Chapter 24

Going down the stairs, Max ordered Gina to meet with him in his office as they had something to discuss. Gina nodded in agreement as she followed him with the platter of juice in her hands.
Reaching his office, Max pushed the door with his right hand, and with the left, he ushered Gina inside and she placed the platter on the table keeping her head bowed down. Waiting for her boss to say what he had to say, she heard him say,
" I need you to take care of the house tomorrow as it will be a grand day in this Mansion".
Max was serious about what he had just said and Gina raised her head asked what she has to do Max took his seat, reminding Gina of the event that is to take place tomorrow and how decorations are to be made.
"The food will be cooked out of the house so you need not worry about it", he spoke out folding his fingers.
Gina was not happy at all as it could be seen on her face but there was nothing she could do. With that being said, Max told her to go back to her duty post as she gets some rest for the next day.
Gina lowering her gaze nodded in understanding to her boss and with a quick turn, she left for the kitchen.
" I have to do something real quick tomorrow if not her life will be damaged", Gina spoke out, running her hands in her hair not knowing what to do.
Max was sitting in his office and he had already printed out the cards and made every arrangement against tomorrow. Understanding that his niece had no one else aside from him, he felt that no one could interfere with his plans. Taking a drink from his glass, he breathe in some air as he felt it going down his throat and also making its way to his stomach.
He looked at the platter that Gina had left on the table, but he preferred taking some glasses of hot drink whenever he was stressed out and had a lot on his mind.
"Tomorrow is going to be a great day and I will have everything in its possession after that", Max spoke to himself and with a feeling of regret, he could not understand what had gotten into him. Max still had some goodness in him when it came to his niece but he could not just bear to have her everything and he will be under her. Letting out a deep sigh, he rose to his feet and switched off the lights in his office, he walked out of there closing his door carefully before going to his room where he will resign from the rest of the world and sleep off.
The night was very long for everyone most especially for Crystal and Gina who could not find some sleep as she was planning for her escape. Gina's mind was filled with a lot of thoughts but she could not think of any way to get Crystal to leave from there.
Crystal was so weak from crying and her eyes kept on being blurred that she could not control her body anymore. Lying down on her bed as though she was dead, she thought of what her life will be like as soon as she will be given off.
There was no hope for her anymore and everything that she had hoped for was gone to shambles without anything to hold back to.
" Stop fighting Crystal and accept your doom as there is nothing you can do anymore", Crystal thought out loud and without any hope left she closed her swollen eyes and begged for sleep to locate her as she could not wait for tomorrow to come and end her misery.
Nathan was enjoying himself and giving his friends drinks raising his shoulders as he said that he was going to be an in-law to Mr. Taylor. His life had suddenly taken a different turn and he was so happy about it.
"You are one lucky dude you know?", one of his friends asked while taking up a bottle of drink and pouring in a glass in front of him and another corroborated it.
" What can a fine man do?", Nathan asked them laughing out loud, telling the lady squatting by him to caress his beards and make him feel good. Nathan had only bad ideas in his head and he could not wait for tomorrow.
"Don't get wasted man, you need to be ready for tomorrow if not you will miss your wedding", his friend spoke out while the others joined him to laugh out so loud.
Nathan could not miss that wedding for anything in the world as 10million francs CFA was not a small amount to be taken likely. Also, the wedding was going to take place in the Taylors mansion as Mr. Max wished to avoid any unforeseen circumstances tomorrow.
" Is the girl pretty?", another asked him raising his brows, and Nathan not minding the lady that was by him, took off her hand and smiling like a fool, said that Crystal is as beautiful as a goddess.
"Then you have won a jackpot bro, a beautiful woman, and free money", they all laughed out whacking their glasses and Nathan screamed out that they should have fun.
The night was fun for him and his friends and he had nothing to worry about as a lavishing life awaits him as from tomorrow.
Max laid on his bed as well thinking of how tomorrow was going to be but before anything else, he had to make sure that He speaks to Crystal to let her know the things she was to do and what not to do.
