questions, though. His thoughts were running too quickly as he tried to brainstorm what Rin could possibly mean by that. Did he have to verbally explain to Rin that he wasn't just a nuisance in her life and he was worth saving? Was she going to put him through some kind of physical test, like another beating? Whatever he had to do, Teddy had a feeling it was going to be dirty work. He had a feeling that Rin just wanted to know if he was useful to her.

"What do you want me to do?" Teddy dryly asked as his hands nervously fidgeted at his sides. He had to do that in order to maintain eye contact with Rin or he'd panic.

"I can't tell you." Rin shrugged, causing Teddy to blink at her in silent confusion. "That would ruin the experiment, Teddy. All I can tell you is that a sequence of trials will be headed your way and I trust you'll pass each one with flying colors, no matter what you have to do to succeed."

Teddy gulped and dropped his gaze to try and wrap his head around everything Rin was saying. He was absolutely terrified of the things she could potentially throw at him. Teddy was more expendable than Zoe was so, whatever horrors Zoe went through on a daily basis, Teddy worried his would be worse. Would there be more mobs of violent henchmen chasing him down the street? Did he have to worry about guns? Was she going to trap him in a room where the ceiling slowly lowered and he had to escape before it squashed him?

"What if I refuse these trials? We've all been doing just fine thus far so, why would I put myself through all that? What if I'm not interested in playing your games?" Teddy questioned with reluctant passion.

Rin didn't react much to his questions as she simply shrugged. "Then, you lose. The only reason you and your sister are here right now is because I've been generous enough to allow you to exist within our world. If you refuse to conform to the way we live, you get kicked out. Quite literally. And, if you don't like that option either, you already know I have ways of dealing with those that get under my skin so, I would suggest you choose very carefully."

Teddy understood very clearly what Rin was saying to him now. He didn't have much of a choice here. It was true that he was only living this good because Zoe was a good person and Rin was tolerant. She tried to squish him once, but he was a cockroach. He wouldn't just keel over that easily. Unfortunately, now that she knew that, she couldn't just let him mooch off of her and her daughter without any consequences. And, if he couldn't handle said consequences then, that would just prove to her that he didn't deserve the luxury of living within her tolerance.

If Teddy accepted these trials and fought tooth and nail to succeed, it would prove to Rin that he wasn't a waste of her time. He simply feared that he might actually do well enough during these trials that Rin would want even more from him. Maybe, it would prompt her to push him even further. As scary as that was, returning to his old life scared him just as much. What would happen to Carmen then? Would he have to live with his father in that alleyway while Carmen fought through a divorce she'd lose? Just how much was Rin willing to take away from him?

The answer to that question didn't matter. Teddy knew better than to assume that Rin would be kind enough to simply lock the doors once they walked out. It wouldn't be that easy. She would probably murder his father, bulldoze his apartment building, force Zoe to move back to Los Angelos, and send Carmen back to Ezra. Rin could and would make Teddy's life a living hell if he didn't kneel before her. There was no other option. He had to prove himself. There was no way he was going to let this evil witch tear him down.

"What happens at the end of these trials? Are you going to let me walk away free or, if I do well, are you going to make me one of your puppets?" Teddy stiffly asked as his eyes raised to the bodyguard stood firmly behind Rin with his arms crossed over his chest.

Rin playfully smirked as he looked Teddy up and down again. For a teenage boy, he was tall and build very sturdy. He didn't look very muscular or sporty or threatening, but he did look like he had some fight in him. And, if Rin had learned anything in this ruthless business, she knew what a family could do to a persons strength. When someone had something to fight for and something to lose, they fought as hard as they could.

That's why Ezra went so easily off the rail. He tried to use his family as a source for his power but, when he didn't get what he wanted, he gave it all up at the snap of his fingers. If someone truly cared about their family, they would fight even harder after being rejected. Throwing their entire family into the ocean wasn't exactly a display of someone who fought took and nail for the things they cared about. Teddy wouldn't be like Ezra, though. Rin could tell.

Some, of course, were weak and couldn't make it even if they did have something worth fighting for but, others were different. There were some people out there that fought until their very last breath before they let anything happen to the things or people they loved. Teddy seemed like the latter. After all, when she showed up, Teddy didn't even hesitate to talk back to her. He had a strong will. Rin was tempted to break it, of course, but she wanted to see what he could do first. She wanted to see just how much fight he had within him.

