Caught off guard, Susan hesitated before flashing a soft, almost hopeful smile. "Of course." How could she refuse him?
She poured her all into the performance, moving in perfect rhythm with the music. Her body swayed gracefully, but Brian wasn't paying attention. His gaze had wandered elsewhere, his mind preoccupied.
As the last beat faded, Brian finally spoke. "Are you satisfied?"
Irene let out an unimpressed sigh. "The whole thing was off. I'm going home. This whole city is boring."
Without waiting for a response, she turned to leave.
Brian stood up. "I'm leaving."
The group exchanged stunned glances.
Richard cleared his throat dramatically. "Cough, cough—I told you he was here for someone."
"Wow, I can't believe it." Joshua shook his head in amusement.
Victor smirked, nudging Richard. "I can't believe I'll later become in-laws with you, bro."
Victoria, who had remained quiet, seemed visibly down. Daniel noticed and gently touched her shoulder. "Let's go home."
Outside the Club
The cool night air greeted them as Irene walked toward her car. She reached for the door handle when Brian's voice stopped her.
"Let me drive you home."
She arched a brow. "What about your car?"
Brian's voice remained steady. "My secretary will drive it. You're drunk. It's not right for you to drive."
Irene let out a soft chuckle before leaning in slightly. Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Come closer. Let me tell you a secret."
Brian sighed but humored her, lowering his head slightly. "What?"
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "I'm not drunk. Just wanted to cause trouble, that's all."
Brian's brows furrowed slightly. "But you drank."
Irene shrugged. "Just a little. Not enough to get me drunk." She grinned, then added, "Thanks for causing trouble with me. See you later."
Just as she turned to get into her car, she paused and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and I'll officially start pursuing you tomorrow. Bye."
With that, she drove off, leaving Brian standing there, momentarily at a loss for words.
He scoffed under his breath. "She's not law-abiding at all."
Meanwhile, his friends and Victoria had stepped outside just in time to witness the exchange.
Joshua crossed his arms. "Brian, what's going on?"
Brian blinked at him lazily. "What?"
Joshua rolled his eyes. "What do you mean, 'what?'"
Victor's expression was serious for once. "Are you interested in Irene?"
Brian didn't hesitate. "So?"
Victor's playful demeanor vanished. His voice held a protective edge. "So? As her brother, you have to pass through me first before you even think about getting close to my sister."
Before Brian could respond, Julius, his secretary, approached. "Mr. Black."
Brian didn't even glance back at his friends. "Let's go."
Richard smirked and hurried after him. "Bye, guys. I came with him."
Daniel turned to Victoria, concern evident in his eyes. "Are you okay?"
She forced a small smile. "Let's go home."
As the two walked off, Joshua looked at Victor. "Are you leaving too?"
Victor scoffed. "Of course not. The night's still young."
The two shared a knowing look before heading back inside.
…
The Family Estate – Breakfast Hall
The grand sitting room was filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm bread as the family gathered, waiting for breakfast to be served. The tension, however, thickened the air, making it hard to breathe.
Daniel stormed in, his jaw clenched with anger. His voice cut through the calm atmosphere like a blade.
"Dad, you have to do something about your estranged daughter before she causes trouble for the whole family."
Roland, seated comfortably on one of the high-backed chairs, barely lifted his gaze from the newspaper he was holding. The rest of the family exchanged glances, knowing trouble was brewing.
He finally sighed and asked, "What happened?"
Daniel's fists tightened. "No problem with clubbing or drinking, but everything has to be in modesty. Your daughter has no modesty at all."
His words were laced with venom, making Victor scoff.
Roland lowered his newspaper slightly, his patience wearing thin. "What exactly happened? Stop beating around the bush."
Victor, who had been lounging lazily on the couch, rolled his eyes. "Dad, nothing really happened. She was just having fun."
Daniel turned on him sharply. "Nothing happened? Last time, she wore some indecent clothes to the club. This time, she humiliated Susan, paying her to dance and to cover up her ridiculous act, she feigned drunkenness."
