Nikolai never let go of Lilith's hand.
Even while they slept.
Their fingers remained intertwined on the hospital bed as the door slowly opened and Lilith's family quietly walked inside.
They all stopped.
No one spoke.
They simply watched the two of them sleeping while holding hands.
Anika walked closer and sat beside Lilith.
She gently kissed her forehead.
It was exactly 8:00 a.m.
Riyana entered carrying a food container.
"Neva?" she whispered softly.
"She is still sleeping. She is tired," Nikolai said as he slowly sat upright and rubbed his tired eyes.
"Morning," he greeted everyone.
"How is she now?" Nihal asked.
"Still sleeping. Her temperature just dropped. I need to go get food for her," Nikolai replied.
"No need. We made food for her," Anika said warmly.
Lilith continued breathing peacefully.
"Go. We are here with her, beta," Rhea said gently.
She had come with them as well.
"Thank you. I'll be right back."
Nikolai looked at Lilith again before leaving. He clearly didn't want to go, but he forced himself.
With a heavy heart, he walked out.
When Nikolai reached home, he went straight to the bathroom.
He stepped under the shower.
Water poured down his body while he stood there lost in deep thoughts.
The cold water slowly calmed him.
After a long time, he stepped out and dressed himself.
As he walked toward the door, he noticed Lilith's teddy bear lying on the bed.
He picked it up instinctively.
While walking out of his room, he suddenly noticed something strange.
His siblings were rushing around the mansion.
Boxes were being carried everywhere.
Everyone looked like they were secretly moving something.
"Go go go go!" Zhanna whispered urgently.
Nikolai stopped.
"What's going on here?" he asked suspiciously.
Everyone froze.
"B-brother… why are you here?" Arina asked nervously.
"To take a bath and cook food for Lilith," he replied.
"Oh… okay… then get going," Yulian said quickly.
Nikolai looked at the boxes.
"What's inside them?"
"Uhmmm… alcohol… and party stuff," Daria answered awkwardly.
Nikolai stared at their faces carefully.
He could read every expression.
"Guys, the last box is going to be late. Lily wants—" Damian suddenly said before stopping when he noticed Nikolai.
"Lily wants what?" Nikolai asked coldly.
"Uhmm… morning boss. She wants a tea party," Damian lied.
Nikolai said nothing.
He simply walked into the kitchen.
Then he began cooking carefully for his tiny sick wife.
Meanwhile — Cell 222
The monstrous beast sat quietly outside the prison block while washing his clothes.
No prisoner dared go near him.
Everyone respected him.
Anyone who tried to mess with him ended up in deep trouble.
A new prisoner arrived.
He was slightly taller.
He threw his dirty clothes onto the beast's washing pile.
"Wash them. Then clean them," the man ordered arrogantly.
The beast silently picked up the clothes and threw them back into his face.
"HEY! I SAID WASH THEM!" the prisoner shouted angrily.
A police officer immediately stepped in.
"Kya tum jaante ho woh kaun hai? Kya tum khud ko marwana chahte ho?"
(Do you know who he is? Do you want to get yourself killed?)
"I don't care who he is!" the prisoner snapped.
Then he slapped the beast.
Everything became silent.
The beast slowly stood up.
He grabbed an iron bucket.
And smashed it directly onto the man's head.
CRACK.
The prisoner screamed.
Blood began gushing down his face.
The beast started laughing like a complete psychopath.
Everyone backed away.
The guards quickly dragged the injured prisoner away.
"Calm down sir. Remember, you need to leave soon for your family," an IPS officer reminded him.
The beast took a deep breath.
Then sighed.
He sat back down and continued washing his clothes like nothing happened.
Back at the Hospital
Nikolai opened the hospital room door.
He saw Lilith giggling with Anika while drawing on paper.
"Bambi," he said softly.
"Hi Nikki!" Lilith said happily.
He sat beside her.
"Hungry?"
She nodded.
"Here you go."
He opened the food box he cooked himself.
"T…Thank you Nikki!" she said while happily eating chicken.
Doctor Leonid entered the room.
"It's time for the operation."
Nikolai looked at his tiny wife.
The nurse brought the injection.
"Sleep tight, love," Nikolai whispered.
Leonid injected the medicine.
Within a minute, Lilith yawned.
Nikolai gently took the lunchbox from her hands and kissed her forehead.
The medical team wheeled her out.
The entire family gathered outside.
"Is it time?" Yulian asked.
"Yes," Anika replied while wearing her gloves and coat.
"Please save her," Riyana said.
"I promise I will," Anika replied before entering the operating room.
The red light outside turned on.
Nikolai's heartbeat was extremely fast.
"She will be fine, Nick," Valerio said while patting his shoulder.