"How about I soothe a few of your worries, Teddy." Rin calmly suggested.

Teddy didn't say anything to that as he watched Rin push out of the desk chair she was sat in. The clacking of her heels against the wood flooring was a haunting sound. It was like the Devil Wears Prada version of the jaws music. Every step she took put Teddy on high alert, as if he was going to be attacked at any second. Zoe didn't have the same affect when she walked around in heels but it was just something about Rin's slow yet purposeful pace that gave everyone in the room instant anxiety.

Luckily, Rin eventually stopped walking as she stood on the other side of the desk and leaned back against it, using her hands on the edge of the desk as extra support. She was closer to Teddy now, which also made him fear for some kind of unexpected attack. Just this woman's stare, alone, could convince a person that knives would fall from the ceiling or the floor would open up at any second. Teddy couldn't help but be hyperaware of Rin and the bodyguards and everything else in the room.

"Most of these trials will test your ability to protect my child." Rin began. "I can't tell you exactly how but, I will say, I will not tolerate her getting even a single bruise. No matter what is thrown at Zoe, I want you there to catch it. Every time."

"How do you expect me to do that? I can't fight." Teddy crooned.

"Sure, you can. I've seen it." Rin smirked, hinting at the viral video of Teddy fighting Chuck after vandalizing his car.

"That was a fight between high school boys. It was mostly wrestling, if anything. It wasn't anything that would save my life, let alone, Zoe's life." Teddy explained, feeling his heart begin to race as he started softly panting. "I want to protect her. I can assure you of that but... There are things she deals with, things you put her through, that I can't compete with."

"Oh, I can fix that easily, Teddy. I can make you into a proper fighter in no time." Rin easily shrugged off Teddy's worries and slowly crossed her long, skinny arms over one another on her chest. "There is a studio space in the city that I bought so photographers and interviewers can come here to see Zoe so she doesn't have to fly out of Cincinnati every time she has a gig and, in that same building, is a training space for martial arts and boxing and all that nonsense. When you drop Zoe off at work, you can go train."

"Excuse me?" Teddy's eyebrows perked up in surprise as he processed what Rin was telling him. "You want me to take Zoe to work? In the city? In Cincinnati?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I said. What part did you not understand?" Rin deadpanned.

"You want me to be on Zoe's tail 24/7, don't you?" Teddy questioned as his eyebrows lowered back into their familiar furrowed state. All Rin did was nod. "I have a job, Mrs. Yang. I have a family here that I need to look out for. I have school work that I need to prioritize. I can't follow Zoe around all day, everyday like a dog."

"Are you saying you're not able to keep up with our lifestyle? You're just going to continue on with your life while you mooch off of my daughter and reap the benefits that she, herself, has sewn?" Rin began as she pushed off of the desk and stepped very slowly towards Teddy. "Do you not have the noble desire to earn the things you have Teddy? Do you not wish to live freely and be enough of a man to take care of the people you love on your own?"

"N-No.. I'm not saying I'd just sit around and-" Teddy attempted to defend himself but Rin stalking towards him like some kind of hungry predator was throwing him off.

"You either agree to my terms and submit to my commands, Teddy Morgan, or I throw you and your family out of this house and light the entire thing on fire. Choose." Rin coldly, stiffly demanded as she stood eye to eye with Teddy.

Rin's eyes burned into Teddy's and, even though they were nearly matched in height, Teddy felt so, incredibly small. Just staring at her this closely made his throat go dry and his shoulders uncomfortably tense. He could see every one of her black eyelashes, the dust of her dark eyeshadow over her eyelids, the subtle creases in her dark red lipstick, and the age lines that her foundation failed to conceal. She looked like an ancient demon that could reverse their age and live forever as long as they consumed enough souls.

"If I choose you, I have a feeling that I won't ever stop fighting.." Teddy whispered as Rin's daunting offer weighed heavy on his shoulders. "And I'm afraid I won't win them all..."

"Seems to me like there is only one true answer then, Teddy. You just have to be smart enough to figure it out." Rin whispered with her signature, devilish smirk.

