1 Chapter 1

It was already 7.30 PM and Irene thought that the first thing that she wants to do when she steps into the mansion was to meet her parents and says that she got accepted to work at her dream restaurant, one that most prestigious in her country. She was so happy to remember that she's qualified to be one of the practical chef in that restaurant. She will become a trainee before she's ready enough to be a real chef. Actually she was just graduated from university with culinary degree.

So, when she steps out from the cab, she quickly entered the mansion to find her mother who she thought at the kitchen.

"Mom!" He calls out when he closes and locked the door.

"Irene!" She heard the familiar voice. It was mister John, the owner of this mansion. She made her way to the living room with a smile as she saw her parents were there too. "Sit." Mister Lee ordered. So, Irene took her seat on the single couch.

Her smile still plastered on her face. But, her mom or dad didn't ask anything. They knew Irene went to the interview to that restaurant. Irene starts to feel anxious. Its became more worst when she saw both her parents' sorrow face. She felt weird. She starts to think bad things. Did mister Lee fired her mother and father? If yes, why? Irene knew her parents won't do things that mister Lee despise. In facts, they never did and mister Lee was so nice with her parents.

Irene had lived in that mansion since she was 10 years old. Her mother work as a maid meanwhile her father as the Lee's family driver. Irene's university fees also has been supported by mister Lee until she was graduated from university. Since she for the first time steps into the mansion when she was ten till she's already 24, she never saw mister Lee and his wife treated them badly.

Irene felt that the atmosphere in that room felt heavy. She had to admit that she never saw her father and mother face as sorrow as this before. That's what made she thought bad things, like mister John fired her parents. However, her thought was interrupted when she hears mister Lee calls out her name.

"Irene!" Irene averted her gaze towards Mr.Lee. Beside him was his wife, Madam Lee and beside her was, wait! Who was that? Irene never saw that man beside Madam Lee. Irene found herself staring at the unknown guy. She studied his features. His raven haired was pushed back, revealing his forehead. He has a beautiful doe eyes and Irene thought that the unknown guy is good looking. However, she found the look of disinterested on that guy face.

"You must be wondering why all of us gathered here?" Mister Lee starts, taking Irene's attention back. Irene only nodded. She could feel her heart rate was accelerating. She felt nervous for the upcoming news she will get. "So, your parents, my wife and I had discussed," He stops. He looks at Irene with a smile before turning his gaze towards that unknown guy. "We had decided that you will be married with my son here Ian." He continues while pointing towards that unknown guy. Only then Irene realized that the guy resemble mister Lee so much.

Irene widens her eyes once she heard it. She didn't believe what she had just heard.

"What?!" A shout, yet shocks voice can be heard came out from Ian, mister Lee's son.

Irene can't even open her mouth to protest. She was just as shock as Ian. This won't be real right? They must be played a prank on her. Irene tried to look at her parents’ eyes, to find the evidence that they were just lying but no there's no trace of a lie in their eyes.

"Are you kidding me dad?" Ian asks in disbelief.

"I'm not kidding." mister Lee answered simply.

"Dad, I don't even know her! I don't love her." He shouts. "Just look at her. She's just our maid's daughter. Don't you feel ashamed?"

Irene bits her lips. Her gaze was fixated on her laps. Ian's words was like a gun shooting through her heart. She felt hurt. She felt humiliated. She just heard what Ian talk about her family but she didn't dare to look up. She didn't want them to see the tears that already pooling on her eyes. What Ian said was right. She's maid's daughter, her father only work as Lee's driver, her status wasn't the same as Ian's. She knew her place. However, her attention was back on both mister Lee and Ian when she heard a hit. She looks up and saw Ian was slapped by his father.

"Mister Lee!" Irene heard her father's voice. Mister Lee put his hand up as a sign for Irene's father for not interrupting his business with his son.

"Don't you ever dare to insult them!" Mister Lee raised his voice. "I've never thought you to be like this, a person who didn't have manner." Mister Lee's voice was full with disappointment. Irenel could feel it.

"Honey." Madam Lee reached out to hold her husband’s hand and she squeezed it lightly in order to calm mister Lee down. Mister Lee didn't budge even his eyes was on his son who was holding his hurt cheek due to the slap.

"Listen here Lee Ian. Marry her or I forbid you to step into this house anymore and don't even dream to get even a single cent from my assets." Mister Lee warns before leaving the room. Madam Lee followed behind.

"Fuck!" Ian cursed before grabbing his jacket and leave the mansion.

Irene only stayed silent. She should be happy. She should tell her parents that she got the job that he really wanted but all of it disappear and replace by the sudden news that she will be married with Lee Ian, mister Lee's son and the person that she didn't even know.

"Irene." She heard her mother's voice. She looks up and met with her mother's eyes. "We are sorry." She breaths out.

