"Hey, are you okay? Stand up and get out of my house!" Victoria snapped, her voice laced with anger as she glared at Irene, who remained seated with an air of confidence. Just as Irene was about to respond, a firm, authoritative voice rang out.
"Let her be."
The entire room fell silent as Mr. Brown—Roland—finally spoke.
Roselyn, his wife, turned to him with a mixture of disbelief and rage. "Roland, do you know this lady? She claims to be your daughter, but don't worry, I don't believe it."
Irene smirked internally. "Who is she trying to convince?" she thought.
She leaned forward, her expression turning serious. "Dad, are you going to deny me?"
Roland let out a weary sigh before finally asking, "Why are you here?"
His tone was resigned, almost defeated.
Victor, who had been watching the exchange with narrowed eyes, finally spoke up. "Dad… is she really your daughter?"
The weight of his words hung in the air, unspoken questions swirling around the room.
Daniel, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his voice sharp with anger. "Why are you silent, Dad? We're all asking you a question. Do you know this rude bastard?"
"Watch your tongue, Daniel." Mr. Brown's voice echoed with warning, his gaze darkening.
Victoria's eyes widened in shock. "Dad?" she whispered, unable to comprehend what was unfolding before her.
Roselyn clutched her chest, her voice cracking with emotion. "Roland, tell me it's not true."
Irene, feeling immensely proud of herself as she watched the family unravel before her, raised a hand. "Can everyone calm down? Today is my day. I have questions to ask, not you guys."
She exhaled slowly before turning her gaze back to Roland.
"Dad, why? Why did you do this to me? To us?" Her voice, once playful, now held a sharp edge. "You're the biggest player I've ever known in my life. You all must be thinking my mother was just some mistress since I'm younger than this handsome young man—" she pointed at Victor with a smirk, "—but my mom had me ten years after being married to a man named Edward Scott."
The room tensed as Irene continued.
"A man who turned out to be Mr. Roland Brown."
She sighed dramatically before shifting her gaze to Roselyn. "Your marriage to this man would have been ruled illegal if he had used his real name when he married my mother. All your kids would have been illegitimate."
Irene stood from the couch, pacing slightly as she continued. "But Mr. Roland here—" she gestured toward him with disdain "—married my mother under a fake name. So, I'm here on behalf of my mother and myself."
She turned to her father, her eyes burning with questions. "Why? Why did you do all of that to us? I need an explanation."
Roland lowered his head, guilt evident in his posture. "I'm sorry."
Irene let out a humorless chuckle, her lips curving into a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "Sorry?" she repeated mockingly. "Are you implying that I should forgive everything just because you said sorry?"
Her voice sharpened. "If 'sorry' was legal, why do we need laws in this country?"
Silence fell again.
Daniel clenched his fists. "Dad, is this for real?"
Roselyn's body shook as tears welled in her eyes. "Roland, how could you do this to me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper before she broke down, sobbing.
Victoria rushed to her mother's side. "Mom, stop crying," she pleaded, holding her close.
Daniel, his voice filled with disappointment, shook his head. "Dad, I'm so disappointed in you."
Irene sighed dramatically, flopping back onto the couch. "This is boring. I need something a little more spicy." She crossed her legs and tilted her head. "Now, can someone lead me to my room?"
Everyone turned to her in disbelief.
Victoria, already boiling with rage, snapped. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Do you actually believe you can stay in the same house as us?"
Irene rubbed her temple, already feeling a headache coming on. "Sorry to burst your bubble, little princess, but I'm also your father's daughter."
Daniel inhaled deeply before speaking, his tone more controlled but firm. "Miss Irene, we've heard all you said, and we know our father is at fault for all that has happened. But that's not a good enough reason for you to stay in the same house as us."
Irene frowned, feigning confusion. "But… if I don't stay here, are you expecting me to stay in a hotel?"
