Morning light slowly filled the large bedroom.
Nikolai stirred in bed.
His arm instinctively reached beside him.
Empty.
His eyes snapped open.
The space where Lilith usually slept was cold.
"Bambi?" he called in his deep morning voice.
He sat up quickly.
The bedroom doors were slightly open.
A cold feeling crept through his chest.
He quickly pulled on a shirt and walked out.
Downstairs, the smell of food filled the mansion.
Warm spices.
Fresh bread.
Eggs.
Soup.
Rice.
He followed the smell into the kitchen.
There she was.
His tiny wife.
Lilith stood on a small stool near the counter while the girls helped her place dishes on trays.
They were watching her proudly.
"All done," she whispered sleepily while rubbing her eyes.
Nikolai stood quietly at the doorway watching her.
But something worried him.
For weeks now Lilith had been rubbing her eyes.
They had been itching constantly.
She had also told him she couldn't see clearly anymore.
Especially things far away.
So Nikolai had contacted Doctor Leonid.
The doctor told him Lilith might be developing eye problems.
She might need glasses.
Or eye drops.
"Lily done," she said proudly as the girls carried the food to the long dining table.
But the moment Nikolai brought the eye drops—
"No!" Lilith protested immediately.
"Lily doesn't like it."
"Come on Bambi," Nikolai said patiently.
"If I don't put them in your eyes they will keep hurting you."
She whined like a child.
Nikolai gently held her face and dropped a few drops into her eyes.
She squeezed them shut.
After two minutes she slowly opened them.
"Lily c…c…can still see Nikki," she said proudly while pointing across the room.
Ethan chuckled.
"Check her vision."
"I think she's long sighted."
"She can't see from afar."
Nikolai sighed but nodded.
They all sat down at the large dining table.
Viktoria looked at the dishes in surprise.
"Who made this food?"
"Lily did," Yulian said proudly.
Albina took a bite.
Her eyes widened.
"It's soooo good!"
Everyone started praising her cooking.
Lilith shyly hid her face behind her hands.
While everyone ate—
Rowena walked over and sat beside Nikolai.
"Morning," she said sweetly.
She sat far too close to him.
Nikolai ignored her.
Instead he tightened his grip around Lilith's small hand.
At that moment Zhanna spoke.
"Lily's iPad has been ringing since last night."
Everyone looked up.
"But it's an unknown number."
"When I picked it up… it was a man."
Her face grew pale.
"He sounded like a beast."
"No…"
"He was a beast."
"Brother," Zhanna continued slowly.
"He called her full name."
"I asked who he was."
"All he said was…"
"Tell your brother to return the Gem… or I take her back home."
"Then he started laughing."
Nikolai's jaw tightened dangerously.
At that exact moment—
The iPad rang again.
Lilith picked it up.
"H…hello?" the tiny girl said.
A deep terrifying voice answered.
"Lily… is that you sweetie?"
"Uh huh," she said.
"Well hello Mahira… my little Mihu."
Nikolai snatched the iPad.
"Who is this?" he demanded.
The voice chuckled darkly.
"Well isn't it the so-called husband who took my Gem without permission."
Silence filled the room.
"I'm taking her back tomorrow."
"I'm giving you today."
"You have only today with her."
"After that… she goes home with me."
"S…she isn't going anywhere," Nikolai said, half angry and half terrified.
"She is my wife."
"Got it?"
The Beast laughed loudly.
Then the call ended.
Nikolai's hands trembled.
He immediately stood.
"Triple the guards."
"Nobody gets in or out."
"Everyone will be searched properly."
"Got it!?"
His voice thundered through the mansion.
Hundreds of guards rushed to obey.
"Brother calm down," someone said.
Lilith looked at her huge husband.
"N…N…Nikki?"
"You're not going anywhere," he said firmly.
"Come."
He led her out of the room.
"What happened to N…Nikki?" Lilith asked softly.
"Nothing baby," Daria said gently.
"He's just tired."
The girls hugged her.
Nikolai shut the bedroom door.
He sat on the chair breathing heavily.
He was scared.
Truly scared.
He took the number from the iPad.
And called it.
Far away…
A man sat near a window holding an old family photograph.
His phone rang.
He answered calmly.
"Hello?"
"Why do you want to take her?" Nikolai demanded.
"She's happily married."
The man scoffed.
"Nikolai William Devereaux."
"You took her away from her family."
"You didn't ask for permission."
"My Gem isn't something to play with."