Rin felt so cocky that she couldn't help the urge to place her sharp fingernail touched under Teddy's chin and drag it forward, as if threatening to slice his skin open like someone gutting a fish. The terrifying feeling caused a shiver to run up his spine and drain the blood from his face. Teddy liked Zoe's nails way more than Rin's. Zoe's nails blessed his dreams and Rin's haunted his nightmares. Nevertheless, nothing scared Teddy more than the thought or reality of Zoe disappearing from his life and his family being ripped from his grasp, thanks to his deep-seeded abandonment issues.

"The only question that truly matters is..." Rin tilted her head as her eyes bounced all around Teddy's face. "Just how badly do you want to stay by Zoe's side?"

That very question hit Teddy like a truck and Rin could clearly read his level of panic and sincerity in the depth of his eyes. Even the slightest quicken of his breath gave away the answer to that question. Teddy was easy to read and Rin liked that. Zoe couldn't figure him out to save her life, however, Rin had been doing this for a long time and reading people was half her job. You couldn't successfully manipulate and blackmail a person if you didn't know what they wanted the most and what they feared the most.

The only part that surprised Rin was that she would find someone who could answer those two questions with one name. Teddy wanted Zoe more than anything and he also feared her in a number of different ways. When Teddy said he was scared of losing, she could tell he didn't mean he was scared of being beaten down. Teddy had been beaten down a lot in his life and he always got back up. He was really just scared of losing Zoe. Additionally, more fears came along with those sort of deep feelings and yet, Teddy was still unmoved in his mission to stand by Zoe's side.

"I would do anything to stay by Zoe's side." Teddy muttered, his head still tilted up to avoid being punctured by Rin's nail. "Because, I know, she would do the same for me."

"You'd fight for her?"

"Absolutely."

"Are you the type to surrender in order to come out of the fight alive? Or, are you the type to fight to the death for what you believe in?"

"The latter."

A crude and morbid smile crawled across Rin's red lips as she removed his nail and released Teddy from his tense posture. He lowered his chin to properly look Rin in the eyes, his blood running cold at the sight of that crimson smile on her face. If Teddy really believed that and really fought to the very end, Rin imagined she'd have a lot of fun toying with him.

"Let's see you prove it, then." Rin gracefully prompted as she slipped a hand into the pocket inside her suit jacket and pulled out an enamel pin of a blossomed, red rose. "The second this rose pin is in your hands, you work for me but I will give you enough freedom to do your job. The second you lose it or it's taken from you, you lose and I take over control of the people in this house. Do you understand, Teddy Morgan?"

Teddy stared at the pin in Rin's hand and gulped nervously as he processed those words. It was just a decorative, enamel pin of a rose and yet, Teddy felt like Rin was clasping a collar around his neck. As long as that pin was in his possession, he was property of Rin Yang. Just like Zoe and her henchmen and, probably, many other helpless souls that have shown any sort of weakness in her presence. The weight of that reality was heavy, however, nothing stood stronger in his mind than the fact that Rin would leave Carmen and Zoe alone as long as he had this pin.

Teddy could finally protect them against the things that he used to have zero control over. Finally, he wouldn't be so helpless and useless in both of their lives. This was his opportunity to protect the most important people in his life for the first time ever.

"I understand.." Teddy answered, his eyes glued to the rose pin. He looked completely enthralled by it as he carefully plucked it out of Rin's hand and let it sit in his palm.

"Good." Rin triumphantly grinned as her hands folded neatly in front of her. "Your first trial begins now."

Teddy's eyes widened a bit as he realized what Rin said and he raised his head to her again. He looked up just in time to see her swiftly step out of the way and, before he could process what was happening, the henchmen that had removed his jacket was suddenly right in front of him and reeling his arm back with a clenched fist. Teddy suffered a gnarly blow to the face that instantly knocked him off of his feet and had him holding his face in his head as he cursed at the pain. The pin was still clenched tightly and safely in his hand, however.

Teddy knew what was happening now. If he gave up possession of this pin, he lost, just like Rin warned him. And, there was absolutely no way he was going to lose.

-

Zoe sat on the couch with her full attention focused towards the closed off foyer. She was hunched over, her elbows resting on her knees and hands on either side of her face. She couldn't hear anything. There wasn't any loud of arguing or gunshots but, that didn't necessarily mean that everything was going fine. Even Carmen was silent and staring at the foyer as she waited for Rin or her brother to appear again. Howl and Fisher kept quiet just because of the tension in the air but, they still whispered to each other as they speculated what was going on.