Victor smirked. "When did you become a gossip, Dan?"
Victoria, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke. "Is he lying? I'm also a lady like her, but I don't cause trouble."
Victor crossed his arms. "She was nice enough not to even use Dad's name. She used her mom's name instead. So what do you guys want from her?"
Before another argument could break out, Rosalyn slammed her hand on the table, her patience snapping.
"Enough, you guys!" Her sharp voice silenced the room instantly.
She turned to Roland, her expression a mix of frustration and calculation. "Roland, you should know what to do with your daughter. Remember the wolves on the board of directors and your political career. Don't ruin all our efforts over the years."
Victor sat up straighter, his eyes darkening. "Mom, you don't even know what happened. You shouldn't judge."
Rosalyn shot him a deadly glare, making him hesitate before muttering, "Fine, she's a troublemaker, but she didn't do anything that bad to have this discussion right now."
Roland finally closed his newspaper and set it aside. His face remained unreadable as he said in a calm but firm tone, "Whatever she does, I will take responsibility for it."
Silence fell over the room.
Victoria's fingers tightened around the hem of her dress. "Dad?" Her voice was quiet, almost disbelieving, as if Roland's words confirmed something she had long suspected—that he favored Irene.
Daniel's expression darkened. His voice dripped with disdain. "You're being prejudiced. I don't know what hole she crawled out from, or maybe that's what her mistress of a mother taught her, but don't ruin everything I personally worked hard for, for someone—"
Pah!
A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the grand sitting room, silencing everyone.
All eyes widened in shock.
Daniel stumbled back slightly, a stunned look on his face as the sharp sting spread across his cheek.
"How dare you, Irene?!" Rosalyn's furious voice broke through the silence.
Daniel's eyes snapped back to focus, rage boiling inside him as he held his cheek.
"Are you crazy?!" he roared at the same time as his mother.
The room was now crackling with tension. Everyone was too shocked to speak.
Irene stood there, her hand still slightly raised, her expression unreadable. But her eyes—those defiant, fearless eyes—held no regret.
She had just declared war.
The atmosphere in the sitting room was suffocating, thick with hostility. The sharp sting of the slap still lingered in the air, but Irene stood her ground, unshaken. Her eyes burned with anger as she glared at Daniel.
"I don't care about what you say about me, but let this be the last time you open your fucked-up mouth and talk about my mother." Her voice was low but lethal, carrying a weight that silenced the room.
Roland exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples as frustration built within him. "Enough, you guys."
Rosalyn scoffed in disbelief. "Enough? She just slapped her elder brother, and you're saying enough, Roland?"
Irene let out a bitter chuckle. "Elder brother? Did he ever consider me his sister?" Her words were drenched in resentment.
Roland turned to her, his voice softer now. "Irene, what happened?"
Irene folded her arms, her chin raised defiantly. "Nothing. I did nothing wrong. I just asked some lady to dance for me at the club. So where did I go wrong?"
Victoria scoffed, arms crossed. "Do you even know who that lady was?"
Irene shrugged. "She was just a lady who was ready to dance for a man, so why can't she dance for me?"
Roland's tone turned almost pleading. "Irene—"
Irene cut him off, her eyes blazing with rebellion. "I don't care about your name or your family's so-called prestige. I will do as I like and live as I want because I am a Queen—definitely not a Brown and will never be." Her voice rang through the room like a battle cry.
Rosalyn's patience snapped. "Apologize to Daniel right now."
Irene tilted her head, unimpressed. "For?"
Victoria huffed. "For slapping him, of course."
Irene smirked, lifting her shoulders in indifference. "He deserved that."
Rosalyn's anger boiled over. "How dare you?!"
Irene's eyes flashed dangerously. "The same way he dared to insult my mother."
Rosalyn's lips curled into a sneer, her next words dripping with poison. "Isn't he right? If your mistress of a mother had taught you right, none of this would have happened."
The slap was coming before anyone could stop it. Irene's hand shot up, fury blazing in her eyes, but before she could land the blow, Victor caught her wrist firmly.
He leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Irene, stop."