The three men turned to see Irene walking toward them, her expression carrying that ever-present mischief. She moved with effortless grace, her lips curved into an amused smile as she flicked her hair over her shoulder.
Roland's face immediately hardened. "What are you doing here?" His tone was clipped, but there was something else beneath it—concern? But never Annoyance, he can't just seem to get angry at her. She just like a carbon copy of her mother. When ever he sees her he can see Hazel in her, but her mother is not rude like her for sure.
Irene dramatically rolled her eyes as she sat down with ease. "I'm just here to enjoy myself, like you are. I never knew I'd meet you here," she said, feigning innocence as she lazily rested her chin on her hand.
Jacob studied her with mild curiosity. "And you are?" She looks kind of familiar
"Irene, Mr. Brown's illegitimate daughter," Irene said with a bright, almost mocking smile, her eyes glinting with amusement.
Roland's face darkened instantly. "What on earth are you saying?" His voice was sharp, edged with irritation.
Irene tilted her head, her smile unwavering. "Then what am I? Your legitimate daughter?" she asked, feigning innocence, though the mischief in her voice was unmistakable.
Jacob, sensing the rising tension, chuckled lightly. "It's okay, she's just a little girl."
Irene turned to him with a raised brow. "I'm twenty-five, Mr." she corrected, her voice smooth and confident.
Before anyone could respond, Brian walked in, his gaze sharp as he took in the scene. "Is being rude your forte?" he asked coolly.
Irene's lips curled into a playful smile as her eyes landed on him. "May I know who this handsome man is?" she asked, her voice dripping with intrigue, as if she had just discovered something particularly fascinating.
Brian barely reacted to the flirtation. "I am Brian…"
"Okay, congratulations." Irene cut in before he could say more, her tone teasing yet dismissive, as if his name alone was an achievement.
Raphael raised a brow, looking at her in astonishment, while Brian frowned, clearly caught off guard.
Roland exhaled sharply. "Irene, you can leave. Thanks for branching." His tone was dismissive, though there was an underlying weariness to it.
Irene placed a hand on her chest, feigning hurt. "I was just trying to be a good daughter. Since you don't like it, no problem." She turned on her heel as if to leave but then stopped, looking at Jacob with a bright grin. "Mr., you're very good-looking for your age." She winked before finally walking away.
Roland shook his head, rubbing his temples in defeat. "That's my daughter." His voice held a mix of resignation and reluctant amusement.
Raphael and Jacob exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.
"That's not funny," Roland muttered, though his lips twitched slightly.
"Oh, it was," Raphael said, chuckling. "Why are you here, anyway?"
Brian, who had been silent since Irene's exit, responded curtly. "For business." Without another word, he turned to leave.
Raphael watched him go before nudging Roland. "Look at that—aren't they just the same?" He burst into laughter again.
---
Outside the hotel, where Irene was about to get into her car…
"Miss Irene?"
Irene turned, recognizing the voice immediately. Her lips curled into a knowing smile before she even fully faced him. "What do you want, Handsome?" she teased, her tone light, playful.
Brian met her gaze with a neutral expression. "Nothing. I just wanted to confirm your name." His voice was unreadable.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Irene standing there, intrigued.
Looking completely confused, she muttered to herself, "There are a lot of crazy people… he turned out to be one of them." She sighed and shook her head before pulling out her phone.
She dialed a number, tapping her fingers impatiently on the car door. "Hello, darling, when are you coming?" she asked, her voice turning soft and expectant.
A warm chuckle came from the other end. "Soon, I missed you so much. Do you miss me?"
Irene rolled her eyes playfully, a smirk forming. "Why am I calling you if I don't miss you, baby?"
"Sweetheart, once I'm through with my assignment at work, I'll come to you," the voice reassured her, dripping with longing.
She let out an exaggerated sigh, pouting as if he could see her. "Please be fast about it, I'm getting bored already." She stretched out in her seat, faking distress.
"Okay, bye. Talk to you later… Muah."
She smiled as the call ended, holding the phone against her cheek for a second before tossing it onto the seat beside her.
Her fingers drummed against the steering wheel as she muttered, "Why is it so hard to make friends here? Ugh. Irene, let's go shopping to kill boredom." With that, she started the engine and sped off.
