Everyone wore white as they performed Rhea's funeral rituals.
Lilith stood silently, clutching her teddy bear. Riyana, Vanya, and Trinetra wept quietly. Anika buried her face on Karim's shoulder.
The priest handed Lilith the ceremonial pot. She stood motionless, expressionless, words trapped in her throat. Pure shock consumed her. She took the pot and circled Rhea's body, wrapped in white cloth, her nose stuffed with cotton, a garland adorning her neck.
Riyana's mind wandered back. She remembered when Rhea comforted her, when Sohan had forced her into marriage at seventeen while pregnant with Karim. Rhea had been like a mother to the entire mansion, abandoned by her own children, maintaining peace, caring for the boys, and keeping promises to Sohan. She treated him like a son.
Lilith completed the ritual circle, letting go of the pot, shattering it on the floor as if her heart had broken in tandem.
The priest chanted, offering her a burning stick. Tears rolled down Lilith's face. She remembered Rhea's gentle hands, the foods she cooked, the way she combed her hair, comforting her like a granddaughter.
Stepping forward, Lilith kissed Rhea's forehead.
"Lily love you, Nani," she whispered, lighting the stick.
"B…B…Bye B…B…B…Bye N…Nani," Lilith murmured, hugging her teddy bear tightly.
Meanwhile, Nikolai's plane landed in New York. Cars sped toward the Murad Mansion.
Nikolai stepped out quickly. Inside, the mansion was filled with mourners in white—some in shock, some in tears. A portrait of Rhea hung adorned with garlands, incense burning softly.
Lilith sat in front of the picture, unnervingly still, clutching the ashes.
"Brother is here, Lily," Zhanna whispered.
The Bratva stood behind him with Damian. Lilith didn't move.
"Nani… Nani…" were the only words she had whispered for the past six hours.
"Come on, Lily. Let go and pour Nani's ashes so she can be free," Anika encouraged gently, holding her as they walked outside.
Lilith saw Nikolai. Her voice trembled:
"N…N…Nikki… l…l…look w…what t…they d…did to Lily Nani… they sent her back to the Almighty…"
Tears fell, breaking Nikolai's heart.
"They p…pulled an iron in L…L…Lily's arm… N…Nikki… They took my Nani away from me," she cried, as Nikolai pulled her close. She sobbed loudly against his chest.
"I am so sorry, Bambi," he whispered, holding her tight.
By the sea, Lilith kissed the ash pot, walking into the water to pour the ashes.
"I promise you, Bambi… they will pay. I will make them all pay. I will burn them all to ash. Rhea's sacrifice will not be wasted. It will not go in vain. I swear I will kill them all," Nikolai thought.
"I swear I'm going to track that bastard and kill him," Karim said softly.
"Bye B…Bye Nani. I love you, Lily. LOVE YOU!" Lilith whispered with tears, unable to breathe.
Nikolai held her as she waved weakly.
"M…M…y N…Nani…" she said before passing out in his arms.
"Bambi? Bambi!?" Nikolai cried, lifting her. Anika checked her—she had fainted from stress.
Karim's phone rang. "You need to get Lily out of here. Now. Right now!"
"Why?" Anika asked.
"The mansion's under attack. Six servants are dead. Reyan's arm is broken. Farhan is knocked out. Mom… they killed them. Get out, go!" Karim shouted.
Gunshots rang out.
"That it!" Nikolai said, locking Lily in the car as Anika joined her.
The Bratva raised their guns. Nikolai didn't draw a gun—he pressed an AT4 bazooka.
"Wait!" Hammad shouted.
Two bombs detonated, blasting the cars into the air.
"Blood-ass fuckers!" Nikolai spat.
At the airport, Anika kissed Lilith's forehead as Nikolai arrived.
"Lily… Big Bhai is coming, okay baby? He will come for you, sweetie," she whispered.
"Big Bhai… the one who gave Lily fire?" Zhanna asked.
"Yes… he is very dangerous… more than all of you. But for Nikolai, here, he is 99% dangerous. So it's 50/50," she said.
