The late afternoon sun spread warm golden light across the garden. The air smelled of fresh roses and cut grass, and the quiet hum of distant city sounds floated beyond the high walls of the Devereaux estate.
In the far corner of the garden, seated at a wooden work table surrounded by small tools and shining pieces of metal, Nikolai worked carefully with focused eyes.
His large hands, rough from years of fighting and survival, moved with surprising gentleness as he crafted delicate jewelry.
Another nose ring.
A beautiful one.
Tiny silver petals shaped like flowers curved around a small star carved at the center. A thin streak of blue enamel shimmered across the design like a piece of the sky trapped inside metal.
Not far from him, his tiny wife was happily sitting beside Ethan, who she lovingly called Big Bhai.
Spread across the table in front of her were gifts.
Real gold jewelry.
Silver.
Diamonds.
Bracelets.
Anklets.
Necklaces.
And several shining nose rings.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she picked one up.
"Nikki look! Big bhai got it for Lily!" she chirped happily.
In her small hands sat a sun-shaped ruby nose ring, golden rays circling a deep red gem that glowed like fire.
Nikolai glanced over.
Then instinctively looked back at the one he was making.
At that moment, Lilith turned her head toward him.
Her eyes widened.
She gasped softly.
But Nikolai looked down again, pretending to still think about it.
"Nikki… is this for Lily!" she asked happily.
"Huh?" Nikolai replied, looking up.
"Big bhai look! Nikki made it for M…Me with love!" she squealed.
In her excitement she dropped the ruby nose ring onto the table and waddled over before climbing straight into Nikolai's lap.
"Look at brother face like a tomato," Zhanna teased.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Lilith blinked at him shyly.
"F…f…for me?" she whispered.
Nikolai leaned close to her ear.
"Yeah… for my tiny wife," he whispered.
Her eyes sparkled.
She carefully picked one from the small tray.
The star-and-flower nose ring.
Silver.
With blue streaks.
"P…p…put it on Lily… pretty please," she said, tilting her head to the right.
Nikolai blushed slightly.
Then smiled.
He gently took it from her small fingers.
Slowly he removed the nose rings she already wore.
"Aww look at them… so cute," Nolan chuckled.
Nikolai placed the new ring carefully into her nose piercing.
Perfect.
He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.
Lilith giggled.
Then hugged him tightly.
He patted her back softly.
Within moments…
Her breathing slowed.
She had dozed off in his arms.
Nikolai gently rocked her.
The garden stayed quiet and peaceful.
Inside the house, everyone had gathered in the living room watching television when the front doors opened.
Damian walked in.
Behind him was Mr Greyson.
And five people.
Three men.
Two women.
"Fuck NO!" Zhanna snapped instantly.
"Brother!" Yulian called.
Nikolai walked inside carrying his sleeping tiny wife carefully in his arms.
"Good afternoon Mr Greyson," Nikolai said calmly.
"Afternoon boy," Mr Greyson replied.
His eyes moved toward Lilith.
"I believe this is your wife."
"Yeah. Mrs Lilith Nikolai Devereaux," Nikolai replied.
"Who is her father?" Mr Greyson asked.
"Sohan Murad. She the Gem of Obsidian Trial," Nikolai answered.
Mr Greyson inhaled sharply.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? That man is a fucking beast."
"I heard," Nikolai replied calmly.
"Nick…"
A soft female voice spoke.
Nikolai froze.
It wasn't a stranger.
It was his mother's voice.
"She so pretty," Mr Greyson's daughter whispered while looking at Lilith.
"Yeah but she in a childlike state… she mentally unstable," Arina explained quietly.
Nikolai gently walked toward the garden again.
He laid Lilith down on the hammock.
He covered her with a soft white cotton blanket.
Then gently covered her ears so the voices inside wouldn't wake her.
He kissed her forehead.
"Happy napping… my sweet Bambi," he whispered.
His mood changed immediately.
He walked back.
And sat down.
Everyone gathered in the garden.
Mr Greyson stood with his twins.
A boy.
And a girl.
Valen and Valena.
Sitting across from them were the people Nikolai hadn't seen in years.
His parents.
Mr William Shlok Devereaux — half Russian, half Indian.
Mrs Francesca Devereaux — half Russian, half Mexican.
And their oldest son.
The first born.
Massimo.
Though their father called him Taran.
