An Uninvited Guest

"Your complexion looks fresher today, Miss Russell." Amber opened the car door for Irene.

Irene looked at her reflection in the car mirror and saw her skin was glowing even though she hadn't worn heavy makeup that day. She thought it could be that having great sex made her skin glow and look fresh.

"Maybe because I used a good skincare product last night." Irene smiled at her. "Are we going straight to Mr. Delacroix's house?"

Amber nodded. "Today Mr. Delacroix has asked me to take you directly to his house. If you want to buy something, you can tell me. I can buy it for you."

Irene got into the car. "Why is that?"

"Although your name is no longer bad in the media, you are still in the public eye. It would be better if you hide until the media stopped mentioning your name."

Irene sighed tiredly. "It can be forever."

"You'll get used to it, Miss Russell."

The car then left the hotel and went to Sebastian's residence on the eastern side of Rithora Country, Azura City. Unlike Novus City, which was the center of entertainment, Azura City was quieter because it was close to the forest.

In fact, Irene did not understand why Sebastian preferred to live near the forest instead of a city full of entertainment, even though it took him about two hours to get from Novus City to Azura City.

Due to the lack of rest last night, Irene fell asleep as soon as she leaned her head against the windshield. Amber was curious why she looked so tired after spending the night with her boss, especially since she also noticed red marks around her neck.

Her lips itched to ask, but Amber tried hard to keep her mouth shut so as not to upset Irene.

• •

"Miss Russell, we're almost there." Amber tapped Irene gently on the shoulder so as not to startle her.

Her eyelids fluttered as the sunlight tried to penetrate her retinas. She stretched for a moment before opening her eyes completely. "Holy shit. Is he Tarzan?"

Irene scrunched her forehead in shock at the sight before her eyes. Along the road to Sebastian's house, large trees were standing by the side of the road. The trees looked old and a little creepy, making Irene wonder if she was coming to a witch's house.

"Mr. Delacroix deliberately built the house in the middle of the woods to avoid noise," Amber explained.

"A serial killer would usually say the same thing." Irene hugged herself, shivering in the cold. "I don't want to go there."

Amber smiled in response to her exaggerated behavior. "I'm afraid we're too late to turn back."

Soon, Irene saw a large gate standing among the towering trees. As the car approached, the gate opened automatically, letting them into the manor's magnificent grounds.

Irene couldn't believe her eyes as she had never seen such a luxurious house with her own eyes. At that moment, she realized why Sebastian had said that the Russell family was not that rich.

"How can anyone live alone in a house this big?" she asked herself.

Although there were many maids and housekeepers, Sebastian still needed someone to talk to, like family or friends. Could he have insisted on her staying with him because he was lonely?

Irene shook her head.

Sebastian only asked her to live with him because he wanted to tease her or because he was a pervert.

"Mr. Delacroix told me that he will try to return tonight, but if there is a problem, he will return tomorrow afternoon." Amber noticed a roofless red car parked outside the front door and held her breath. "Looks like Mr. Delacroix has an uninvited guest today."

Irene also noticed the car and guessed that the guest was a woman. A friend would not be bold enough to come to the house of someone like Sebastian, so she must be his family.

"Do you know who she is?" Irene asked Amber.

Amber sighed. "She's Mr. Delacroix's little sister, and I don't think she'll like your arrival, Miss Russell."

Before Irene could ask why, the car had stopped, and a maid opened the door for her. The maid tried to smile kindly at her, but her eyes kept looking inside the house as if she were afraid Irene would meet a monster there.

"Mr. Delacroix has informed us of your arrival, Miss Russell." The maid lowered her voice as she continued, "However, at the moment, the Young Miss is visiting the house, so we are afraid you will have to enter through the back door."

Irene raised an eyebrow, feeling offended that she was being treated like a maid instead of a guest. Although she did not want to see the Delacroix family without Sebastian, that did not mean she would hide from them.

"I will enter through the front door," Irene insisted.

Amber pretended to clear her throat. "Perhaps you shouldn't do that, Miss Russell."

Before Irene could deny her suggestion, her eyes caught sight of a young woman emerging from the front door. Her wavy brunette hair cascaded around her shoulders, framing her face that elegant face.

As she walked out, he noticed Irene's entire appearance through her gray eyes. Her lips were curled up, revealing a friendly smile that made one think she could not possibly do anything evil. However, the cold look in her eyes made Irene certain that the woman was only faking her demeanor.

"So, you are Irene," she walked down the stairs and stood right in front of her. "I wondered what kind of woman my brother would bring home, but he only brought a daughter of the Russell family who has nothing spectacular."

Irene folded her arms across her chest, getting defensive as she felt offended by her words. "Who are you?"

The woman in front of her smiled broadly and giggled. "How rude of me. My name is Heather Delacroix and I'm Sebastian's little sister." Heather took a strand of Irene's hair and twisted it. "You don't have to be so happy because Sebastian wants to marry you. I think he just chooses a woman randomly to keep scandals about him stop circulating in the wealthy family."

"What scandal?"

Heather rounded her eyes. She looked surprised, even though Irene guessed she was only pretending. "Sebastian didn't tell you? So, I'm right. Sebastian didn't consider you as someone important."

Irene scrunched her forehead. The more she listened to Heather, the more confused she became. She spoke in riddles as if she had no intention of telling Irene the information she knew.

"Turns out I was worried about nothing." When Heather pulled her hand, Irene felt her hair being pulled as well. She knew Heather was doing it on purpose to provoke her, but Irene preferred to control her attitude because she did not yet understand her current opponent. "Well, welcome to the family, Miss Russell."

After saying that, Heather walked to her car. Irene hadn't even said anything yet, but she didn't give her a chance to speak.

When she was about to start the car, Heather said, "I also heard that Sebastian fired your ex-lover. That's the first time he's brought his personal feelings to work."

Irene was surprised, but still tried to keep her composure. "I don't know anything about that. Maybe Mr. Hawkins did something terrible, so Mr. Delacroix fired him."

Heather put on her sunglasses and turned on the car engine. "Who knows?"

As soon as she left the mansion, Irene clicked her tongue and spoke to Amber. "What's wrong with her? Did she come here just to declare enmity with me?"

Amber shrugged. "She is, Miss Russell."

Irene let out a weary sigh. She had not even set foot in Sebastian's house, but her family members were already giving her a headache. At the end of the day, she would not get much money without sacrificing anything.

However, she could at least use the pile of money to relieve her headache for a moment.

She entered the mansion and asked the maid, "Prepare a warm bath for me and ask a professional masseuse to treat me. Please, I just want to calm my mind now."