|Victoria's POV|

On our way back, we decided to take a little walk to talk. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, and I still couldn't believe he was my husband as he held my hand, his grip warm and reassuring, while he spoke so comfortably.

"Do you think they should know now?" I asked curiously, my heart fluttering at the thought of Halime Sultan and her potential reaction.. I felt a knot of anxiety in my stomach about what she might do to Mustafa.

"I don't want to keep it a secret; besides, we won't be able to" he said with a confident smile, his hazel eyes sparkling in the sunlight "By the time we get there, the news will probably have already reached them"

I chuckled a bit, running my other hand gently over his arm "You're right.. I hope everything goes smoothly"

"As long as you're by my side, everything will be fine" he said, lifting my hand and placing a soft kiss on it, sending a delightful shiver down my spine "We'll throw a grand wedding, and everyone will know about our marriage"

"I still can't wrap my head around it" I smiled, my heart racing.

Suddenly, a playful thought crossed my mind, and I looked at him quickly "You said before that you agree to all my conditions"

"Yes, of course" he nodded, his beautiful hazel eyes locking onto mine, making me feel like I was the only person in the world.

"Okay, I'll write down a list full of those conditions" I joked, my mind racing with thoughts of the harem and what I could ask for.

"Alright, I'll be waiting for that, Victoria Sultan" he said, trying out that title for the first time.

It rolled off his tongue in a way that sounded strangely delightful to my ears, making my heart skip a beat.

"Not bad" I replied, and we both burst into laughter, the sound light and filled with joy.

As we entered the palace, I could see the amazement on the guards' faces as they noticed our intertwined fingers. Their wide eyes and surprised expressions made me smile even more, feeling a sense of pride as I walked beside him.. Our fingers fit together perfectly.

We reached Mustafa's chambers, and our laughter faded when we saw Halime Sultan and Dilruba Sultan standing in the middle of the room, looking pale, their eyes fixed on our hands.

"Mustafa!" Halime Sultan finally said, still in shock.

Mustafa sighed and turned to me "Alright, my beautiful, go back to your room to rest, and we'll meet again shortly" he said with a smile, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Okay" I smiled back, and before leaving, I gave a small smile to Dilruba Sultan and her mother, then stepped out.

I was still smiling like a lunatic, lost in a flashback of when I first met Mustafa.. If someone had told me back then that he would become my husband, I would have grabbed my dress and run as far away as possible.

When I reached my aunt's room, I took a deep breath, feeling a flutter of excitement in my stomach.

I found my auntie sitting on the couch, gazing out the window with a thoughtful expression.. But as soon as she caught sight of me, her face lit up, and she jumped to her feet.

"Oh, Victoria" she exclaimed as she rushed toward me.

I sighed, feeling as if I had lost all my words "Auntie, I have something to tell you, and I really hope that.." Before I could finish, she cut me off, raising her hand as if to hush me.

"Victoria, I know" she said, nodding knowingly as she took my hands in hers, her grip warm and reassuring "The news has spread in the palace not long ago"

"Oh..Mustafa was right" I said, looking into her eyes with a hint of concern, my fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of my dress "So, what now?"

"What can I say, Victoria? As long as you're convinced, I support you" a small smile appeared on her lips, her eyes twinkling with affection "I'm just praying for you since you chose to love the son of the most wicked and crazy woman"

We both laughed, then I excitedly took her hand, pulling her toward the couch. As we settled onto the soft cushions, I leaned in closer, my eyes sparkling with enthusiasm "I need to tell you everything that happened in detail"

"Okay I'm listening, tell me everything" she smiled looking so excited.

-------

|3rd Person POV|

"It's best for you to have an excuse, Mustafa" Halime shouted in anger, her voice echoing in the room.

"Validem, please calm down" Dilruba urged, taking a cautious step closer to her mother.

"Stay away from me" Halime yelled at her daughter, her eyes blazing before turning back to her son.. He was no longer the boy she used to control; the awareness in his gaze now frightened her.

"What excuse do I need? Do I need a reason to get married?" Mustafa replied coolly, sinking into his couch, as he looked at them.

"Mustafa, are you trying to drive me insane?" Halime moved closer, raising a finger "You will cancel this marriage! Have you lost your mind? She isn't even fit to be a sultana or your wife... She's just greedy for the throne of Scotland!"

"You don't know anything" Mustafa said, locking eyes with her before glancing at her pointed finger "You better lower that finger because you're speaking to a sultan, not just some random person"

"Validem!" Dilruba quickly stepped in, gently pushing her mother's hand down, concern etched on her face.

She turned to her brother, trying to speak calmly "Please, brother, Mom is right.. Victoria isn't suitable to be your wife.. You know very well why she's here.. Aren't you supposed to be helping her get back to Scotland?"

"All those details and plans are between me and her" Mustafa stood up, placing his hands behind his back, his posture firm "The marriage is done, and I'm very happy about it.. All you need to do now is start preparing for the wedding. I want it to happen in the coming days because after that, I will be busy" He walked toward the balcony, glancing back at them, and waved his finger dismissively "You can leave now"

-------

|Victoria's POV|

I was still sitting with my auntie when the door swung open with a bang, and Halime Sultan stormed in, her daughter trailing closely behind.

"You idiot" Halime hissed, striding toward me, her hand poised to slap me. But I quickly grasped her wrist before it could reach my face.

"Show some respect!" I said angrily, gripping her hand tightly.

"Victoria, are you serious?" Dilruba approached me, trying to feign innocence, but it was utterly disgusting.

"You too, back off" I released Halime's hand and glared at both of them "On what grounds do you invade my room?"

"Is this how you repay my hospitality and good intentions?" Dilruba exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Come on, Dilruba, stop the acting.. You look ridiculous; I know exactly what you did" I replied calmly, locking my gaze with hers.. She looked speechless.

"It's good you know, so you can understand that your end is near" Halime said, raising an eyebrow with a smirk "Enjoy the wedding.. because soon you'll be buried beneath the ground"

"You should be more worried about the chance of Mustafa finding out your truth" I folded my arms with a small smile "Of course, I will tell him because there's no wife who hides something so important from her husband"

"You don't even have any proof, and yet you threaten us" Dilruba stepped a few paces closer, her expression challenging.

"Even though I don't have it yet, I will get it" I raised my eyebrows defiantly "Let this war begin, and let's see who will emerge victorious"