Finally, Zoe heard the sound of high heels clacking against the marble flooring and she hopped off the couch without hesitation. Just as Zoe reached the glass doors and yanked them apart, Rin appeared with her two bodyguards and looked down at her daughter. Now that Rin was visible and Teddy wasn't, Carmen jumped as well, leaving Bailey behind on the couch, and rushed to find out what happened. Both of them were panicked since he hadn't followed Rin back into the foyer.

One of the bodyguards behind Rin was throwing his jacket over his shoulders, displaying the most movement that any of them had seen in these stone golems. That caught Zoe's attention and she looked up at him to see blood smeared from his nose and some collected at the corner of his mouth. When he was fixing the collar of his suit jacket, his knuckles were on display and Zoe could see blood on them too. That sent her into even more of a panic.

"Where is he? What did you do?" Zoe frantically asked as she examined her mother for any blood before she turned towards the hallway that led to the rest of the house.

"What are you wearing?" Rin asked, blatantly ignoring Zoe's questions.

Zoe looked down at her outfit and back up at her mother. She felt instantly guilty that she wasn't dressed properly in the face of her mother. A sweatshirt and leggings was not recommended attire from Rin. Zoe could already tell, just by the look on her face, that she thought Zoe looked sloppy and disappointing. In Zoe's defense, she was in the comfort of her own home with friends that she trusted. There weren't any cameras, nobody here to impress, and it was cold outside. Zoe wished it wasn't such a crime to be comfortable in her own skin.

"I hope you're still doing your skin routine and drinking lots of water." Rin said as she grabbed Zoe's face and turned it left and right before she tapped under her chin to tilt her head and examine it even further. Zoe stiffened and grimaced but allowed her mother to inspect her. "If you're going to dress this horrendously, at least, keep a pretty face. And wash your hair."

"Yes, mother.." Zoe sighed and looked back towards the hallway again. All she wanted to do was find Teddy.

"As long as you live under my reign, you'll remember to behave yourselves, correct?" Rin asked, her eyes now shifting towards Carmen.

Carmen stared at Rin with a bit of fear in her eyes before she slowly nodded. "Yes, of course. I wouldn't want to do anything to disappoint you. None of us would or will."

"Excellent." Rin flashed that same, devilish grin before she turned and strutted towards the front door.

Without another word, a bodyguard opened the front door and Rin stepped out as she slipped her gloves back on to her hands. Zoe didn't waste any time running through the house as the rest of the bodyguards followed Rin out the door. Carmen was quick to follow Zoe, and now that it seemed the coast was clear, Howl and Fisher also jumped up from their chair to see what was going on.

Zoe stopped in the doorway of the office when she caught sight of Teddy sat against the wall with his head hung towards his knees and arms lazily slung over them. Zoe didn't see anything immediately wrong with him but still rushed towards him. Collapsing in front of his hunched over figure, Zoe reached for his face and gently tilted it up so she could see him. The second Teddy's head raised, she could see blood. Zoe and Carmen, who was still in the doorway, gasped as their hearts sank into their stomachs. Howl and Fisher simply winced at the sight.

"Oh my god.." Zoe choked out as her eyes filled with unbroken tears.

Teddy's eyes were half-lidded, one clearly already swelling, and his lips were parted as blood dropped off his bottom lip and trailed down his chin and neck. There was a shallow cut on his cheek and one under it across his jaw, both with blood that was smeared but not dripping. He didn't look good but, it also didn't look as bad as it could. Teddy was beaten worse when all of those henchmen had chased him by the river. At least, he only suffered a few punches to the stomach this time and not a million kicks from pointy dress shoes.

Zoe was still heartbroken to see Teddy like this, though, and quickly pulled him into an embrace. She wedged herself between his legs, threw her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his shoulder. Teddy groaned at the slight strain that Zoe's embrace put on his body but, he didn't push her away. Instead, he placed an arm around her waist and kept her close as his eyes fell shut. In his other hand, he kept the rose pin clenched in his closed fist as his arm fell to his side.

"Why did she do this to you?" Zoe weakly whispered.

