Chapter 525: I Want to Go Back

Mills was pulled around by Drax and introduced to more people than she cared to know. She worked hard to learn the country's expectations of her, because she did not want to make Drax's family look bad. They had been nothing but kind to her, especially his parents. They had already announced their engagement, and she would save her irritated glares for Drax until after the event.

Armed with a fake smile, Mills made it through greeting after greeting, but all the while Mina's words were playing in her mind. She was free to leave if she wanted, she knew that, but it was not entirely the fact that she had slept with Drax that was holding her back. She had fallen for the man, and part of her wanted to believe that the changes she saw in him were temporary, but she did not know if she could gamble away her happiness because of hope.

"You look miserable," Drax said into the side of her head. To anyone else it looked like he had lovingly kissed her ear. Mills looked up at the man, placing a hand on his cheek before she spoke.

"That's because I am." A flash of hurt danced across his face before he released her and walked away. He fell in with a chatting group and Mills started to head back to Mina. She stopped to speak to a few people along the way, including one who wore a mocking smile as she introduced herself.

"Hasn't Drax ever mentioned me?" Mills shook her head in the negative and the woman pouted dramatically. "Well, of course he would forget to mention his former fiancé." Mills steeled herself, not allowing her hurt and shock to display.

"Well Lydia it's nice to meet you, but my friend is waiting for me. Maybe later?" The woman nodded, and Mills started her journey to Mina again. Someone else distracted her, which delayed her retreat, but also allowed her to see her fiancé gently place his hand on the lower back of Lydia before the pair walked out of view.

Mills watched them carefully, sneaking around in such a way that made her feel pathetic, but she had to see where they were going, and know why they needed to escape from view to speak. She stood against the wall, listening to the woman beg Drax for something. She had missed the beginning of the conversation, so she was unsure, but Drax also seemed conflicted. He was saying 'no,' but he did not push away the woman whose arms were wrapped around his waist with her face buried in his chest.

The sight nauseated Mills, but not as much as when she saw the man she loved, lower his face toward Lydia's. She retreated quickly, unwilling to watch Drax kiss another woman right in front of her. Mills had felt pain before, it was literally a work hazard, but she would prefer to be stabbed one hundred times then to feel how she felt now ever again. She finally made it to Mina, whose peaceful expression morphed into one of worry as soon as she saw her.

"What happened?" Mina pulled Mills close to her and shielded her from view knowing that her friend was on the verge of crying.

"Drax he- His ex-fiancé- Lydia kissed- Mina, I think he is cheating on me." Mina shushed the woman, knowing that she was finding it difficult to process whatever happened, but she had enough information to make a guess.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to leave. I want to leave now. I want to go back to Sani."

"I will create a distraction for you." but Mills did not seem to want to leave alone.

"Please come with me."

"If I go with you, Drax will find you before our flight lands." Mills pulled away from the woman and stared into her eyes.

"You aren't really an employee with the Lee group, are you?" Mina flashed a loving smile as she shook her head, making Mills sob with guilt. She did not understand why Mina had runaway before, but now it made sense.

"I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to get you involved."

"What will happen to you if I leave?"

"Nothing you can control, but don't worry about me for now; I will stall for as long as possible. In the meantime, get to a country where we can both be safe. It may take some time, but I will meet you there." Mina dug into her bag and handed Mills her brand new untracked device. "I bought it this morning, but it's ready to go." She then dug into her chest and pulled out a black satchel that she pushed at Mills. Confused, the woman opened it to reveal a wad of cash. She pulled Mina into the tightest goodbye hug she could give.

"Thank you, and please, tell my brother, there are no goodbyes between us. He will understand." Mills handed Mina her engagement ring, and she left the balcony to search for a distraction. She saw Drax, laughing with a group of women, one of which was too touchy, and her resolve to pursue Paul broke. She disliked Miss Maggie, but she did not want to hurt anyone in that way.

Mina was too busy staring at Drax's intimate proximity to the woman next to him, so she did not see trouble staring at her, not that she cared, she needed to make a distraction anyway. She took a confident step, and her feet were swept from under her, sending her sprawling on the ground. She could have caught herself, but she chose to fall with force. Sadly, Drax did not even turn around, and few people saw what had happened.

"My goodness Mina, I didn't see you," Miss Lisa said in an animated whisper. A young woman who looked like a female version of the vice president rushed to Mina's side.

"You did that on purpose," the woman said looking up at Lisa, who wrapped her arm around Luna's for protection.

"I did not."

"I saw you," the woman said, which was the truth. She had been curious as to who the beautiful woman strolling through the mansion was, and she found herself staring. She noticed the woman was distracted, just about the same time she noticed Ian's girlfriend sticking her foot out further than she needed to take a step forward. "I am Fiori Staton. Can you stand?" Mina nodded holding her wrist, which she had genuinely hurt.

"I'm fine Miss Staton, I'm sure it was an accident. No need to cause a scene." It was at that time that Mr. and Mrs. Staton made their way to Mina, who looked down in shame. When she planned to cause a distraction, she had not planned to humiliate herself in the process.

"What's going on here?" the man asked, at the same time recognizing Mina. "Miss Harlow, I thought the president said that your struggles were over?" Mina stifled a laugh at the man's teasing joke.

"Sorry sir, I tripped."

"You were tripped," Fiori said, and her mother hushed her.

"You should take a lesson from Miss Harlow. This is obviously not a good place to talk," she whispered through gritted teeth. Mina's gown was too restrictive to allow her to stand on her own, so Fiori and her father had to help her on her feet. Her face turned red when she saw that the dress had been stained by something that must have spilled before she fell.

"Follow me to my room, I will give you something to change into." Mina found herself grateful that many of the people who were in attendance were Staton family members, and barely anyone from the Lee family had been in the room. She wanted to change into the dress Fiori had given her quickly, so she could continue with her distraction, hoping that Mills could at least make it across city lines.