"Why mister Lee wants me to marry his son?" Irene asks, the question that made she really curious with the answer. She really curious why mister Lee really wanted her to marry his son. She's nothing. Irene bet that he can find someone who's their status was the same as Lee's.

"I don't really know Irene. He had said that he had like you since he first met you and he really wanted to make you as his daughter in law." Her father explains.

Irene sighed. She didn't know that mister Lee already thought to make her as a part of Lee's long time ago.

"Madam Lee also said that she likes you and she agreed with her husband decision. And two days ago when you were on a trip with your friends, they called for us and confess their intention to marry you off with their son. And since his son just came back from Italy today, they thought its the right time to tell both of you." Her mom continues.

Irene bits her lower lip. There's so many things she needs to digest. First, about the marriage. It doesn't make sense how mister Lee has a liking on her till the older man wanted to marry her off with his son. She didn't even know Ian tho. That's the second thing. How she supposed to live with someone she barely know? Its true that she had live in Lee's mansion, but she never met Ian. In facts, she never knew about Ian's existence or should we say, she never knew that mister Lee has a son. She never asks about it since she thought she shouldn't bother to know about it. Plus, mister Lee himself didn't tell her that he has a son. Let alone her father and mother. Also madam Lee. No one ever mentioned about Ian. For almost 14 years she didn't know about it and at the end she was shock by the news that she will marry with the Lee's heir.

"Then, why I never know about Ian?" Irene asks.

"Its because Ian was send to Italy when he was 9 and never comeback till today. He stays with his uncle there." Her father explains. Irene only stayed silent. "So, Irene." Her father calls out, taking her attention back. Irene just stares at her father, waiting for her father to proceed. "I hope you agree to marry with Ian."

Her father question made she felt dumbfounded. She didn't know what to give for an answer. Can she say no? She never say no to her parents words. Because she knew that what they did was the best for her. But, we were talking about marriage here, something that we can't take it lightly.

"I- I want to take a bath and sleep." Irene said, avoiding to give any answer.

She got up and leave her parents there. She already forgot to tell her parents about she got the job.

****

The bell was being click for several times and it annoyed Jamie so much. She just finish taking her bath after the whole day she accompany her brother to find a suitable ring for him to propose his girlfriend.

Putting the bathrobe on, she walks to the door and open it without took a look through the peephole. Once the door was wide open, she gasps in surprise when she saw the figure in front of her.

"Baby!" She squealed excitedly before throwing herself onto that guy embrace. It was Ian. Ian only chuckles at Jamie's cuteness. "When did you comeback?" Jamie asks after she released the hug. She steps away to allow Ian to enter her apartment.

"Today." Ian simply answered while making his way to the couch. He flops his tired body on it. He was tired since he just arrived in his home-country. He didn't even get a time to rest when his father wants to discuss something. Turns out it was about his marriage with that Irene girl that he don't even know. He was so pissed off that moment and it became more worst when his father slapped him. And his father even threat him. What the fuck. He didn't know where to go to let out his frustration and calm his mind, so, he decides to go to Jamie's apartment. Luckily Jamie gave the address to him before.

"Why you didn't tell me?" Jamie pouts, crossing her arm over her chest.

"Why? Can't I give a surprise to my baby?" Ian asks while grabbing Jamie's hand and made the blond haired female straddle him. Jamie yelps.

Jamie, she had known Ian in Italy. They went to the same school there also further their studies in the same university along with their other friend. Along the years, Ian just confessed his loves towards Jamie about a year ago.

Then, Jamie fly back a week before.

"Of course you can." Jamie mutters under her breath. "I missed you." Jamie confess, then she leaned in to peck Ian's lips.

"I missed you too babe." Ian replied while bringing Jamie's face again closer to him so that he could kiss Jamie.

Ian then wrapped his strong arm around Jamie and brought Jamie into the bedroom. Jamie hugs Ian tightly, preventing herself from falling. Ian then threw Jamie on the bed and gaze her with the lust filled eyes. He ripped off the bathrobe that hug Jamie's tiny body perfectly before discarding his own clothing. Moment later, both already naked and were making out on the bed. Ian leave a few hickeys on Jamie's.

Meanwhile, there's someone who couldn't close her eyes even she said just now that she wanted to sleep.

Irene was rolling on his bed. She couldn't sleep because the earlier event kept repeating on her mind. She admits that she wasn't ready for it. So, she kept thinking if she should reject it.

However, she felt guilty too. She never say 'no' to his parents. She always did what they asked for her to do. So, she thought that should she follow it or disobey her parents? She didn't know.

And she thought about mister Lee. It was his wished and her heart felt heavy to reject it. However, Irene knew, yes or no, the answer still the same from mister Lee, yes the answers and he never took a 'no'.

Irene try to close her eyes again and snuggles into her blanket.

"If this is the best, I accept it." She mumbled to herself before falling asleep that night.

***

A/N : Thank you for reading. New chapter will be updated soon :)