Irene turned quickly, eyes widening. "Oh my God, look at my baby!" She squealed and jumped on the tall figure standing beside Esmeralda.
Justin caught her with a laugh. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming too?"
"It was a surprise," he said, grinning. "But I've been waiting for an hour and thirty-three minutes to be exact."
Irene pouted dramatically. "I'm sorry, baby."
Justin laughed, shaking his head.
Esmeralda crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Can you both stop your nonsense and let her explain why she was late?"
Irene sighed. "Okay, fine. First of all, I slept off. Second of all, I was looking for what to wear."
Esmeralda eyed her up and down. "And you ended up dressing this beautifully?"
Irene was wearing an off-shoulder floral crop top with matching pants, paired with blue heels. Her hair was curled perfectly, as if she had just walked out of a salon.
Esmeralda raised a brow. "Did you really need to dress this stunningly just to pick me up?"
Irene cleared her throat. "Uh… I mean… I just threw something on."
Justin smirked. "Look at her hair curls. I don't think she slept off. She's just coming from the salon."
Irene gasped dramatically. "Okay, fine! You got me! I'm so sorry." She threw her arms around Esmeralda in a fake crying act.
Esmeralda rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, enough. Let's go. The security guards are starting to look at us like we have nowhere to go."
Justin chuckled. "Yeah, let's move before they arrest us for loitering."
With laughter, they all got into the car, ready to leave.
---
Irene led them into the apartment, her heels clicking against the marble floor. The space was bright and modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the city skyline.
"How do you like this apartment?" Irene asked, turning to face them with a raised brow.
"Nice," Esmeralda said, her eyes sweeping over the elegant furnishings with admiration.
Justin folded his arms, glancing around. "It's rented?" he asked.
Irene's lips curled into a proud smile. "No, it's mine."
Justin's brows shot up. "You bought it?"
Esmeralda turned to Irene, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "You decided to buy a house when we're here for just a few months?"
Irene tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Of course. Why would a whole Irene Queen rent an apartment?" She smirked, clearly enjoying the praise. Justin just chuckled, shaking his head at her confidence.
"So, we are living alone?" Justin asked, running a hand over the sleek countertop.
"Yes, probably with a cleaning lady," Irene replied casually.
Esmeralda frowned. "Why do we need a cleaning lady?"
Irene turned to her with a deadpan expression. "Who will clean?"
Justin, still admiring the intricate wall art, spoke without looking at them. "Both of you."
Irene scoffed. "What do you exist for?" she asked, crossing her arms.
Justin finally turned, his lips twitching. "I'm a man. I will be the man of the house." His tone held a playful arrogance.
Irene narrowed her eyes. "Am I supposed to clean while you're just… being a man?"
Esmeralda sighed, glancing at Justin as if he were a lost cause. "Don't argue with him."
Irene ignored her. "Will you clean then?" she shot back at Esmeralda.
Esmeralda straightened, a determined glint in her eyes. "We all are cleaning. No cleaning lady allowed."
Justin arched a brow. "You mean we both are cleaning," he corrected, pointing at Esmeralda.
Esmeralda laughed, her voice light and teasing. "As long as she clean she room, we should be okay with that."
Justin chuckled, shaking his head in defeat, while Irene pouted. "Are we living together?" Esmeralda suddenly asked, her excitement bubbling over.
Irene's expression darkened slightly. "Not yet… Still staying with my dad." She exhaled sharply, her annoyance barely concealed.
Justin leaned back against the couch, arms crossed, watching Irene closely. "How do you cope looking at him?" he asked, his tone edged with curiosity.
Irene exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Do I have a choice? I have to stay with him so people don't feel suspicious of me," she said, her voice carrying a resigned frustration.
Esmeralda frowned, her brows knitting together. "I don't get it. Why would they feel suspicious if you don't live with him?" She could feel her friend's exhaustion and hated that Irene had to endure this.
Irene scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm here on the pretense of making his life miserable. So if I leave him, does that make sense? If it were up to me, he'd already be in jail by now, but I can't do that because of the mission." Her fingers tightened around the edge of the counter, betraying the frustration she tried to mask.
Justin leaned forward slightly. "So, do you have a lead?" His voice held a mix of eagerness and concern.
