She let out a soft chuckle, her voice teasing. "I might not be very good with directions."
Brian smirked, shaking his head. "Let's go."
With that, they walked side by side toward the hall, their steps in sync.
Irene glanced at him curiously. "Where's your bodyguard?"
"He's not a bodyguard," Brian corrected flatly. "He's my secretary."
"Oh…" Irene smiled knowingly. "So where is he?"
Brian gave her a sideways glance. "Should I share his contact information so you can call and ask him yourself? You seem to miss him that much."
Irene let out a light laugh, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I don't mind."
As they neared the entrance, she sighed dramatically. "It's a pity I missed the red carpet. Don't you think it's a waste of a dress if I don't get photographed?"
Brian's gaze flickered toward her once more, this time lingering. "There are still photographers in the hall. Don't worry, it won't go to waste."
They stepped inside together.
---
Inside the Grand Hall
The moment they entered, murmurs spread like wildfire through the crowd.
"Is that Brian's girlfriend?"
"This is the first time I've ever seen him with a woman."
"Who is she?"
"Oh my God, she's stunning."
Irene leaned in slightly, whispering with amusement. "It seems they've misunderstood."
Brian's expression remained unreadable. "Should I go on stage to clear the misunderstanding?"
Irene rolled her eyes. "I was just asking if you're comfortable with it. Also, how will I find a man to take home if everyone thinks I'm your girlfriend?" she whispered, her voice laced with playful frustration.
Brian barely reacted. "You can tell them yourself if you feel uncomfortable."
Irene scoffed softly. "Poker face as always."
As they made their way to the group, Joshua smirked. "Why are you two together?"
"We met outside, so we decided to come in together," Irene explained casually.
Joshua's lips curled into a grin. "Well, you look gorgeous."
Richard's eyes roamed over her in admiration. "Why are you always more beautiful every time I see you?"
Irene smirked, her confidence unwavering. "I love seeing the mesmerizing look on your face." She winked playfully, making Richard chuckle.
Victor, who had been watching her intently, finally spoke up. "Why are you late? You even missed the red carpet." His tone carried genuine concern.
Before Irene could answer, Esmeralda beat her to it.
"It's Irene's fault," she said with mock exasperation. "She shopped for one dress. She was already dressed and asked us how she looked. Just because we said she looked 'beautiful,' she went back in to change—her dress and her makeup!"
Joshua blinked in confusion. "I don't get it."
Justin smirked, shaking his head. "She said she wanted to look gorgeous, not just beautiful."
Everyone burst into laughter—except Brian, Daniel, and Victoria.
"Can you imagine?" Richard chuckled, clearly amused.
"I can't imagine," he added, shaking his head, as if picturing the ordeal was too much.
Esmeralda smirked. "That's why she was punished by driving the car."
Victor laughed. "It's a good thing you guys guessed gorgeous the second time—otherwise, I really don't want to know what would've happened next."
Joshua frowned slightly. "What's the difference between beautiful and gorgeous?"
Irene turned to him with a knowing smile. "Remember when I walked in? Your first words were, 'You look gorgeous,' right?"
Joshua nodded.
"Well," Irene continued, flipping her hair dramatically, "there are days I want to look beautiful, days I want to look gorgeous, days I want to look cute, and some days I want to look sexy."
Justin smirked. "And then there are the days you look homeless."
Laughter erupted around them as Irene shot Justin a glare, about to protest—
But just then, the music changed. A soft, romantic tune filled the hall.
"Couples, take the floor," the announcer called.
Justin grinned, extending his hand toward Irene. "Can I have this dance, gorgeous?"
Irene flipped her hair playfully. "Of course, baby."
As they moved toward the dance floor, Esmeralda paired with Victor, Daniel with Victoria, Joshua with Mary, and Richard with Susan—leaving Brian standing alone.
---
Across the hall…
Monica leaned closer to Rosalyn, lowering her voice. "I heard about your husband's daughter. How are you coping?"
Rosalyn scoffed, swirling the wine in her glass. "Coping? That girl is not something one copes with."
Gloria, Joshua and Mary's mother, raised a brow. "Why should you have to cope? You're his legal wife. You could just… chase her away."
Rosalyn sighed heavily. "I would love to. But if that girl ever opens her wide mouth and says anything to the world, everything we've worked for will be ruined." She leaned in, voice low. "You know his position in the government. And the wolves in the company? They're just waiting for a scandal."
