Ch 22: Mill Family

"I thought I'd never see you again," Crystal cried in my arms. "We begged to have your body back so we could give you a proper funeral and burial but Mr. Collin refused to cooperate with us."

"That's why you never bailed me out," I cried and everyone nodded. We pulled out of the hug, wiping away many tears. "I don't understand why this happened."

Mr. Mill hugged me, and suggested, "Let's go to my study and I'll explain."

With Mrs. Mill, Alejandro, Crystal, Zach, Orlando, and I followed Mr. Mill to his study. We sat down across from one another on the couches. I sat between Orlando and Crystal.

"Do you know who killed the workers in your team and those other civilians in Egypt?" Mr. Mill asked me.

"No, I don't and I was about to ask if you knew who did it." I shared. "Mr. Collin said he fired me to protect me."

Mr. and Mrs. Mill sigh across from us sitting together. "Unfortunately, we don't but I have a feeling Mr. Collin framed you to plan out this whole scheme for Kai to pretend to save you." Mr. Mill said, quoting his fingers.

"Then you know who Kai is?" I asked.

"We've always known Kai," answered Mr. Mill. "He lives off the grid thanks to Mr. Collin. I think he may be hiding that his son has a drinking problem."

"Yeah, I noticed that," I said, rolling my eyes. "But what does this have to do with me?"

"Unfortunately, the reason is that we are rivals with the Collin family. Just to backstab us is why they were stealing you away from my son Orlando. So their son Kai could marry you. Just like they did it to Zoey when they forced her to marry Chester," Mrs. Mill told me.

"Wait, what are you saying about Zoey?" I asked, perplexed.

"Zoey was to marry my nephew CJ but unfortunately, Zoey was taken from us. Once we found out she was married to Chester. There was nothing we could do but bite our tongues," Mr. Mill clarified.

Yet I was confused and asked. "How can someone force a marriage on somebody else?"

Mr. Mill further shared. "We have equal power and no authority can stop it. We have judges, government, and officials that work for us. That is why Zoey could never divorce Chester. Unfortunately, after all this time thus having children with Chester. Somewhere down the line, she fell in love with Chester and turned her back on CJ Mill."

I was shocked to hear this and looked at Orlando saying, "I will never love Kai."

"You have no idea how happy you make me," Orlando said softly, looking into my eyes.

"With that being mentioned, my dear. We must ask that you marry Orlando tomorrow." Mrs. Mill asked me and I faced her more shocked.

"But how would we have time to plan?" I was baffled.

"Unfortunately, we will have to shop online and have the servants buy what we need in the morning." Crystal said to me.

"It's the only way to stop you from being forced to marry Kai," said Mr. Mill. "The Collin family has been keeping a watchful eye on you for a while now."

"Now do you understand why we went to the University?" Crystal asked.

"This is also why I tried to stop you from going on that excavation," Orlando claimed.

Finally, it was all making sense. Everything Kai said was a lie. I wasn't rescued because they thought I was dead. This proves that Orlando wasn't cheating me. That Kai tries to claim.

"Let's get started then," I said after being silent for more than three minutes from gathering my thoughts.

~~~

Things happened real fast after that. We ladies left the study and we did my measurements. While the men did the same with Orlando. To rush the time Crystal was online looking at gowns. With Mrs. Mill's help, I ended up picking this bare shoulder lace princess-looking gown. It wasn't fully my taste and it needed some things fixed on it but I didn't have time to be picky. I have to stop Kai from marrying me. At three o'clock am, we were somewhat done. But I was exhausted so Orlando took me to his room for me to rest. He went through his closet and gave me a long

shirt to sleep in.

Once changed, I lay in bed and he came over kissing me softly. The sound of our lips pecking was the only thing I could hear.

"Orlando, I forgot Kai threw out the engagement ring you gave me on the busy highway bridge," I told him softly.

Orlando kissed me again and said from the small gap between our lips when touching. "I'll take care of it."

I wrapped my arms around him and we kissed non-stop for twenty minutes.

"You need to rest, I'll be in the spare room if you need me," Orlando said and then kissed me one last time goodnight.

~~~

The morning came earlier and it was about nine o'clock am. And here I was staring at myself in the mirror. Professionals, dazzled my face in beautiful makeup and my wedding gown was on. I was frosted with diamond jewels on my ears, neck, and wrists.

Crazy to think but I felt like a princess.

The gown looked pretty similar to Cinderella's dress. Ok, yeah, it was a Cinderella gown. My hair was fully curled up in a whole up-due and then it was pinned up in diamond clips. The up-do wasn't my idea but I didn't wanna disagree with Mrs. Mill. Then to be more honest she was the one who talked me into wearing this Cinderella-looking Barbie doll gown. But what I wear isn't important. What's important is I get to live my life with Orlando.

"You look beautiful," Crystal said when adjusting the veil to look perfect on my head.

"Thank you, Crystal."

"Since you're dazzling, I'm going to check and see if the men are ready to start," Crystal told me as she cracked the door open and then left before I could speak.

Now it was only me here staring at myself in these long-showing mirrors.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Oddly, I heard a commotion outside the door till everything went silent. Somebody must have dropped some decorations. I giggled to think everyone was rushing to do this wedding.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Crystal hardly left two minutes ago. Hearing her knocking, I knew the men were ready. Now I was about to marry the man I loved. I was going to be Victoria Mill!