Victor, smirking, leaned against the wall. "Exactly what they're saying. They want you to stay at a hotel or anywhere else you see fit."
Irene pretended to think, tapping her chin. "But I can't stay at a hotel."
Roselyn, barely holding back her fury, snapped. "And why is that?"
"Because this is my father's house." Irene's reply was swift and unwavering.
Victoria's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you crazy or something? Can't you understand simple human language?"
Irene, already exhausted, let out a sigh before turning to her father. "Mr. Brown, just tell your family members I'm not in the mood for their tantrums. I'm too tired. I want to sleep."
Roland ran a hand down his face, exhaling deeply. "Everyone, please calm down. Let her spend the night here, and we'll talk this over tomorrow."
"But Dad—" Victoria started to protest, but before she could finish, Victor interrupted.
"Enough. Let her stay for the night." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Irene smirked. "At least someone in this family is sensible."
A maid stepped forward and gestured toward the stairs. Without another word, Irene followed her, disappearing down the hallway.
---
A Different Scene – A Black Maybach, Somewhere Else in the City
Inside a sleek black Maybach, a man with flawless features sat in the back seat, reading through business files with quiet elegance. His presence alone was commanding, his aura exuding both power and sophistication. To describe him in one word would be "perfectly made."
His deep voice broke the silence. "What's my schedule for the evening?"
From the driver's seat, Julius, his secretary, responded. "Sir, you have to return home early. Your father said there will be a family dinner tonight."
Brian's sharp eyes flicked up from his documents. "Any particular reason?"
Julius glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "He mentioned that despite living in the same house, you and your brothers hardly have time to dine together because of your busy schedules."
Brian let out a bored sigh. "Whatever."
---
At the Grande Mansion of the Black namely Hope
As soon as Brian stepped into the mansion, a warm voice greeted him.
"My son is back home!" Monica beamed, walking up to him for a half-hug.
"Mom." Brian nodded in greeting.
Monica held onto his arm with a pout. "I missed you so much, son."
Brian arched a brow. "We live in the same house."
Monica huffed dramatically. "So? When I wake up, you're already gone for work, and when you come back, I'm already asleep. How could I not miss you?"
Richard scoffed playfully from the dining room. "Can you stop acting childish with Brian? We all dined together last Sunday, and today is Thursday. How could you possibly miss him that much?"
Before Monica could respond, a familiar voice called from the stairs.
"My favorite people are here!" Raphael announced as he descended with a big grin.
Eddie, who was a few steps behind, feigned offense. "Dad, how can you say that? I'm not even there yet!"
Raphael chuckled. "Oops, my mistake." He pulled his wife into a hug as Eddie rolled his eyes in fake annoyance.
Monica smiled and clapped her hands. "Let's go to the dining room."
---
At the Dinner Table
As the family took their usual seats, Eddie leaned forward. "Erhm, Dad… the business proposal we sent to the Grandes has been approved."
Raphael smiled but raised a brow. "Congratulations, but this is a family dinner, not a business meeting."
Eddie scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Dad."
Richard, ever the curious one, tilted his head. "Can we at least know the objective of this family dinner?"
Raphael placed a hand over his heart, pretending to be hurt. "What do you mean? Are you saying I can't have dinner with my family without a reason?"
Laughter rippled across the table—except for Brian, who continued eating, unfazed by the playful banter.
Eddie smirked, turning to his older brother. "Brian, can't you try smiling sometimes?"
Richard added with a teasing grin, "Smile? Are you asking the first son of the devil to smile? Or what exactly are you trying to say, Eddie?"
Monica chuckled softly. "Stop teasing your elder brother."
Raphael raised a playful brow. "Are you saying I'm a devil?"
Richard quickly raised his hands in surrender. "No, Dad!" His expression was one of mock innocence.
Laughter filled the room—everyone except Brian, who remained indifferent, focused on his meal. No one could tell whether he was actually enjoying his food or just eating out of obligation.