EP_4

While running in a hurry Irene unexpectedly collided with Alora. She took a step back as she noticed how furious Alora looked.

"Mom..."

Slap!

A sharp smack across her face surprised Irene completely, putting her in a daze. Alora stared at her with so much hatred and through gritted teeth she uttered fiercely, "How could you do something so shameless? How dare you!"

"I..."

"I know you grew up in an orphanage, you've learnt no manners nor any ethics but we are different. Because of you, we've lost our face in society." Alora burst out angrily.

Touching her burning cheeks, Irene bit her lips. Tears were threatening to come out of her eyes yet she was trying her best not to cry.

"From now on, we don't have anything to do with you. You are no longer a part of our family." David declared.

To be a part of the Thompson family? She never considered herself as one but she knew what David meant by those words he spat.

"What? Then what will happen to my brother?"

"Your brother huh? Do you have any idea how much I lost because of your slutty behaviour? Forget about the business, the people who never dared to look in my eyes now giving me pathetic looks. It's all because of you!"

A slap across her face didn't hurt as much as she saw them turning their back at her. Irene couldn't imagine what would happen if she was to lose the financial support from David.

"Mom. Please, don't do this. Please talk to dad. He can't do this to me." Irene begged her mother, hoping she would help but...

"You should have thought about it before you slept with him." Alora gave her a disgustful gaze as she uttered those words with such a strong hatred in her tone.

"No, please. Dad, mom?"

"He is right, from now on you better not show up in front of us." Alora added.

Watching them walking away, Irene couldn't hold it any longer. "He is also your son, how can you do this to him? Don't you feel bad for him even a little bit?" This time, Irene was a little louder. Alora paused on her track.

"I did whatever you guys told me to do and you guys promised that you will help my brother. As a mother you've abandoned us long ago, I have forgiven you for that. But you can't just move back now, he is also your son. Even if you don't want to, you should help him." Irene cried out, she was holding onto her last hope until someone had to crush it.

Walking to Irene, Alora suddenly hit her harder. The continuous slapping came with the harsh words Alora bestowed upon her.

"If something happens to him, only you will be to be blamed. Why did you do it huh? Why did you fuck around with men? You should just die, just die. Why don't you die?"

David grabbed her hand to stop her. "It's enough." Alora was tired of slapping her when Irene like a lifeless body stood there firm. She kept staring at Alora with emotionless eyes.

"I don't have a daughter like you, you act like a shameless b!tch, you can't be responsible for your mistakes. You should just die!"

"I said it's enough. Let's go from here if you don't want to continue humiliating me with your daughter."

As Alora was leaving, Irene chuckled softly. Beads of tears fell down her cheeks when she said, "I wish you weren't my mother."

Seeing Alora still walking away, Irene said loudly, "A mother who abandons her children so she can be selfishly happy, you ain't my mother. From today on, we are nothing. Did you hear me?"

The clacking sound of her high heels echoed on the hallway when Irene watched them disappear into the thin air.

"So sad, you must be so heartbroken. Tsk! Tsk!" Hearing the familiar voice from the behind, Irene was taken aback. As she turned around her face lit up and she ran towards the figure standing in front of her.

"Don't come to me. Yuck! You stink!"

"What are you saying? Leila."

"Ahh, can't you see? What am I trying to tell? Irene Miller became a street girl from the richy b!tch!!" Leila sneered.

This was the first time Irene saw her best friend to behave that way, and she was giving her the same disgusted look like the rest. Leila didn't have an inch of guilt or regret, she seemed to have fun talking like that even though she was hurting Irene.

"Leila, what's wrong with you? Did something happen? Did anyone do anything..."

Leila pushed Irene aside, treating her like a dirty beggar, "Oh, com'on. There's nothing wrong with me. I've always been like this."

"What?"

"I always hated you. You probably can't believe me, right? Lemme tell you another news then. Do you wanna know who revealed all your photos to the guests? It was me, babe. I did it."

In utter disbelief, Irene kept staring at her when Leila continued voicing proudly, "I've planned it for so long and since you were easy to make a fool out of so I could easily send you into the room that night. Remember I gave you the room key card, it was indeed me who sent that gigolo in your room that night."

Irene covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief. Her heart was breaking into millions of pieces, the person she trusted the most could be this disgusting? Why? How?

"At first I drugged your drinks and the rest you know... But he is one nice guy I must say, he not only fucked you but also clicked some nice shots with you when you were sleeping, he sent me them by himself."

"Wha... That man..."

"Right. It was him who did everything. He was the one who gave me the idea of how I should take revenge on you and tarnish your image. Thanks to him, I got what I wanted easily." Leila smirked, blowing on her printed nails.

Irene always treated Leila like her sister, to think Leila could hate her never crossed her mind.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

"Should I tell you? Honestly, you should just die in some corner. We grew up together in an orphanage, why would you only get everything but I can't. Everyone thinks I'm your maid and that I'm leeching off of your money. I'm so fucking tired of all the shit." Leila uttered angrily.

Irene always heard people saying that she was being too kind of Leila that one day, she might backstab her but she never gave an ear to those rumours.

For the moment she forgot that it was indeed Leila who sent her to that room and gave her the keys. Everything started making sense now that Leila came clean to her.

"I knew Alvin wouldn't believe it without proof so I showed him the pictures and as you can see, what happened next...."

Irene ran to her. "Leila, say it was all a lie. You are my best friend, I love you the most, you can't do this to me. Please... You know how..."

But Leila pushed her away, like throwing some old furniture that we no longer need.

"Stay away from me! Now, you are done for Irene Miller. You know what? You should listen to your mother, everyone will be happy if you die!" With those words ending from her mouth, Leila took her leave.

Like always, everyone left her behind. Irene had no idea how long she had been running until she felt so weak on the knees. She left the wedding venue and has been on the run since then.

The doctor said her brother was up for the operation but she needed to pay the money first which was depending on David. Since David wouldn't pay her a cent, she tried borrowing it from others but none helped her.

Ring!

"Doctor, give me some time. I will arrange the..." Irene was interrupted as the nurse's voice came as heavy and remorseful from the other side of the call, "I'm sorry, Miss Miller... Your brother couldn't hold on any longer. He is no more. I'm really sorry."

Her phone slipped from her hand. Her droopy eyelids were all tired of crying for long, her lips barely moved as she was looking into the space.

In a few hours, she lost everything. It felt like a curse that knew nowhere to stop at.

Suddenly those words that Alora told her played in her head. All her senses stopped working except one that was telling her to follow those words...

'If I die, will anyone come to my funeral?'

Irene paused in the middle of the road, smiling like a fool. The sound of a car coming towards her hit her ears with the lights blocking her view.

Suddenly it started raining, as if the universe wanted to cry for her pathetic life. In no time the car hit her, her body was thrown at a close distance.

Lying on the roadside when it was still raining, Irene felt her body getting numb. Blood oozed out of her body like a blood bath, her breathing became unstable and her eyes felt heavier. In throbbing pain she stared at the dark sky.

"If I ever get a chance, I will make him pay... Pay triple of what I suffered because of him... I will..." Her hand touched the floor lifelessly when she closed her eyes...