[3 pm]
After completing the spa, Bella took Lili to a restaurant and ordered heavy food for herself and protein-rich salad for Lili. "I don't want you to a have a big stomach bump." Bel giggled and continued stuffing her mouth with food. She was hungry as she hadn't had time to eat since the previous night.
Lili pouted to see the vegetables and leaves on her plate. She felt like an animal but had no choice expect to agree to Bel's motherly instructions. Poking the fork into the salad, she shoved her mouth with greens. "I am hungry. I should have energy to stand in the wedding. Let me eat some meat." Lili cried, licking her lips while staring at Bel's plate.
Bella gazed at Lili's pale and shallow face. "Did you eat yesterday?"
Lili put her bottom lip forward and shook her face. "I drank beer and ate chips with you."
Bella pinched her brows and was in utter shock, "Aren't you hungry?" It was over forty hours since Lili ate proper food. "F**k the wedding. Eat!" Bel pushed her plate towards Lili. Showing up at the wedding with the slight bump was much better than those vampire eyes and skin.
Lili stretched her lips to the ears and digged into the delicious and savourous food. It was a thousand times better than the green salad. Bella took the salad and tried it, but at last ended up pushing it away and ordering some grilled chicken.
After ten minutes, when the speed of their gulping slowed down, Lili's mobile rang. She moaned and wiggled her legs like a small child. "Hi! Call me when you reach the hotel," the TAKEN CARE OF guy instructed and cut the call, without waiting for her reply.
"What the….? What's his problem with me?" Lili scowled at the home screen on her mobile.
"What happened? Who was that?" Bel asked after seeing the anxiousness and frustration on Lili's face.
"It's Beau! He wants us to call after arriving at the hotel."
"Oh!!" Bel sighed, looking at her watch. "Let's hurry! With must go home, take uncle and aunt, and then go to the venue." She lifted her hand for the waiter and requested the bill.
"I don't want to go with them!" Lili whispered, looking at the table. She didn't want to meet or even look at her parents. They were literally selling her off for their survival. If not for her father's inefficiency, she would never marry such a proud and cruel person. At some times, she also felt as if her father was scheming something to marry her off.
Niklaus' comment - 'This isn't you,' made her confused as his tone and eyes showed concern and truthfulness. She didn't understand if he knew her or simply said that statement based on some detective's report.
Bella didn't want to get involved in Lili's family matters, so nodded helplessly. "Do you want me to tell them?"
"Please!"
Bella informed Lili's mom that they were going to the venue as they needed to give measurements for the wedding dress alteration. Her mom just hummed and asked Bel to take care of her daughter. Bella felt incredibly sad for Sophie. She was always aware of Lili's bad rapport with her father and the best connection with her mom. But now, from the situation, she felt Sophie too lost Lili's trust.
Riding to the venue, Lili still searched for any options. She thought of running away, leaving her emotionless and irresponsible parents, but she couldn't. Where could she go to? She hasn't got her graduation certificate and surviving in the same country with the known and popular face would be much more difficult.
"Why did Beau ask to contact him after reaching the venue?" Bel interrupted her. They were about a mile away from the destination. "Call him!"
"No need! He just wants to highlight that he is good at his job. We can find out ourselves."
"Ah!! I don't think he wanted to show off!" Bell muttered and pushed Lili's head down. "Do you know how many channels are present in our country?"
"What?" Lili slightly lifted her head to see about sixty cameras and hundreds of journalists. She gulped down and her palms turned wet with nervousness. "Are they all going to shoot my wedding?" she muttered. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and told herself that everything would be fine. She further appreciated herself for listening to Bella's spa idea.
"Of course! Now stop zoning out and call that Beau guy." Bell yelled while checking on the media and pushing the curious Lili's head down.
"Hello Beau, I am near the hotel!"
"Good! Don't get out of the car and hide yourself! I am coming out!" He remarked and cut the call.
"Eh!!! Why does she always get to cut the call first?"
Bel pinched her lips and glared at Lili. "I think you should think about not getting caught by the media, now."
In a minute, Beau came and took them inside through the back door. While they were sprinting, Lili asked the most stupid question, "Why are there so many people at the entrance?" still not aware of Mr. Cooper's popularity.
"Are you thinking that they are because of you?" Beau mocked, which made Bella chuckle. "Anyway, just get used to it!" he remarked, and took the girls into a room.
As soon as Liliya stepped inside, a girl and a guy pulled her and made her sit in front of a large mirror. The girl was gazing at her face and body through the mirror, while the guy pulled out a lock of her hair, twisted it and rotated it. All of that was making Lili uncomfortable, especially the girl who was staring and analyzing her reflection.
After a minute, the girl pulled the man to a side, and both started whispering to each other. Lili's eyes narrowed as she looked at them from the mirror and examined their lip moments.
"Ms. Meyers, you can have a look at the wedding dresses while we discuss your makeup and hair." The girl told Lili by pointing to a connecting room.