There was a debate running through Teddy head while Zoe squeezed him as desperately as she did. He didn't want to lie to Zoe. He made that mistake already and he hurt her so badly that she nearly smacked him across the face. He never wanted to make her that angry at him ever again. However, Teddy wasn't sure how she would react if he told her what happened. Would she be happy that Teddy did what he had to do to stay by her side and protect her? Or, would she be upset that Teddy sold his soul to the devil? It wasn't like he had a choice, but it wasn't exactly a choice he was proud of making either.

"Remember when you told me that I had no idea what you did to get those divorce papers and protect my family, and even said you made a deal with Ezra that you had to finish? Whatever you did, it was probably incredibly dangerous and stupid and would make me angry if I knew." Teddy began and Zoe scoffed an involuntary laugh, still refusing to let go of him. "Well, now, it's my turn to protect you and my family, even if it might be a huge, dangerous mistake."

Zoe leaned back and unraveled her arms from around Teddy, giving him a very quizzical look as she reached to wipe a bit of blood off his chin. "What do you mean? What did you do?"

Teddy looked into Zoe's eyes with his own as one eye continued to throb and progressively swell. "I didn't ask you any questions about what you did to Ezra, and I won't ask any questions as long as you don't ask me anything either."

Carmen gulped from the doorway as she stared down at Teddy. She hated to think these two teenagers were fighting for their lives, and her own, by making dangerous deals with dangerous, very powerful people. The only thing normal teenagers should worry about is their grades in school, who was dating who, and where the next cool party was. How was it that Zoe and Teddy were getting involved in stuff like this? Was any of this ever going to end or would they both leave high school with all of this baggage dragging behind them for the rest of their lives?

"I don't like this.." Zoe whispered to Teddy with a dramatic pout.

"I don't either, but this is the last one." Teddy confidently spoke before taking in a deep breath. "This is the last secret we're ever going to keep from each other. Okay?"

Zoe was silent as she contemplated that idea. Whatever Rin said or did to Teddy, she must've told him not to tell her. However, Zoe couldn't imagine what Rin would possibly want Teddy to keep from her own daughter. Rin wasn't usually a secretive person. She was blunt and abrasive and didn't hesitate to do or say whatever she wanted. Whatever had happened, Zoe simply prayed that it wasn't some kind of dangerous offer that Teddy agreed to. Hopefully, it had nothing to do with money either.

Even though, Zoe didn't trust her own mother, she did trust Teddy. He said he did this, whatever it was, because he wanted to protect her and his family. That sounded good, although, the possibilities of it being something bad didn't go away. Nothing good ever came from Rin Yang. Zoe simply told herself not to focus on that part. Teddy was still here, still alive, and so was herself and Carmen. They were all relatively okay so, Teddy obviously didn't make some kind of deadly or selfish deal with Rin. It would all be okay. Teddy could handle himself just fine.

"Okay.. I won't ask anymore questions." Zoe reluctantly agreed and dropped her gaze with a sniffle.

Teddy couldn't take his eye off Zoe. He knew she was worried and internally panicking. Zoe had probably seen lots of people make deals with her mother and she probably witnessed the moment that deal came back to bite them in the ass. Teddy didn't want to make Zoe worry about him but he couldn't tell her what he agreed to, in fear that she might get mad or ruin the deal entirely. It was best if she didn't know anything. Besides, when nothing changed over time and he was still by her side, as her friend, she would realize that the deal he made wasn't a bad one.

"This is the part where they're suppose to kiss." Howl whispered quietly to Fisher, who gaped at him in shock. He couldn't believe that's what Howl was thinking about after Teddy was clearly beaten by some sketchy, mafia-level bodyguards. "I'm just saying! It's the perfect opportunity! They're just bad at romance and can't recognize the scent of sexual tension to save their lives."

"Knock it off!" Fisher quietly scolded and slapped Howl's arm.

"I need to get him some ice. His eye is swelling." Zoe stiffly spoke as she stood up and started towards the crowded doorway. "And he's bleeding all over himself so, I guess I'll find some bandages.."

As Zoe slipped past the crowd and disappeared, Carmen hurried towards her brother and helped him carefully to his feet. Teddy groaned from the slight pain in his ribs as he moved and winced when Howl moved to help him walk. Teddy wasn't as injured as the last time he was beaten, but the help was appreciated.