The darkness took over everyone's eyes so was the morning sun and the chants of the birds on the trees listened to. Waking up from sleep, Max could hear his phone ringing on the table and turning to the side of the bed to pick up the call, he could listen to the person talking on the other side of the phone and it was the Magistrate that was to officialize the wedding.
He could give attention to the sounds of equipment in the garden and he was sure that everything was taken care of. His guard had everything under control as he was giving others and telling them what to do.
The morning had started well for Max but not for Crystal. She was hoping that someone could just come to check ok her to notice this.
" How can I be getting married like this as though I have no right to make my own decisions not to invite my friends?", she asked herself not being able to cry anymore as her eyes were closed and she could not see well.
She could feel the movement of the guards walking up and down and she had given attention to the bell that had gone out indicating that someone was at the door. Presenting her ear to her door, she had hoped to listen to the voice of someone that she knows or better still to Eva but it was not the case as it seemed that, Eva had bought the story she was being told about her traveling out of town.
There was nothing more to do and she could not fight it anymore. The delivery guy had delivered Crystal's wedding gown and Gina had received it and she had also signed the documents showing that it was received.
Holding the package into her hands, her heartbeat for Crystal's sake, and holding her breath, she took the stairs as she went to Max's compartment to give an account of the dress that was just delivered.
Knocking at his door, he called out his name and he asked her to come in which she did as she pushed the door leading her way inside.
"Here is Ms. Crystals wedding dress that was just delivered", she spoke out and Max turned to her, said,
" You know what to do next right?".
Gina nodded in understanding and left for Crystal's room to drop the package. Reaching in front of her room, she told the guards that she needed to drop her gown. The guard opened up the room and let her inside.
Crystal was still sitting on her bed with a sad look and a disheartening spirit. When she saw Gina come in, she slowly told her that everything was finished for her. Gina, pushing the door and closing it, told the guards that no one had to come in as the bride had to measure her dress to know whether or not it was fitting to her taste.
Going closer to Crystal, she told her not to worry as she had got a plan over the night and whispering it in Crystals' ear, she became scared for Gina as she said that her uncle was going to kill her if he finds out about that.
Gina asked her silent at Crystal's words, asked her whether she wanted to escape that hell hole or marry the idiot that she saw at the house the other day, but Crystal was too afraid after all that she had seen from her uncle.
"Your face is all swollen and you look messed up you know", Gina spoke out not liking the state in which she was seeing Crystal. She told her not to worry as she was going to do her best to get her out of there.
While they were still talking, Max's, footsteps could be heard as well as his voice. He was talking on the phone and it was clear that he was talking to Nathan because of the words he was utilizing.
He instructed Nathan not to be late and to make sure that the friends he was to invite were not going to cause any trouble.
The guards had already touched the handle of the door as he approached and Gina had already left Crystal's side and returning to stand by the table, she behaved like nothing was going on.
It was going to be very tough for them both to leave the mansion unnoticed.
Max walked into the room, got disgusted by the sight of Crystal as he screamed out in fear,
" What the hell happened to her face?".
He could not hold back himself as he laughed out loud making Crystal feel so bad that the last year that was left in her system, came out through her left eye.
"Can you tell the makeup artist to cover up all these swollen eyes I am seeing here?", Max asked Gina who was feeling pained by the situation.
Gina, having no choice but to accept everything that Max was telling her, said that she was going to make sure that Crystal was going to be the most beautiful bride history had ever known. Max was pleased to hear that.
Taking a close look at his niece, he told her not to mess up things for him as he will be watching at her every step of the way. His voice was that of a beast and his laughter hurt Crystal so much.
After saying those words, he turned to Gina instructing her to be very vigilant and to supervise properly the workers in the house. Max left without another word and Gina did not want to say anything to Crystal, picked up the platter that was left on her table and left her room for the kitchen.
She planned on making her favorite sandwiches and a glass of juice for her. Being in the kitchen, she gave attention to the guard letting some more decorators who came late. Apologizing, for being late they went inside.
Gina had already finished making the sandwiches and on a platter, she took it to meet Crystal. Arriving in her room, she gave her asking her to eat up as they had to do something very important later.