Nikolai stared at the ground for a moment.
Then rubbed his forehead.
"What do you want?" he asked flatly.
William sighed.
"To make peace with our kids."
Everyone except the parents laughed bitterly.
"Yeah. Fuck no," Zhanna said.
"We are better and fine without you guys," Yulian added.
Around the garden, members of The Dominion Apex and The Bratva quietly continued business work and card games, pretending not to listen.
Francesca spoke softly.
"We found out they trapped us and destroyed our family. Massimo found out the truth and reunited us himself. He has been in India for ten years now."
Nikolai raised an eyebrow.
"They sent him to a military academy," William added. "We got him back. He had no hand in this."
Nikolai leaned back.
"Hm… so what now? Your company bankrupt? Or you lost your mansion?"
"Nick please… we begging you… please let us fix this," Francesca pleaded.
"Fix things?" Arina snapped.
"Like letting your mistress kick us onto the street? Yulian was two!"
Her voice trembled with anger.
"Nikolai suffered his whole life to keep us safe!"
She pointed at him.
"He got injured every single day fighting every night just to keep food on the table! We slept under bridges! In trash! Yulian got sick from bad food! People kicked us out! Beat Nikolai! Called him names! He overworked himself!"
Tears streamed down her face.
"He always took care of us! Until he got us a tiny apartment!"
She pointed to Mr Greyson.
"He found Nikolai nearly dying after a fight. His bones were broken! People bullied him! Hurt him!"
Her voice shook harder.
"Nikolai never let us cry. He took care of us like a father and mother!"
She pointed at the parents.
"Not you both! Fucking got it?!"
"Shh… Lily is sleeping," Yulian reminded.
Arina closed her mouth immediately.
Mr Greyson spoke quietly.
"Taran killed the people who ruined his life too. Soldiers raped him… beat him badly. He barely escaped death. He even got cancer and survived treatment. He came back to kill your parents but found the truth… and killed the real traitors."
Nikolai rubbed his forehead again.
"One minute."
Just then…
A tiny yawn was heard.
Everyone turned.
Lilith waddled sleepily into the garden.
Her teddy bear hung loosely in her arms.
"N…N…Nikki… Lily up now," she mumbled with another yawn.
Nikolai looked at her.
His anger melted instantly.
"Hi Bambi."
"G…G…Good afternoon everyone," she said shyly.
"Afternoon Lily," Daria replied warmly.
Lilith looked around.
Everyone looked sad.
"Why everybody has sad face? What happened?"
"Come here," Zhanna said gently.
Lilith waddled over.
"Z sad?" she asked.
"Yes Lily."
"W…why everyone has boo boo face?"
Mr Greyson stepped forward kindly.
"Hello. What's your name?"
"H…Hi… a…a…am Lily!" she said.
She struggled slightly with words.
"Are you Nick's wife?" Francesca asked softly.
"Uh huh… N…Nikki Lily H…H…Husband!"
"How old are you sweetie?" Valen asked.
"She is sixteen," Arina explained. "But her mind is six. She stuck in a childlike state after an accident."
"Oh… poor girl," Valen murmured.
Lilith pointed at Valena.
"She pretty."
"Me?" Valena blinked.
"Uh huh… wanna hug?" Lilith asked sweetly.
Valena froze.
"Nikolai…?" Valen whispered.
"She too sweet… we are evil," Valena muttered.
"No hugs. No hugs."
"Owie…" Lilith said sadly.
Valena's chest hurt seeing her sad.
Lilith buried her face in Nikolai's chest.
"Brother… am feeling bad right now," Valena muttered quietly.
"Just a hug right?" Valen said.
Valena sighed.
"Uhmm… Lily come here."
Lilith stood and hugged her.
Valena froze.
"Never in my life… have I hugged anyone."
"Can I keep her?" she asked.
"No. She mine," Nikolai growled.
Lilith looked at them with puppy eyes.
"W…w…will you be Lily friends… pretty please?"
"Must resist cuteness… must resist puppy eyes," Valen whispered.
Lilith blinked.
"Pretty please… with s…sugar ice cream?"
Both twins burst into tears.
"Yes!" they shouted.
"Yayyy!" she clapped.
"Sugar ice cream?" Valena cried.
"Yeah I living here now," Valen sniffed.
Mr Greyson laughed loudly.