"Hm," he murmured.
Two days later, Lilith had eaten or drunk nothing. She cried secretly at night. Everyone tried to feed her, but she couldn't move, staring blankly out the window.
Nikolai tripled the security and installed the highest tech systems in his mansion.
Everyone sat near Lilith as Nikolai gave her water.
"N…N…Nikki?" she whispered.
"Yes, Bambi?" he said.
"W…W…will Lily ever see Nani again?"
"Only in your sweet dreams, Bambi. Because Nani and God know Little Lily is a good girl, right?" he said. She nodded.
"Sleep well, be happy. Nani will come to you, okay, sweetie?"
"Ok, Nikki," his tiny wife whispered.
Back in New York, Vanya sat in the office, watching Troy with a woman. They fought; Vanya wanted to tell Ishaan, but he feared the friendship would break.
"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY OFFICE!" Troy shouted at the woman, and security removed her.
"Hey Vanya, can you give this to boss? I need to go—it's lunchtime," a coworker said.
"B…But can't someone else do it?" Vanya stammered.
"Fine," she mumbled, trembling as she knocked.
"What?" he said, not looking up.
"S…s…sir… here's your file…" she stammered.
He took it weakly.
"Why did you ignore me, hm?" he asked, taking her hands.
"Sir, you need to go home—you have a high fever," Vanya said.
"Take me home then," he whispered.
Ariz entered. "Hi Anya."
"Hey," she said.
"Mr. Troy has a high fever. Can one of you take him home?" Ariz asked.
"Yes, sure," Rafsan said.
"Ask her why she's been ignoring me when I love her so much, hm?" Troy said weakly.
"Wait… really!?" Ariz asked.
"Uh huh… but she thinks I don't love her enough. I'm scared of Ishaan. He'll get angry. But my jaan has ignored me, talks to other men… I hate it!" Troy cried.
Zafraan came in. "What's going on?"
"N…Nothing," Vanya said, wiping her tears.
By nightfall, Vanya entered Troy's room. He dried his hair with a towel.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Come in and lock the door," he mumbled.
She checked his temperature, her warm hand touching his neck. His eyes closed at her touch.
"Mhmm," he hummed softly.
"I'm sorry for ignoring you," she whispered.
He dimmed the lights red.
"Sorry for not explaining and lashing out, sweetheart," she said.
He untied her saree end and pulled her close. Their eyes locked. She held him; he inhaled her scent.
"I love you very much, Vanya," she whispered.
"I love you more," Troy said, wrapping them together as moans filled the room Shhhh he whispered in her ears as he grabbed her waist and placed kisses on her tummy he lose the rope at her top I really want to make you mine but for now this is what I can do Troy said as he lifted her up and lay her down on the bed be quiet abit for me Darling he whispered as he took off her wet underwear Already wet for me love he chuckled please help Vanya said as he placed his thumb at the tip of her clit rubbing it slowly Mhmmmm she moan quietly Troy lick wet pussy while rubbing the tip she restrain herself from moaning R..R…Roy she whispered his name like a prayer Hmm Troy said as he sucked her harder and faster she grip his hair ahhmhmmm she moan as her eyes rolled back and her legs tremble Cum for me Troy said her finger dug into his skin her leg shaking as she cum all over his face there we go he said pulling away he dip his finger inside her again and brought it to her mouth Taste yourself he said as she licked his fingers Good girl he moaned making her feel good and shy.
Morning.
The Dominant Apex and the Bratva sat in the living room, guns in hand, tension thick. Nikolai sat in his high chair.
"Hmm," he said, breaking the silence.
"Yes, boss," they replied.
"You all look like you wanna kill each other," Nikolai said with a chuckle.
"Maybe," Sabrina said.
Maybe Jaxon mocked her.
"Did you mock me, you stupid fucker?" Sabrina said, pointing her gun. As everyone did too
Down now Nikolai said Yes boss they obeyed.
Everyone dropped to the ground.