"You might be the Mafia King…"
"But I birthed her."
"I made her."
"I waited ten fucking years."
Silence.
"You know about her condition too."
"I'm grateful for what you've done for her."
"Her health."
"Her happiness."
"But one thing is clear."
"Ask properly for her hand."
"Tomorrow I take her…"
"Right in front of you."
The call ended.
Nikolai screamed in rage.
The entire mansion heard it.
He destroyed the room.
Furniture shattered.
Glass broke.
"Nikki?" a soft voice called.
Lilith knocked on the door.
She opened it.
"NIKKI!"
Nikolai froze.
She waddled toward him.
Tears streamed down his face.
"W…w…why Nikki crying?" she whispered while touching his cheek.
He pulled her into his arms desperately.
"Lily here," she whispered gently while patting his back.
They lay down together.
Nikolai rested his head against her soft chest.
"She will stay with me forever," he whispered.
"She isn't going anywhere."
Moments later…
He fell asleep.
The day passed quickly.
It was Tuesday.
The day the Beast said he would take the Gem home.
Nikolai never let Lilith leave his side.
The mansion was surrounded by guards.
Nearly 700,000 men secured the estate.
"Woah," Ethan muttered.
Paige smirked.
"I have an idea."
She whispered something to Rowena.
Elsewhere in the mansion…
Logan sat reading a book.
Suddenly he heard giggling.
He looked up.
Addison stood nearby combing her long turquoise hair.
She had a curvy apple-shaped figure.
Fair skin.
Freckles scattered across her cheeks.
Small nose.
Full lips.
Soft wavy hair with bangs.
She noticed him staring.
She winked.
Logan immediately blushed.
She laughed and walked toward him.
"Why hello cutie."
"What's your name?"
"I… uh… I'm Logan," he said shyly.
She giggled.
"I'm Addison."
"Nice to meet you."
He smiled nervously and hid his face.
Outside in the garden—
Lilith sat plucking grass.
Viktoria and Mrs. Francesca sat beside her.
"Hey baby," Francesca said softly.
"Are you scared?"
Lilith nodded.
"Uh huh."
"L…Lily doesn't wanna leave Nikki."
"But Lily will go home again."
Viktoria frowned.
"Do you know that man who called?"
"Is he your family?"
Lilith tilted her head.
"Hmmm… h…h…his voice is like my—"
"Lily!" Arina called.
Lilith waved happily and ran inside.
Inside the mansion—
Nikolai sat reading but his mind was not calm.
He tried to control himself.
But he couldn't stop imagining Lilith being taken away.
The thought terrified him.
Then suddenly—
Screams.
Nikolai ran downstairs.
He froze.
Lilith stood crying while holding Viktoria.
The grandmother had fallen.
"G…Granny are you okay?" Lilith asked worriedly.
"Why are you pretending!?" Rowena shouted.
"You pushed her!" Paige added.
"I didn't!" Lilith cried.
"Nick look what she did!" Rowena said.
"She pushed grandma!"
Everyone rushed downstairs.
"Shut up!" Mrs. Francesca snapped.
"Lily didn't push anyone!"
Karolina turned suddenly.
And slapped Lilith.
"How dare you push mom!"
"HEY!" Nikolai roared.
But before he could reach her—
A terrifying voice echoed.
"HOW DARE YOU SLAP MY DAUGHTER!!!!"
Everyone froze.
"Oh no… we are fucking doomed," Ethan whispered.
Lilith cried.
"Baba?"
The man standing in the doorway fired his gun.
BANG
Karolina screamed as the bullet tore through her arm.
The entire room trembled.
The Beast had arrived.
He was the man who had spent 10 years in prison.
The one who made the calls.
The one who secretly sent gifts to his family.
The Leader of the Obsidian Trial.
The man who created the title of The Gem.
Governments feared him.
Presidents bowed to him.
His name made the world tremble.
He was
Sohan Kadeon Murad.
"BABA!" Lilith cried.
He opened his arms.
She ran to him and hugged him tightly.
"Oh my baby girl," Sohan whispered.
"I missed you so much."
"Baba is very very sorry."
The entire Devereaux family stood frozen.
"Oh no… he's back," Ethan whispered.
"Boss… we're doomed," Rohan muttered.
"He's going to kill us because of you!" Urlima snapped at Karolina.
"Bambi…" Nikolai whispered brokenly.
Viktoria suddenly slapped Karolina.
"Someone poured oil on the stairs," Yulian revealed.
Rowena and Paige looked at each other nervously.