"Yeah no problem. At least I get peace and quiet."
Nikolai leaned back.
"Fine. But it not easy to forgive or forget. Massimo can stay. You two visit only."
He looked at his parents coldly.
"If you both fuck this up… I will kill you with my hands. I swear on Lilith."
"Yes. We promise," William said quickly.
Francesca wiped tears.
"Thank you."
"We thought you were still single so… we asked two girls as a compromise for you," she admitted nervously.
Arina glared.
"So?"
"Send them back. I married," Nikolai replied coldly.
That night the mood was heavy.
Everyone looked sad.
Lilith approached Massimo.
"Hello… w…what your name?"
He smiled gently.
"Hi sunshine. I Massimo. But you call me Taran."
"Am Lily!"
She sat on the floor.
"This teddy."
She pointed at his cigarette.
"What that?"
"Uhmm… bad smell stick to keep flies away," Taran lied quickly.
"Everyone sad… w…why?"
"Little sister in law… you too tiny to know."
Lilith nodded.
"Okay. Lily will make them happy again!"
And she ran inside.
The next morning.
Lilith sat patiently while Ethan braided her hair.
"Big bhai… c…can you help Lily with something pretty please?"
"Of course. Meri chhoti si pari (my little angel)."
She whispered her plan.
They high-fived.
That evening Nikolai sat with Taran.
"Your tiny wife caught me smoking," Taran chuckled.
"No guns. No mafia stuff around her," Nikolai said.
"Aren't you scared of her father?" Taran asked.
"No."
"Have you heard the name Arnav?"
Nikolai looked up.
Taran's eyes widened.
"Unfortunately yes. Rapist. Terrorist. Murderer. He wants the Gem of the Obsidian Trail. Your wife."
Nikolai chuckled.
"Yeah… no."
"Nikki! Nikki! Nikki!"
A tiny voice called.
Lilith appeared holding flowers.
She shoved them into his hands.
"Here!"
"Flowers?" he asked.
"Uh huh!"
"Come on come on come on!"
She pulled him up.
Outside everyone held flowers.
And small notes.
No more sad anymore 🙂
"Lily they ready!" Ethan shouted.
"Come on! Lily has big surprise!"
They walked outside.
"Now!" Lilith shouted.
Ethan lit the fuses.
"FIRE IN THE SKY!"
Fireworks exploded above.
The Dominion Apex.
The Bratva.
Everyone watched.
Lilith jumped happily.
Fireworks burst into colors.
She clapped.
"All b…b…better?"
Yulian burst into tears.
Zhanna covered her face.
Meghan wiped her eyes.
Arina cried.
Nikolai hugged Lilith tightly.
Another firework exploded.
A giant smiley face appeared in the sky.
Words followed.
HAPPY SMILES
Lilith saw them crying.
"Oh no… no more c…c…crying."
"No Lilith," Ethan smiled. "These are tears of joy."
Yulian hugged her.
Everyone joined.
"Thank you Lily."
"We love you."
"Lily love everybody too!" she giggled.
Taran watched the sky.
"Beautiful."
"Nikki?" Lilith whispered.
"Yes love."
She kissed him.
Ethan gasped.
"Lily did you just kiss Nikolai?!"
"Uh huh! Princess kisses like D…Disney movies!"
"Oh hell no! No more kisses!"
Nikolai smirked.
Then kissed her again.
"There we go. Happy kisses."
Everyone laughed.
Lilith hugged him.
"So pretty," Daria smiled.
"Thank you Lily," Meghan said.
"Bambi?" Nikolai whispered.
But she had already fallen asleep in his arms.
Ethan shook his head.
"She planned all this. I only bought fireworks. She gave me four coins."
"Four coins?" Meghan gasped.
"Yeah. She said Lily wants them smile."
Nathan whistled.
"She need real money."
"Twenty million," Ethan said.
"No sixty," Hammed added.
"You all crazy," Nikolai laughed.
He carried her inside.
Laid her in bed.
Kissed her forehead.
"Sleep tight my sweet girl."
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I am here soon. I will take her from you. Thanks for the weapons. Prepare for war. The Gem will be mine.
Nikolai stepped outside.
"The war has begun."
Ethan's voice turned cold.
"He here… isn't he?"
"He stole my weapons."
Both groups stood behind him.
"We with you Boss."
Nikolai smirked slowly.
The game had begun.