Lilith yawned, just waking, walking toward the garden.
The tigers roared as she approached.
"H…H…Hi, big kitty," she said sadly. The tigers roared again.
Nikolai stepped outside. Lilith was still crying, swinging her teddy.
"Lily… sad… lily v…very sad… N…Nani has gone back to the Almighty forever… lily n…n…never see my N…Nani again," the tiny girl said, panicking.
"Here, baby, drink this," Meghna said.
Nikolai saw his tiny wife with his tigers Bods 5 o'clock. Nathan said as spotted another hitman. Two gunshots rang out.
"Who did that!?" Nikolai demanded.
"Nobody, boss," Addison said.
"MIHU!" a man shouted.
Lilith looked up, tears in her eyes.
The men surrounded her.
"LILY!" Nikolai yelled.
"BIG BHAI!" Lilith cried, running into his arms.
"Bhai… they s…sent N…N…Nani back to the Almighty!" she sobbed.
"Shhh… it's okay… Baby… Bhai is here. I promise… I will kill them… kill for you, okay baby?" he said, hugging her.
"Who are you?" Damian asked.
"Lily Bhai," the tiny girl said.
"Yes," Nikolai confirmed.
"Lily's Mumma, Annie, called… she said they killed Nani and you got shot, sahi?" he said.
"Uh huh," Lilith whispered.
"Bhai… T…T…this is Lily's husband… Nikki!" the tiny girl said.
"Nice to meet you… I'm her Bhai," he said.
"Your real name?" Damian asked.
"Kaal Ethan Solanki… but call me Ethan. Right, Meri Baccha?" he said.
Lilith nodded.
"So you're the one who gave Lily the stick to burn the hospital down?" Daria asked.
"Yep. I wanted to escape that hellhole so I could leave my little girl safe. Technically, she burned them alive. Also, I have info on the killers after her, the Gem," Ethan said.
"Bambi… let's go inside, hm?" Nikolai asked.
"Will Bhai come?" she asked.
"Yes, he will. I want to talk to Bhai, Bambi," he said.
"Here, I got lots of jewelry and stuff—why don't you check them out, baby?" Ethan said, kissing her forehead.
Zhanna whispered to Yulian: "Look at brother, he's getting jealous." As they laughed at their jealous brother
Ethan snapped his fingers, and his men brought boxes for Lilith.
"Candies?" she asked.
"Yeah," she said, sitting on the swing.
Her life was in danger. Arnav, a man recently released from jail, hunted her with eight others. They caused her condition. Only her father, still in jail, could stop them once released next month.
Sohan knows you have his gem… he will come for you, but first, you must handle Arnav, Ethan said.
"Yes. As we speak, a huge war is coming. And the one who ends it… is your tiny wife," Ethan said.
"Lily's brain is damaged… she can't get involved. Sohan caused this by creating the Gem in the first place. I promised her, and I'll fulfill it by any means necessary," Nikolai continued.
"I know. I also promised her I'd stay with her. So I'm here, for my little baby," Ethan said, offering his hand.
Nikolai glanced at Lilith eating candy.
"Any movement… you'll be shot immediately," he warned.
"Ugh, you Russian mafia are so rude," Ethan said.
Later, Ethan braided Lily's hair as they watched Batman on her iPad.
At night, Nikolai woke to find Lilith missing from the bed.
He heard sounds in the kitchen—she was eating candy and watching Batman.
"Lily gonna b…b…be like B…B…Batman and g…g…get justice for N…Nani?" he asked.
"Yeah… Batlily!" she said.
Nikolai almost laughed.
"Bambi, come here, let's get you to sleep," he said, lifting her in his arms.
"B…b…Batman… am now Batlily," she whispered.
"Batlily needs sleep… even Batman sleeps. So sleep now, Bambi," he said.
"Nighty night… Nikki… Lily love you," she murmured.
"I love you too," Nikolai replied.
He opened his laptop.
"Let the war begin," he said, wearing his glasses, typing fast.