Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!
A young lady in her mid-twenties stood before a grand iron gate, knocking persistently. Her delicate but determined fists rapped against the metal, her impatience evident in the way she kept at it.Just as she was about to knock again, the deep rumble of an approaching engine caught her attention.
A sleek red Ferrari glided smoothly to a stop right in front of the gate. The car's door opened, and out stepped a young man—tall, handsome, and exuding an effortless confidence. His sharp eyes swept over the lady standing by the gate, taking in her features with a mix of curiosity and admiration.
The best word to describe her? Breathtaking.
His gaze lingered for a moment before he spoke.
"Hey, what are you doing?" His voice was smooth but laced with authority, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her.
Irene, unfazed by his scrutiny, smirked and folded her arms.
"Young man, do you live here?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as if assessing him.
He arched a brow at her confidence. "Yes, I do," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "May I know why you're banging at my gate?"
A slow, knowing smile curved Irene's lips. "You mean your father's gate?" she corrected, amusement flickering in her eyes.
Victor's jaw clenched slightly. She's beautiful, but rude, he thought.
Still, he smirked. "So? What belongs to my father belongs to me."
Irene rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Mr. Entitled. I'm here to see Mr. Brown. Can you lead me to him?"
Victor scoffed. "My father? May I know why, Miss Rude?"
Irene sighed dramatically. "Arrh, can you let me see him first? Then you'll know why."
Victor wasn't about to let this slide so easily. He studied her again, this time with suspicion. "Does he even know you're coming? And what business exactly do you have with him?"
Irene huffed, placing a hand on her hip. "Are you his PA or what? Uncle, can you just call him and tell him a lady named Irene is here to see him?"
Victor narrowed his eyes, an amused smirk playing at the corner of his lips. Then, as if something clicked in his mind, his expression shifted to one of surprise.
"Wait… are you his mistress?"
Irene blinked, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "I never knew your father had such a reputation for you to think so. Has anyone ever told you how stupid you are?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence.
Victor's expression darkened, his jaw tightening at her insult. "Young lady, be mindful of your words," he warned, his tone firm. Without wasting another second, he pulled out his phone and dialed his father.
After a few rings, the call finally connected.
"Hello," came the deep, authoritative voice from the other end.
Victor didn't waste time. "Dad, are you expecting anyone?"
"No," his father replied flatly.
Victor glanced at Irene, who stood there unfazed. "But a young lady is here asking for you."
There was a brief pause before his father's voice returned, now laced with curiosity. "A young lady? Who's that?"
Victor turned to Irene with a questioning look. "What did you say your name was again?"
With a small, confident smirk, she answered, "Irene. Irene Brown."
Victor stiffened. His brows furrowed as confusion clouded his face. "Wait… are you my cousin?" His voice held both surprise and uncertainty.
Irene rolled her eyes dramatically, as if she were utterly exhausted by his endless questioning. But instead of answering, she simply crossed her arms and looked away, leaving him hanging.
"Hello?" Mr. Brown's voice came through the phone again, demanding an answer.
Victor quickly cleared his throat. "She said she's Irene Brown. Do you know her?"
A sharp intake of breath came from the other end. "Irene Brown?" His father's voice held something unexpected—fear. "Why is she here?"
Victor raised a brow at his father's reaction. "How am I supposed to know? I don't know her. Do I?" He shrugged, glancing at Irene, who remained impassive.
There was another pause before his father finally gave a clipped order. "Let her in." Then, without another word, the call ended.
Victor lowered his phone, his suspicious gaze locking onto Irene. "What did he say?" she asked, watching him intently.
He hesitated for a second before replying, "To let you in." His voice was calm, but his eyes held an edge of wariness, as if trying to figure her out.
Irene simply nodded. "Okay."
Victor exhaled sharply before stepping toward his car. He swiped his ID to unlock the gate, then turned to her with a smirk. "Get into the car, Miss Rude. Or are you planning to walk all the way to the main house?"
He expected another sharp retort, but instead, Irene just smiled knowingly before stepping toward the car, leaving Victor more intrigued than before.
As the car smoothly rolled through the massive estate, Victor glanced at Irene from the corner of his eye, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Isn't it unwise of you to knock on a gate? Couldn't you have just called the person you were looking for?" he asked, his voice filled with amusement.
Irene leaned back against the seat, crossing her arms. "Unwise? Just call me stupid." Her tone dripped with sarcasm, her lips curling in a teasing smirk.
Victor scoffed. "You said that yourself. I never called you stupid."
He was only pointing out the obvious—The Brown mansion wasn't just any ordinary home. It was heavily guarded, with a long driveway leading up to the main house. As the residence of a high-ranking minister, security was tight. Anyone entering through the main gate needed either an ID or a pass, and any unauthorized weapons or harmful objects were immediately detected and confiscated.
Yet, despite all that, she had confidently walked up and started banging on the gate like she owned the place.
"Wow," Irene muttered as she settled into the car, surprisingly without an argument.
Inside the Mansion
As soon as they entered, Irene's eyes swept across the lavish interior. Her lips parted slightly in admiration. "Nice! So beautiful, I must compliment."
Before she could say more, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"And who are you, young lady?"
Irene turned to see a sophisticated woman standing with her arms crossed. Her piercing eyes held authority, and the resemblance to Victor was undeniable. It was Mrs. Brown.
She then shot a glare at her son. "Victor, don't tell me you've started bringing women into my house. Are you tired of living?"
Victor rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I don't even know who she is. She's here to meet Dad."
A young lady, seemingly the same age as Irene, frowned. "Why would a young woman be looking for Dad?" she asked, suspicion clear in her tone.
Another voice joined in. "Miss, can you at least introduce yourself?" This time, it was Daniel, the eldest son of the family, his gaze sharp and questioning.
Irene chuckled softly, her devilish yet alluring smile making its way to her lips. She folded her arms and leaned slightly to the side.
"Oh, I thought we should wait for Mr. Brown to introduce me, but since you all seem so impatient to know a beautiful girl like me, I'll do you the favor." Her voice was laced with amusement as she toyed with their curiosity.
She then exhaled dramatically before dropping the bombshell. "To cut the long story short, I'm Mr. Brown's illegitimate daughter."
A tense silence filled the room. Irene herself looked momentarily confused before adding, "At least… I think that's the correct term. Honestly, why don't we just wait for him to come and explain everything to us?"
Mrs. Brown's eyes widened in outrage. "Are you out of your mind? How dare you step into my house and spew nonsense about my husband?!"
Irene, unfazed by the woman's anger, put on a mock-sad expression while smiling at the same time, an infuriating contrast that only added fuel to the fire.
"Calm down, Madam. I know this must be a shock to you, but believe me, I'm just as shocked. Actually, I might be even more shocked than you."
Daniel's patience snapped. His voice turned cold. "I don't know why you're doing this, Miss, but it's time for you to leave. Guards! Guards!" He called out, his voice firm.
Irene groaned dramatically, shaking her head. "Arrh, how can you all lack courtesy? No matter what, I am a guest here—for now. Shouldn't you at least ask me to sit down and offer me a glass of juice? I've been traveling for hours, and I'm so tired."
Without waiting for an invitation, she elegantly sat on the plush couch, crossed her legs, and leaned back as if she owned the place.
The Browns stood frozen, their expressions ranging from disbelief to anger, while Irene simply smiled, knowing she had just turned their world upside down.