---
At X Shopping Complex
The store was buzzing with activity, but Irene's sharp ears picked up the hushed whispers near the counter.
"Did you hear that the Browns have an illegitimate daughter?" one of the attendants whispered eagerly.
The second attendant gasped, eyes widening. "Really? I can't believe it! How do you know?"
Pleased with the attention, the first attendant leaned in, lowering her voice dramatically. "I went to the club with my boyfriend, that's where I heard it… from my dream idol himself."
The second attendant let out a breath. "If it's from Victor himself, then it must be true."
Just a few feet away, Irene arched a brow, a slow smirk forming on her lips. The nerve.
Meanwhile, Mary, standing nearby, scoffed as she picked through a clothing rack. "I know this place is the best and always busy, but I can't believe the attendants still have time to gossip about other people."
"Welcome, ma'am," the attendants greeted in unison, their voices polite yet hurried.
Meanwhile, Irene was already deep into shopping, casually picking up accessories while her sharp ears caught the hushed conversation between the attendants and another woman.
"We are sorry, ma," the second attendant pleaded, her voice laced with nervousness.
Mary, standing with her arms crossed, flipped her hair and let out a soft scoff. "It has nothing to do with me, just reminding you… in case of next time."
Despite her words, there was an air of arrogance in her tone. Everyone in the city knew Mary—the spoiled young lady foolishly in love with Victor.
As if suddenly recalling something, Mary tilted her head. "Oh," she said, her voice laced with curiosity. "I heard you calling Victor your idol. How did that happen without me knowing?"
The first attendant's face paled. "I'm sorry, ma. It was just a joke. Please don't take it to heart," she rushed to explain, fully aware of Mary's status as the young mistress of the X family—Joshua's sister and a close family friend of Brian.
Mary narrowed her eyes, letting the moment linger. "Just let this be your last time. The next—"
"Can I get an anklet? I mean, the most beautiful set," Irene's voice cut through the tension, her tone light and uninterested in whatever was going on.
The second attendant, relieved for the distraction, immediately responded. "Yes, ma'am. Which style do you want?"
Irene's lips curled into a playful smirk. "Just show me beautiful ones," she said, her excitement evident.
Mary's eyes followed Irene, scanning her from head to toe, sizing her up with thinly veiled disdain. Her brows furrowed in irritation. "May I know who you are, Miss? I know all the young ladies who live in this town, but I don't know you."
Irene barely spared her a glance. "I'm not interested in knowing you," she said casually, following the attendant toward the anklet display.
Mary's expression darkened instantly. Her fingers curled into fists as she glared at Irene's retreating figure. "Who the hell is she?" she yelled, her voice laced with frustration. She had only been trying to be nice, but this woman had just dismissed her like she was nothing.
Her bodyguard, standing beside her, leaned in slightly. "I will look into her," he assured, then leave to gather information about Irene.
Meanwhile, the attendant eagerly displayed the anklets before Irene. "Ma'am, these pairs are really nice, and they'll look beautiful on you," she said, her voice tinged with excitement, already envisioning a good bonus from the sale.
Irene picked one up, admiring the intricate design before weighing it in her palm. "Wow, they are so nice, but they look heavy, don't you think?"
"No, ma'am. Try wearing it and see if it's heavy," the attendant suggested, already reaching to slip it onto Irene's ankle.
But before she could, Mary's sharp voice sliced through the air. "Before wearing it for her, why don't you ask her if she has the money to pay for it?"
The sudden silence that followed was deafening. The second attendant hesitated, her hands withdrawing from Irene's ankle at Mary's pointed remark. After all, Mary was well-known in the city, while Irene was just some newcomer.
Irene's shoulders stiffened slightly, but she quickly relaxed, exhaling through her nose as if she was already exhausted by Mary's antics. She turned to face her, expression unreadable. "Miss… what's the meaning of all this? Even if I can't pay for it, it should be none of your business, right?"
The first attendant, wanting to please Mary, spoke up hesitantly. "We just want to know if you can pay for it, ma'am."
Irene rolled her eyes before flashing an amused yet slightly irritated smile. "How much is it?" she asked, crossing her arms as she waited.