Sohan's face darkened.
"You made my little girl cry."
"My Gem."
His voice was ice cold.
Mr William tried speaking.
"This is a misunderstanding—"
"Misunderstanding?" Sohan repeated.
He stood face to face with Nikolai.
Both men were the same height.
"Nikki?" Lilith said softly, trying to go to him.
Nikolai reached out.
But Sohan pulled her back.
Nikolai only managed to touch her tiny fingertips.
His heart shattered.
His body trembled.
"You can't take her," he pleaded.
"She's my wife."
"We married."
"I love her."
Sohan scoffed.
"Love?"
"Your aunt just slapped her."
He lifted his gun.
BANG
BANG
Karolina screamed as he shot her arm twice more.
"Baba please stop!" Lilith cried.
She hated loud noises.
She began panicking.
"Please give her to me," Nikolai begged.
Sohan's men suddenly shot several guards.
"Nikolai."
"My baby will not cry again."
"You didn't ask for her hand properly."
"She's crying because of your family."
"Nobody makes the daughter of Murad cry."
"N…no… she—"
Nikolai tried to speak.
He grabbed Lilith's arm.
She hugged him desperately.
"Get off!" Sohan roared.
He punched Nikolai brutally.
Blood spilled from Nikolai's mouth.
"Brother!" his siblings screamed.
"N…Nikki!" Lilith cried.
"Please let's talk," William begged.
"No."
Lilith suddenly struggled to breathe.
"Lily?" Nikolai whispered.
Sohan tightened his grip.
Her body went limp.
"Mihu!" Ethan shouted.
"Baby?" Sohan said worriedly, tapping her cheek.
She had fainted.
Sohan picked her up.
"No…"
"No please…"
"I beg you…"
"Don't take her away from me!"
Nikolai fell to his knees begging.
But Sohan turned away.
Something inside Nikolai shattered.
"LILITH!!!!"
His scream echoed across the mansion.
Sohan's cars drove away.
Rain began pouring.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Nikolai screamed like a man losing his mind.
Because he had.
The last thing he saw was Lilith's face in her father's arms.
Nikolai collapsed into the rain.
Crying.
Broken.
The ruthless Russian Mafia King had lost the light of his heart.
Five hours later – New York
The boys were working on a project when Tory rushed in.
"Guys!"
"Sohan has been released!"
"He went to Russia first!"
"He's on his way home now!"
They all rushed outside.
Cars pulled up.
Sohan stepped out first wearing sunglasses.
Chewing gum.
Still holding Lilith's hand.
"Oh no… he brought her back," Nihal whispered.
Lilith was still crying.
Aarav pulled her into a hug.
"Shhh… it's okay baby."
He rubbed her back gently.
Sohan bent and touched his father's feet.
"Bless you," his father said.
He hugged his stepmother who cried.
His sister Elena hugged him tightly.
He hugged everyone.
Then he looked at his sons.
"You stubborn foolish boys."
"We missed you Baba!" they said.
He smacked their heads.
"That's for letting Lily go."
They laughed and hugged him again.
"Miss Doctor," he said to Anika.
She touched his feet.
"Bless you dear."
He looked at his best friends.
"I owe you three my life."
"Thank you for everything."
"For the boys."
"For the family."
"I truly mean it."
Ishaan laughed.
"Aww… he finally said thank you after many years."
"Oh I'm blushing."
Everyone laughed.
But Lilith cried harder.
"Lily…" Anika called softly.
Sohan gently rubbed her hair.
"Lily wants… Nikki."
"Lily loves Nikki."
"And N…Nikki loves Lily."
Her voice broke with sobs.
Sohan's face hardened.
"Tighten the security."
"She is not allowed outside this house."
"I want to see how far Nikolai Devereaux will go for my daughter."
He walked to his room.
He took a deep breath.
Then opened the door.
His heart stopped.
There she was.
His wife.
His love.
Sleeping peacefully.
For ten years he believed she was dead.
He mourned her.
But she was alive.
With trembling hands he sat beside her.
His fingers brushed her cheek.
He kissed her forehead.
And whispered softly in Hindi.
"Main wapas aa gaya, mere pyaar."
"Hum phir se saath rahenge."
"Main tumse pyaar karta hoon."
(I am back my love.
We will live together again.
I love you.)
He held her hand tightly.
Outside the room—
The boys tried to calm Lilith.
But the tiny girl remained heartbroken.
The pain of being separated from her husband was tearing her apart.