Gloria frowned. "That's bad."
"Look at her," Rosalyn muttered, tilting her head toward the dance floor.
Monica followed her gaze. "Which one?"
"The girl in blue?" Gloria asked.
"No, that's Susan," Monica corrected. "You don't know her?"
Monica's eyes narrowed. "The girl in the red off-shoulder dress?"
Gloria's face twisted slightly. "I thought she was Brian's girlfriend."
Monica scoffed. "Brian would never bring home a bad seed."
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the hall…
Raphael, Roland, and Jacob stood together, their conversation lighthearted—until Jacob smirked.
"Look at them over there," he mused, nodding toward the wives' table. "Teaching your wife a million ways to torture you."
Raphael chuckled. "I don't think you'll be living a peaceful life tonight."
Roland sighed dramatically. "Don't you guys think I've slimmed down?"
Jacob laughed. "Of course you have!"
Roland exhaled, rubbing his temple. "There's always some problem in my house—and Irene is always at the center of it. I'm not saying she causes all the trouble, but somehow, she's always the reason for it."
Jacob shrugged. "Then you need to be stricter with her."
Roland took a slow sip from his wine, his expression unreadable. "She's not someone you can be strict with. The more you scold or restrict her, the more she explodes. It's better to be nice to her." He let out a sigh, swirling the wine in his glass. "Besides, I can't bring myself to scold her… or do anything to her."
Raphael shook his head, sympathy flickering in his eyes. "You're going through a lot."
Jacob smirked, leaning closer. "No, a lot is going through him."
Roland shot them both a wounded look. "Are you two mocking me right now?"
Before they could respond, a round of applause echoed through the grand hall, signaling the end of the dance. The focus shifted as guests began stepping forward, presenting their gifts to the celebrant.
Edward approached his father with a confident smile, holding a beautifully wrapped package. With careful hands, he unveiled a stunning painting—a breathtaking rendition of The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh.
"I know you love Van Gogh's work," Edward said warmly. "So, I decided to get you this."
Raphael's eyes lit up as he took in the masterpiece. His fingers brushed lightly against the frame, admiration clear on his face. A rare, genuine smile spread across his lips.
"Wow… You know me best," he said, clearly pleased.
Edward stepped back and leaned toward Brian, his voice teasing. "Did you hear that? I know him best."
Brian, unfazed, took a sip of his drink and muttered, "I didn't hear anything."
Soft laughter rippled through the guests.
Next, Richard stepped forward, presenting an ancient, exquisitely carved chessboard.
Raphael raised an eyebrow. "You know I don't enjoy chess. Why give this to me?"
Richard smirked. "Exactly why I'm giving it to you. You're getting older—it's time for a new hobby."
Laughter erupted across the room.
Raphael chuckled, shaking his head. "That's good." His gaze shifted. "Brian?"
Brian glanced up lazily. "What?"
"Where's my gift?"
Brian leaned back, expression calm but with an unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. "Didn't you say you don't need anything from me except a wife?"
More laughter filled the air.
Julius, Brian's secretary, stepped in smoothly. "Sir, your gift has already been delivered to your home."
Raphael sighed dramatically. "His sense of humor is really low."
The laughter continued, filling the grand hall with warmth and amusement.
Standing a little apart, Esmeralda nudged Irene. "Hey, what did you prepare for your father-in-law?"
"Nothing," Irene replied casually.
Esmeralda's eyes widened in disbelief. "You came to a party empty-handed?"
"No, I came with my purse." Irene waved it lightly, flashing a cheeky grin. But when she saw Esmeralda's unimpressed stare, she shrugged. "What about you guys?"
"Of course we brought gifts," Justin said, rolling his eyes.
Irene gasped, placing a hand over her heart in mock betrayal. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Before anyone could respond, Susan's sharp voice cut through the chatter.
"Irene."
Irene turned slowly, her expression unreadable.
"Didn't you prepare a gift for Mr. Black?" Susan asked, her voice carrying across the now-silent room.
The absence of music made their exchange even more pronounced.
Irene tilted her head, her lips curving into a slow, mocking smile. "First of all, we aren't close enough for you to call me by my name. Next time, remember to put a 'Miss' before it." She took a deliberate pause. "Second of all, he doesn't even know me. So why should I prepare a gift for someone I don't know?"
A few gasps echoed across the hall.
From the side, Roland sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. "That's my good daughter," he muttered in pain.