Irene opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of juice. "The whole game is about the mafia drug lord," she started, pouring the juice into a cup. "They suspect Raphael Black to be part of it, but the problem is that they don't know if he's the mastermind or if it's Rock Caesar. But if we can get to Raphael Black, we might uncover the real mastermind…"
Justin reached for the cup just as Irene casually lifted it to her lips, completely ignoring his outstretched hand. His expression turned sour as she took a slow sip, savoring it.
Esmeralda smirked. "This is something we all know anyway. Why are you repeating it?"
Irene shrugged. "Just making sure you don't forget," she said, gulping down the rest of her juice without remorse.
Justin rolled his eyes. "What have you even been doing here?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice.
Irene straightened, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Getting familiar with the city," she said proudly.
Esmeralda's jaw dropped. "For two months?" she nearly shouted.
Irene wagged a finger. "Nope. One month and twenty-two days," she corrected with a grin.
Justin let out an exaggerated sigh. "What's the difference?"
"Eight days," Irene replied effortlessly.
Justin shook his head, mouthing "Wow," as Esmeralda stifled a laugh.
Esmeralda's expression turned serious again. "Did you get close to any of his sons?"
Irene shrugged, her tone casual. "Not yet. We're just friends."
Justin gave her a dramatic look of disbelief. "Don't tell me—the great Irene Queen couldn't get a guy to fall for her in the past two months?" he teased.
Irene pouted slightly. "I wasn't serious about it, and I was told to take my time," she admitted, swirling the empty cup in her hand.
Esmeralda sighed, rubbing her forehead. "How many years are we supposed to spend on this case"
Irene sat comfortably on the couch, one leg crossed over the other. "This is not a case that can be rushed. Raphael is a cunning man. My arrival in the country is suspicious enough—if I start circling around his kids, won't that make it even worse?" Her tone was calm, but the sharpness in her eyes betrayed her frustration.
Esmeralda shifted on the sofa, pulling her knees up slightly. "So, who are you betting on?" she asked, studying Irene's expression.
Irene didn't hesitate. "Brian or Richard."
Esmeralda's brows furrowed. "Who is more likely to be involved?"
Irene let out a slow breath, tapping her fingers against the side of the cup. "Brian. He's overseeing everything his father owns, and he holds more power than Richard. He's playing hard to get. Richard, on the other hand, isn't to be underestimated. He plays around a lot, but he's strong—and honestly, easier to get close to."
Justin, who had been leaning back against the armrest, finally spoke. "I thought he had three sons?"
Irene frowned slightly, tilting her head. "Erm… what's his name again?"
"Edward," Esmeralda supplied.
Irene nodded. "Right. Edward. He's adopted—from Raphael's second wife. So I don't think he's part of this."
Justin scoffed, folding his arms. "He might be. Since he's adopted."
Esmeralda smirked. "If he is, why would he be after what belongs to Brian and Richard?"
Irene gave her a knowing look. "Exactly."
Justin wasn't convinced. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "How are we even sure Raphael is involved? Because, honestly, I'm not in for a plot twist."
Irene shot him an exasperated look. "Aren't you following the case?"
Justin shrugged. "I'm not on this case."
Irene blinked. "Then why are you here?"
Justin grinned. "I'm on leave. Thought I'd come see your beautiful face."
Irene rolled her eyes, tossing a pillow at him. "Who gave you leave?"
Justin caught the pillow effortlessly, smirking. "I just finished a big syndicate case, so I deserve a break. Don't you watch the news?"
Esmeralda chuckled. "She's the first detective who doesn't care about the news." She leaned back, stretching. "I'm also on leave, just here to assist you."
Irene narrowed her eyes. "Why are you both on leave, but that bastard refused to give me one?" she grumbled, crossing her arms.
Justin and Esmeralda burst into laughter.
"He probably likes to see your face," Justin teased.
Esmeralda, however, grew thoughtful. "What if your father is involved in this whole thing? I heard they're best friends."
Irene's face darkened, and a dangerous smirk appeared on her lips. "I hope so. That would be the perfect excuse to put a bullet in his head." Her voice was casual, but the glint in her eyes was anything but.
Esmeralda and Justin exchanged looks.
"Should we… cause a little problem?" Irene asked, mischief creeping into her tone.
Esmeralda raised a brow. "Like?"