Being a Colton.

003.

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THE PAST.

IRENE'S POV.
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It felt like a bad fever dream. I dream I wanted to so badly wake up from, a dream that felt too real for my own liking.

"Who did the fuck do you think you are?! Talking to my man! I know girls like you! Disgusting little seductress! They see billionaires and think that they have a chance."

"What the fuck?!" I heard Frederick scream from behind me. I was soaked all over my body. I did not even try to open my eyes because I knew that the dress was already ruined. My eyes opened and I truly felt like crying.

"What is wrong with you? How can you do this?" Frederick marched toward her, he was shaking, livid. The girl stepped back, fear evident in her face.

"Oh my God!" Michelle screamed and approached me, and so did so many of my co-workers, the firework suddenly started, making me jump.

"Irene, are you alright? Oh my God!" Michelle said with concern in her face.

That firework signalled that it was New Year's, this year was supposed to be the start of a new and improved thing but I just started it with humiliation by a stranger. Michelle dragged me away from the scene, I was still in shock, so much so that even after she took me to the bathroom, I could not say a word.

"What happened? Do you know her?" Michelle took my phone. "Shit! Your phone is soaked!" she said examining it, I was shaking still trying to grasp what exactly happened. I did not know the girl, but I remembered her yelling at me for 'stealing her man!'

"Here, take this!" she gave me a paper towel and I started using it to wipe my face and the rest of my body. I was reeked with the smell of alcohol.

"How could she do such a thing? Who even invited someone like her?" Michelle continued rambling, angrily.

Davis and Sawyer entered the bathroom, "shit! This is bad! I am sorry Irene! Look at you." Davis was next to me, his eyes accessing me, he looked displeased.

"Who is the girl exactly?! How could she do that kind of thing? This is supposed to be a work event!" Michelle queried.

Davis turned to her, "She is Madam Colton's guest, I cannot just turn her away, the only reason Frederick Colton is because of her, I would never have thought she would do something like this to Irene." he explained.

I just sat there, trying to process everything that happened. I honestly felt like crying, but I could not do that in front of my co-workers. It was not bad enough that I was humiliated in front of everyone starting my year with negative things like meant luck. I swallowed back the lump in my throat deciding I was just going to leave, I needed to be alone in my own head.

"What are we going to do? She is refusing to leave." Sawyer informed us. Michelle scoffed as if she could not believe the sheer audacity.

"You cannot be serious? She humiliates our staff and she is not leaving? She has some audacity!"

"Audacity and money, Michelle, she is a guest, I cannot kick her out if she doesn't want to leave!" Davis argued.

"Davis, someone just caused a huge drama in our event and you are refusing to kick her out? Are you serious?" Michelle snapped angrily.

"What do you want me to do? Kick her out and risk Madam Colton's anger! The only reason we have all of this is because of that woman! If we can all just make compromises then we will be able to move the company forward."

I wanted to laugh, laugh at the sick joke that they had made me out to be. I just wanted to go strip and bury myself in my duvet. I wiped the tears that had slipped from her eyes, as Michelle and Davis threw words back and forth, I did not have the mental strength for that.