Carmen and Howl helped Teddy into the kitchen, where Zoe was digging around for an ice pack. He slumped into a chair at the dining table with a grunt and groan before Carmen rushed off to find some kind of first aid supplies in this house. Before anyone could spot the rose pin, Teddy slipped it into his pocket and reminded himself to pin it to something he wore often, just in case he needed it on hand for any reason. Rin's henchmen wore it inside their suit jackets and were probably required to every single day so, Teddy figured he should probably follow the same procedure.

"No questions. No questions. No questions.." Zoe repeatedly mumbled to herself as she dragged one of the dining chairs closer to Teddy's with an ice pack in her hands.

Teddy couldn't help but smirk and watch as Zoe situated herself before she carefully raised the ice pack to his eye. The feeling of such a cold object hitting his burning, throbbing eyelid made Teddy wince, which made Zoe wince in response, but he forced himself to ignore the painful feeling. Teddy placed his hand on the ice pack and let Zoe drop her own so she could sit in the chair and stare at him with her hands between her knees. As he looked at her, he realized she wasn't squinting at him because she was worried, but rather, because she couldn't see. That made him smile again.

"Don't look at me like that, Bozo. Where are your glasses?" Teddy chuckled.

Zoe's eyes relaxed as she blinked and reached for her hoodie pocket. "Still in my pocket."

"Then, put them on. The witch is gone, you know." Teddy joked.

Zoe scoffed at Teddy's attempt at being humorous in this situation, but still reached into her pocket to fish out her glasses. Putting on her glasses meant Zoe could see the deepest details of his cuts and blood, which made her frown and pout. She hated that Teddy kept getting hurt because of her. If she never forced her way into Teddy's life like she did, he would never have to be threatened and beaten like this. He was a good person with such a big heart. Even if he was an asshole, on occasion, that didn't mean he deserved this.

"I'm sorry, Teddy." Zoe sighed, her voice so quiet that he barely caught it. "I'm so sorry you have to go through crap like this just because you're my friend."

"Correction." Teddy chimed. "It's actually pronounced 'shit like this', not crap."

Zoe snorted a laugh and rolled her eyes. "Why do you keep trying to get me to swear?"

"You asked me to, remember? You asked me to corrupt you." Teddy smirked, half of his charming, blood features hidden behind the ice pack.

Zoe's humorous smile faltered a bit as she stared at Teddy's injuries. "Yeah.. I did, didn't I? This is all my fault.."

"Sure is." Teddy shrugged.

Zoe scoffed once more and leaned back in her seat to pout. Teddy chuckled and playfully nudged Zoe's leg with his own. Even though she wanted to smile, she fought it. Teddy could joke about it all he wanted but she was riddled with guilt. The person she cared about most was the one who suffered the most in her world. There was no way she could be close with him and also stay far enough away that he wouldn't get hurt. It was too late anyways. If she didn't want him to get hurt, she should've thought that before she promised she's never cry in front of him.

"So.. Your mother's like evil, right?" Fisher jokingly asked Zoe as him and Howl slid into chairs besides Teddy. "I mean, that woman appeared in a cloud of black smoke and then disappeared after having one of her henchmen beat Teddy to shit within minutes after talking to him."

Zoe snorted a laugh and shook her head at Fisher's very dramatic theory. "I use to wonder if she was evil when I was little, but I wouldn't say she is now. It's all perspective and semantics."

"Why do you say that?" Howl questioned with furrowed eyebrows as he mindlessly licked at one of his lip piercings.

Zoe leaned back in her seat and hid her hands in the sleeves of her sweatshirt to keep them warm. Teddy carefully watched her with his one good eye, trying to spot any change in her demeanor that would cue him to interrupt this friendly interrogation. Teddy was actually kind of surprised that Zoe was so willing to talk about her mother to Howl and Fisher. Granted, Zoe still seemed a bit hesitant and careful, like she was trying to find the right words that wouldn't reveal too much, but so far, Teddy didn't feel the need to jump in yet.

"I don't know. I mean, from where I come from, there are no good guys. Everyone just wants to get to the top and they will all do anything they have to in order to win. It's a game of survival, not morals." Zoe explained with a worryingly naive shrug of her shoulders, although, Teddy almost felt like she was being intentionally naive for some reason.

