Chapter 4

Though, I didn't mean for this to happen. Standing in that lavish hall, surrounded by crystal chandeliers and people draped in designer clothing worth more than my monthly rent, I felt like an outsider. My simple black dress, the nicest thing I owned, suddenly felt cheap and inadequate. The air was thick with the smell of expensive perfume mingling with the aroma of gourmet hors d'oeuvres, getting my head to spin slightly. Or maybe that was just me being anxious.

I have been on the edge lately, trying to fit in in a crowd while keeping an eye out for Rosy too. Just as she had been watching me too, I could tell. Now and then, I'd catch her whispering to Freya, both of them throwing me glances from time to time. Their stares weighed heavy on me making my skin crawl all over.

Earlier, I'd overheard snippets of their conversation as I passed by. "To think she showed up?" Rosy had whispered, loud enough for me to hear. "Oh my, look at her. She doesn't even belong here." With Freya's tinkling laugh seeing me off, cutting through me like sharp glass.

I tried to ignore them, but I did. I focused on the classical music playing softly in the background, and on the clink of champagne glasses, on anything but their whispers and sidelong glances always have me ma. But then Rosy decided to up her game a notch.

She sorts her way to a spot nearer to me Freya trailing behind her like an eager puppy, more like a puppet. Rosy's deep blue gown sparkled under the golden light, making her look like she'd stepped out of a fashion magazine. "Gianna," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "it's surprising how Thane had you come tonight. Didn't he tell you it was a... formal event?"

I felt my cheeks burn but forced myself to stay calm. "He did. And here I am."

Freya giggled, covering her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand. "Oh, honey, I think what Rosy meant was that this isn't the kind of party for people who shop at... where exactly did you get those rags again? Target?"

I jolted and felt something change in me. Maybe it was the weeks of enduring their shitty comments, or maybe it was the way Freya's eyes at me are filled with malice even when she hides behind her innocent expression. Without thinking much, I grabbed a glass of red wine from a passing waiter and poured it directly at Rosy's face.

The obvious gasp of the crowd was left to settle. Rosy stood there, mouth open in shock, her expensive makeup running down her face along with the wine. Deciding to strike the iron while hot, I reached for the nearest dish - a bowl of spicy chili gravy - and flung it at her, before she could react to anything.

Only, Freya chose that moment to step in to cover  Rosy.

Making the gravy meant for Rosy, hit her full on the face, and her scream was loud for all to hear after. "My eyes...oh my beautiful eyes, I can't see!" she gasped, doubling over. Tears were mixed with the red sauce, making her face swell up in an instant. The crowd around us took a step back, to leave room for the inevitable war about to go down, creating a circle of space as if my actions were contagious.

I stood there, frozen, as chaos erupted around me. Rosy rushed to Freya's side, all thoughts of her wine-soaked appearance forgotten. "Just hold on, Freya. We'll get you to the hospital," she said, her voice trembling with what sounded like genuine concern. But when she looked at me over Freya's hunched form, I saw the triumph written in her eyes.

The security guards reached me in a flash before I could even think of escaping. Their grip on my arms was rough, unnecessarily so. "You, come with us. You're causing a scene," one of them said, his voice filled with disdain. I could feel the judgment radiating from him - another person who thought I didn't belong there.

"I didn't do anything wrong," I protested, but my voice was weak, unconvincing even to my ears. As they started dragging me toward the exit, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. The whispers followed me like a wave: "How shocking!" "Who let her in?" "I always knew she was trouble."

The humiliation burned my cheeks as I was pushed through the crowd. I caught glimpses of faces I recognized - colleagues of Thane's, society women who had always looked down their noses at me, and even a few people I had thought were friendly acquaintances. None of them would meet my eyes now.

Through the grand windows, I saw the ambulance arrive, its lights casting eerie red and blue shadows across the marble floor. Medical staff rushed in with a stretcher, their hurried footsteps echoing in the now-quiet hall. As they whisked Freya away, I heard the screech of tires as the ambulance pulled out of the circular driveway.

The security guards shoved me into a side room - a stark, dimly lit space that felt a world away from the opulence of the main hall. I sat on a stiff sofa, my hair still dripping with wine that had splashed back on me during the chaos. My hands were shaking, and I clasped them tightly in my lap to stop the trembling.

Reality was starting to sink in. Thane would be furious. We'd had fights before, but this... this was different. I had lost control in front of everyone who mattered to him. The weight of what I'd done pressed down on me like a physical thing, making it hard to breathe.

But beneath the regret and fear, there was something else - a small, defiant spark that refused to be extinguished. Rosy and Freya had been tormenting me for months, taking every opportunity to remind me that I didn't belong in their world. Maybe it was time someone stood up to them, even if my method had been... less than ideal.

The door creaked open, letting in a gust of cold air that made me shiver. I didn't need to look up to know who it was - Marino's presence filled the room like a storm cloud. I could hear Rosy's quiet sniffling behind him, playing the perfect victim.

"Gianna." His voice was steely, devoid of any warmth.

I raised my eyes to meet his, summoning every ounce of defiance I had left. "What do you want?"

"Freya is in the hospital. What were you thinking?" He stood there in his perfectly tailored suit, looking down at me like I was something he'd scraped off his shoe.

A cold smile spread across my face, even as I felt my voice shake slightly. "What was I thinking? I was thinking how tired I am of being blamed for everything. You think I care about what you do to me now?"

Marino stepped closer, looming over me. In the dim light, I could see the tension in his jaw and the hardness in his dark eyes. These were the eyes of a man used to getting his way, used to everyone bowing to his will. "You assaulted them, Gianna. Do you understand the consequences?"

"Do whatever you want, Marino. I'm not afraid of you anymore." The words came out stronger than I felt, and I saw something flicker in his expression - surprise, maybe, or anger.

"Stubborn as always. Fine. Don't expect any mercy."

The crackle of a walkie-talkie cut through the tension. "The police are on their way," a security guard confirmed, and my stomach dropped. I had known there would be consequences, but somehow, the reality of police involvement hadn't seemed real until now.

Marino turned to the guards, his voice almost casual. "Good. Let them handle it. We'll see how tough you are, Gianna, once you're sitting in a cell."

"You'll regret this, Marino. Mark my words." I kept my voice icy, refusing to let him see how my heart was racing at the mention of police.

He didn't respond, just turned his back on me. Rosy, who had been hovering in the doorway, shot me a triumphant smirk as they left the room. The heavy door shut behind them with a final-sounding thud, and I was alone.

I sat motionless, my fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms. Outside, I could hear the approaching wail of police sirens, growing louder with each passing time. My mind raced through possible scenarios - arrest, jail, the shame of it all that could splash across the society pages. Thane would probably break off our engagement. My career, already hanging by a thread in this town where Marino's influence reached everywhere, would be over.

But as the sirens grew closer, something hardened inside me. They thought they could break me, thought they could make me crawl back and beg for forgiveness. They had no idea who they were dealing with, for sure.