Somewhere Else
"We need to kill the Gem and kill Sohan. But we can't find him," one man said.
"But we know where the Gem is," a woman replied.
"That mafia king is dangerous. How are we going to kill her?" another man asked nervously.
"Nobody touches her except me."
A voice echoed in the room.
"She is mine. Only if I want to kill her, I will."
The man turned toward them.
"We will take the Gem away from him."
"I will take her."
He laughed like a maniac.
The others looked at each other nervously.
Five Hours Later — 2:50 PM
Lilith was still in surgery.
Nikolai rubbed his forehead anxiously.
Everyone was waiting.
Suddenly Riyana's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered on speaker.
"Yes?"
"I see you're alive, Mrs. Sohan. Sadly," a man's voice mocked.
"Who is this?"
Everyone turned toward her.
Nikolai listened carefully.
"Either you give me the Gem… or I will take her. Your husband took everything from me. Remember Mohan? The man your husband killed alongside his family after they ambushed him."
"Oh… you're that fucker's son, huh?" Riyana snapped.
"Since you got Tamanna out, which is unfortunate, I decided to take matters into my own hands by taking the Gem of Obsidian Trial who got married to the Russian Mafia King. I can bomb your house, kill your sons, and take your precious Gem."
Nikolai took the phone.
"Now listen to me carefully," he said coldly.
"Run for your lives. All of you behind this."
"I will kill you all for destroying her mind and ruining her life."
"Run for your fucking lives before I get my hands on you."
"I will make you pay dearly and send you to your father since you miss him so much."
"I'll grant you the opportunity to see him in Hell."
He ended the call.
"Track the number," Nikolai ordered.
"Already did," Farhan said.
Nimra stared at him.
"Really? That fast?"
"Yes. He's in New Delhi."
She grinned.
"Well that's amazing."
At that moment, the red light turned off.
The doors opened.
Lilith was wheeled out wearing an oxygen mask.
Nikolai quickly grabbed her tiny hand with his large veiny one.
"Her brain levels were extremely high," Leonid explained.
"She started acting up badly. We replaced all her blood with the blood her four brothers donated this morning."
"Doctor Anika handled the bone marrow."
"Thanks to her, Lily became stable within two minutes."
"She will wake up soon."
Nikolai nodded.
They wheeled her back into the room.
"Mumma are you okay?" Reyen asked.
"Yeah… just scared," Riyana replied.
"Me too," Ariz admitted.
"I think I need to call my son," Anika suddenly said.
"Your son?" Karim asked.
"Yes. He's the one who gave Lily the fire to burn the hospital down and drove us both to the mansion."
She checked her phone.
"Oh… he sent a message."
"What does it say?" Karim asked.
Anika read it.
"My spy came back. Turns out Nikolai treated my little baby well. Also how was the operation mumma? See you soon. Tell Lily I love her."
"Eww," Nikolai muttered.
Everyone laughed.
Later, Lilith woke up.
Zhanna, Arina, Daria, Yulian and Meghna handed her a ring.
Lilith sat quietly and used a tiny iron tool to carve something on it.
She giggled when she finished.
Two Days Later — Nikolai's Birthday Eve
Nikolai cared for Lilith the entire time.
He fed her.
Changed her clothes.
Even bathed with her so she wouldn't fall.
At midnight he suddenly heard giggling.
Her sweet giggle.
"Bambi… go back to sleep," he murmured half asleep.
"Nikki… o…o…open your… e…eyes."
He slowly opened them.
His heart froze.
His tiny wife stood there holding a cake.
Her IV bandage was still on her hand.
He sat up rubbing his eyes.
"H…H…Happy B…Birthday N…Nikki!"
She held a fruit cake.
His favorite cake.
The cake he hadn't eaten since childhood.
He had just turned 27.
"Bambi… did you make this yourself?"
She nodded proudly.
"Lily has three gifts for you. Lily had no money… so I… made them!"
"But your health…" he whispered.
"Blow the candles Nikki! Make a wish!"
He closed his eyes.
I wish Lilith's health gets better.
Let her remain my wife forever.
Give me strength to destroy those who ruined her mind.
He blew the candles.
She clapped happily.
Hidden behind the door, the family secretly watched and recorded everything.
Nikolai tasted the cake.
Tears nearly fell.
He hadn't eaten fruit cake since he was eight years old.
Nikolai's Past
When Nikolai was a child, his mother abandoned him and his siblings.
She left with another man and their firstborn son.
His father's mistress later threw the children out of the house.
They were homeless.
Mr. Greyson took them in.
He raised them alongside his own son and daughter.
Nikolai suffered constant bullying.
He was beaten.
Betrayed.