" Thank you so much for being here for me Gina, I owe you a lot", she spoke up and the stench from her mouth made Gina bend over backward asking when the last time she brushed up her teeth was as the smell could wake up a dead rat.
Crystal asked whether it was that bad and Gina making an effort not to offend her, lowered her gaze and said,
"It is worst Ms. Crystal". Feeling embarrassed, she said that she was going to the bathroom to brush up her teeth and Gina nodded quickly asking her to better do before someone loses their life.
Crystal had found a friend and sister in Gina, and the challenges that she had been through had fortified their bond. Gina left her room head downstairs, and realizing that the Chefs were making their way into the premises, made her get a look at the time and noticed how fast the time had gone, she turned to the living room admiring the view of it as it was very beautiful.
" This could really be useful but unfortunately, it is for a wrong purpose", Gina spoke out. Walking back into her room to get another pair of maid dresses, she took it out and coming back into the living room, she saw a lady walking inside the Mansion with two persons behind her.
"Hello, ma'am", the lady spoke out to a guard asking where she could find the bride as she is her make-up artist.
Gina felt like the earth had fallen on her head as she did not expect for her to come so soon.
The lady and her allies could not stop looking at the mansion as they were wowed by its beauty and elegance. The house was well decorated and its huge walls were the first things anyone who came into the house noticed.
Interrupting her conversation with the guard, she went to the lady introducing herself as the maid in the Mansion and asking her what she could do for her. The lady introduced herself as the makeup artist, and showing the two ladies that were behind her, she said that they were beauticians and were going to make the bride's hair.
Gina was caught up but she had to still do something about the whole thing as that was the only opportunity they could have since it was a crowded day. Asking them to follow her, she let the way to Crystal's room.
The room was still a mess and walking to the corridor, the guards outside Crystals roll asked what they wanted and Gina told him that they were there for Crystal's makeover.
The room was still unkept and when the door was opened, they found Crystal sitting on the floor and eating from the platter like a prisoner who had just been released.
Wondering in awe, the makeup artist asked with a look of disgust, whether that was the lady they had to fix and Gina said yes. Not liking the way they were looking at her, she asked better they had a problem with the way she looked but out of fear, they all said that there was no problem.
"Good because if I notice that you want to make a mockery of her, I might as well tell it boss", she spoke out.
"The room is so I kept so I do not think that we can do this here", one of the hairdressers spoke out and that was a perfect opportunity for Gina who proposed to them that they could make use of the guest room.
The Makeup artist and her crew accepted but Gina told them that, they had to be the ones to say it to the guards outside as they may refuse if she is the person to say it. The ladies not knowing what her plan is told her not to bother as they could not work in such an environment.
Walking out to the guards, the lady spoke out to them explaining that they could not work in such an unkempt area but the guards said that they had to deal with the situation like that. Gina could not interfere with that and all she could do was to cross her fingers that everything was going to go as planned.
Listening to the guards, the makeup artist was so devastated and did not know what to do again and one of the stylists suggested that they arrange the room and start with the preparation as they were going to be cut up with time.
The other stylist denying the idea of her colleague instead raised a question,
" Why don't you put a call across to Mr. Taylor and explain the situation here to him".
She was fascinated with the idea and hit her head asking why she had not thought about it. Unzipping her bag, she took out her phone and scrolling for his number, she finally came to it and called.
The line was stopped as the call showed Dane awry to reach your contact. The connection looked like it was jammed so she called out again expecting that it will be good this time.
"Hello", Mr. Taylor picked up the call and spoke out at the other end of the phone.
" Hi sir, Micah speaking", she said it a smile.
Max had recognized the name and he immediately asked whether she was at the Mansion and she said yes.
"Is my niece giving you trouble?", he inquired and she could give attention to so much noise behind. It was obvious that he was with some friends having good times as she could listen to one of the men asking for an additional bottle of champagne.
" No Sir but I just have a request", she said turning back to look at her colleagues and also at Gina. Max who was very open-eyed and cognizant as to everything that was to happen that day, asked what she wanted.