The room was silent before Carmen came back with a few things she found in various bathrooms and linen closets in the house. All they had were small first aid kits with bandaids and ointments but, it was enough to disinfect any cuts and cover them with bandages. Everyone watched Teddy in silence, mostly, as he winced at Carmen's constant poking and endured her aid long enough to be fixed up. His eye was still swelling so, when she was done helping him, he put the ice pack back on his face again.

"Her suit was badass, though." Howl spoke up as his eyes shifted from Teddy to Zoe. "Is that why you've started wearing like, school uniform/suit type of outfits?"

"Kind of." Zoe shrugged. "She suggested I try it out. Do you think I look good in them?"

"Hell yeah, Princess!" Howl excitedly agreed, causing Zoe to beam with happiness and Teddy to scoff at him. "You should get a real pants suit like her. I bet you'd look like a stone-cold killer."

Teddy's eyes snapped up to Zoe's as he watched her cheerful grin falter and twitch at Howl's compliment. Howl didn't know that Zoe's mother was a stone-cold killer and was trying to turn Zoe into one too. He didn't know Rin had forced a gun into Zoe's hand and even manipulated her into shooting someone and almost killing them. He didn't know she feared turning into her mother, into a monster, but Teddy sure knew and took that as his cue to jump in.

"Alright. I'm hungry." Teddy shot out of his seat and made his way towards the drawer with take out menus in them. "Let's do a vote. I want Grub Hub to grab us Panda Express."

"Ooh! I want Panda Express too!" Zoe exclaimed as she also jumped out of her seat.

Howl, Fisher, and Carmen watched as Zoe strutted over to Teddy and stood right beside him to look at the menus he scattered on the counter. She seemed to have found something else she liked because she gasped and pointed at another menu before she looked up at Teddy. He only chuckled and shook his head before he insisted on Panda Express again. Zoe pulled her best puppy-dog-begging look with her round eyes big and bottom lip jutting out in a deep pout. Teddy continued to refuse with a smile, taking the menu she was pointing at and pushing it away.

Zoe tried to reach for it but Teddy nudged her to get in her way, which only prompted more bickering. Zoe tried to playfully push him and whine but, teddy grabbed his arm and dramatically winced, causing Zoe to gasp in shock and repeatedly ask him if he was okay. Teddy gave up his theatrics by shrugging and wiping the pain from his face. Zoe gaped at him, shocked that he would make her feel bad for nothing. Thus, another round of nudging and bickering and obnoxious flirting ensued.

"You're right. They should kiss more often." Fisher whispered to Howl without breaking his forward stare. "Their chemistry is like.. disgustingly potent."

"That's what I'm saying!" Howl quietly pushed. "You can't look at them and convince me that there are not literal hearts in Teddy's eyes right now."

"How do you think I feel? I have to live with this." Carmen scoffed and got up from the table to return to her sleeping daughter in the living room.

Listen.......
Cate Blanchett is the PERFECT WOMAN to play Rin and I can't get over it. Everyday I wish I could make this book into a dramatic Netflix series just so I can make Cate Blanchett the evil mafia mother of Zoe Yang. However, Rin Yang is Japanese and I would feel so so so so bad not casting Rin as a powerful Asian actress. I'm not interested in whitewashing my characters. Luckily, I don't have to cast anybody and I can just use Cate Blanchett as a reference for Rin's age, attitude, and style.

Anyways, I can't complain about that every chapter. I'm so sorry.

What I would like to complain about is that multifemale YouTube edit that I posted for this chapter! THAT EDIT IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND FEATURES SUCH POWERFUL, BADASS WOMEN THAT COULD SLIT YOUR THROAT WITH JUST A LOOK BUT BIIIIIIIIIIITCH!!!!!!! THERES NO FEMALE CHARACTERS FROM THE 100!!!

I JUST BINGED THAT FUCKING SHOW OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS AND THAT SHIT HAS MORE POWERFUL WOMEN THAN ANY SHOW IVE EVER WATCHED!! HOW ARE PEOPLE NOT OBSESSED!?!? YALL SLEEP ON THAT FCKIN SHOW AND SO DID I BUT I FIXED MY MISTAKE!!

STAN THE 100 WOMEN!! STAN OCTAVIA!! STAN LEXA!! STAN RAVEN!! STAN CLARKE!! STAN POWERFUL LEAD WOMEN!!