Left in darkness.
At 17, he became an underground fighter to pay for his siblings' education.
At 19, he defeated the underlords of the mafia world.
He became The Mafia King.
His net worth grew to $9 billion.
Men bowed to him.
His word ruled the criminal world.
But his world remained darkness.
Until Lilith came.
Her giggles.
Her happy dances.
Her innocent laughter.
She became the light of the dark mansion.
"Nikki?" she tapped his face.
"Yes sweetheart… sorry. I got lost in thought."
"You made this cake for me?"
She nodded again.
His heart melted.
He cut another piece and fed her.
She giggled.
"N…Nikki Lily has two gifts for you… I made i…i…it…"
He carried her to the rocking chair.
"Sleep my little Bambi. Show me in the morning."
"Mkay…"
She fell asleep.
He kissed her head.
"Happy Birthday!" everyone shouted.
"Happy Birthday brother!" his siblings hugged him.
"Where is Lily?" Zhanna asked.
"Sleeping. She was… tired last night."
He smiled.
Everyone gasped.
"OH MY GOD BROTHER IS SMILING!" Arina screamed.
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Shhhh. Lily is sleeping," Nikolai warned.
"I need to buy her more toys honestly," Yulian said.
"Me too!" Daria agreed.
Lilith's family entered.
"That bastard has been sending threats for three days," Riyana said angrily.
Nikolai read the messages.
"Childish," he laughed.
"I wish Sohan was here. Within 24 hours he would have dragged that fool out," she added.
Meanwhile Anika and Karim held hands.
They had been secretly dating for months.
Lilith soon woke up.
She rubbed her eyes while holding her teddy bear and slowly waddled downstairs.
"Nikki?"
Everyone turned.
"G…G…Good morning…"
"Morning Lily!" everyone greeted.
"Happy Birthday Nikki!"
She hugged him.
He smiled again and hugged her back.
Later at the office, Regina and her father waited.
"Happy birthday Nick," she said seductively.
He ignored her.
Mr Marat sat down.
"I have a proposal."
"And that would be?" Nikolai asked.
"A marriage proposal. For you and my daughter."
Damian spoke coldly.
"Boss is married."
"What?!" Regina shouted.
"To who?" Marat demanded.
"Lilith Sohan Murad," Rima answered.
Marat's eyes widened in fear.
"You married the Gem of the Obsidian Trial while Sohan Murad is away?! Are you crazy?!"
"Yeah. I am. And she's happy with me. Tell your crazy daughter to leave me alone."
Regina shouted angrily.
"You and your wife will pay for this!"
Every guard instantly pointed guns at her.
"Touch a single hair on her and we will torture you in ways you can't imagine," Addison warned.
"Try anything and you're dead," Caspian added.
"S-she won't do anything! I promise!" Marat said while dragging Regina away.
"Stupid bitch," Nikolai muttered.
Evening — 6:00 PM
Nikolai returned home wearing red pants, a blue vest and Dior slippers.
He walked outside.
Lilith was giggling while drawing.
"Hey Bambi," he said kissing her forehead.
"Hi Nikki!"
"L…Lily has a s…s…surprise for her husband."
She took his hand.
"Eyes closed please!"
He sighed but obeyed.
She led him into a room.
"Now o…o…open!"
He opened his eyes.
His heart melted.
A giant bouquet filled the room.
Black roses.
Black dahlias.
Anemones.
Red camellias.
All the flowers he loved.
And they were huge.
"You did this for me?"
"Uh huh… d…do you like it?"
He smelled them.
Then hugged her tightly.
"Happy Birthday… N…Nikki… Lily loves you," she whispered shyly.
He froze.
"Lily loves me?"
She nodded.
He cupped her cheeks and kissed her deeply.
The Murad family watched.
"If your father was here he would have shot him by now," Riyana muttered.
"Yeah he wouldn't be standing," Troy agreed.
Nikolai hugged Lilith again.
"Thank you Bambi."
She giggled.
"Listen… your Nikki promises to protect you and take care of you. Okay?"
"Nikki love Lily?"
"Yes Bambi. Nikki loves Lily a lot."
She hugged him happily.
"May the Lord bless their marriage," Rhea said.
Riyana hugged her.
"Same here."
Lilith handed him a small box.
"H…here… Lily made i…i…it for y…you."
He opened it.
Inside was a silver carved ring.
It had his nickname engraved.
Nikki
With a tiny heart around it.
Tears rolled down his face.
"No no no! Don't cry Nikki!" Lilith said quickly.
She wiped his tears and kissed his eyes.
He was very tall, so she jumped to reach him.
He held her midair and laughed.
Then he hugged her tightly against his chest.
Wrapped completely around him.