It was noon, and the mansion buzzed with layered activity.
In one of the grand sitting rooms, Zahuril sat with Nikolai, Sohan, and Noman, deeply engaged in discussions about the upcoming wedding—dates, traditions, guest lists, and arrangements. Their tones were serious, measured, and strategic.
Around them, the rest of the household was busy preparing—decorations, fabrics, jewelry, food—everything moving toward a celebration that would be remembered for generations.
Suddenly—
"Baba baba baba baba!"
Lilith (Baneva)'s voice rang out as she ran toward Sohan.
"What happened, baby?" he asked, immediately softening.
"Come on! Surprise for you!" she said excitedly, grabbing his large hand and pulling him.
"Come come come come!"
They followed her.
Down the halls, the boys were doing the same, pulling their mother along.
"Come on, Mumma, let's go!" Ariz insisted.
Soon, both parents were standing side by side.
"Eyes close, pretty please," Lily (Neva) said.
They obeyed.
Karim stepped forward and gently removed the veil covering something behind them.
"Open!" Lily (Neva) announced.
Sohan and Riyana opened their eyes—
—and froze.
Before them were two hand-drawn portraits.
One captured them in their youth… full of life, innocence, and love.
The other showed them as they were now… matured, weathered, but still deeply connected.
"Y…you all drew this?" Riyana whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
"Y…yeah!" Lily (Neva) replied shyly.
"Not gonna lie… this is so beautiful," Leon said.
"I agree with you, man," Nathan added.
"Awww, it's so cute," Urlima said.
"No no no no cry!" the tiny girl insisted, rushing forward and wiping their tears with her small hands.
"How long did it take you guys?" Sohan asked.
"Well… two days. Remember the cookie challenge? That was to distract you," Nihal admitted.
"We wanted to give you this as your anniversary gift… but it wasn't complete yet," Aarav added.
Riyana opened her arms, and all the children rushed into her embrace.
Sohan joined them, kissing her forehead.
"Awww… so adorable!" one of Lily's cousins whispered.
Outside, the atmosphere had shifted to something calmer.
Rima sat with her laptop, focused.
Nearby, Nikolai and Lily (Neva) were picking flowers.
She swung her basket playfully, carefully placing a sunrose inside as Nikolai guided her gently.
For a moment—
Everything felt peaceful.
Until—
Gunshots.
The sound tore through the air.
Nikolai instantly pulled Lily close.
"They're goons."
"GET HER!" one of them shouted.
Chaos erupted.
The family was rushed back inside.
"YASMIN!" Asif yelled—
—but a goon had already grabbed her.
Something inside Rima snapped.
"Ria!" Olivia shouted, throwing a M1917 Browning toward her.
Rima reacted instantly.
She threw a knife—
—straight into the goon's eye.
Caught the gun—
—and began firing.
Nikolai shielded Lily (Neva) as Hammad and Marco took down two attackers behind them.
Another goon aimed at Lily—
—but Nikolai pulled her back.
The bullet hit his arm.
"NIKKI!" she screamed.
Blood spread quickly down his sleeve.
More goons flooded in.
Rima kept firing.
She grabbed Yasmin, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Shhh… it's okay… I'm here, love."
She turned—
—and ran.
Three gunshots hit her back.
"RIMA!!!" Mina screamed.
But Rima didn't stop.
She kept running.
Protecting the child.
"Pretty auntie!" Yasmin cried, clinging to her.
Lily (Neva) snapped.
Completely.
She grabbed iron rods—
—and attacked.
Anyone who came near her—
she struck.
Again.
And again.
The goons began to fear her.
"WHO SENT YOU?!" she screamed.
Nikolai held her back.
"Who sent you all?" he demanded.
"We're from Md Fazlul Haque… rivals… we heard about the gem… we were sent to kill the family and bring her to them…"
Before he could finish—
Lily struck him again.
Hard.
Rima handed Yasmin to Asif—
—and collapsed.
"Ria!" Mrs Brenda cried.
She was bleeding heavily.
Asif scooped her into his arms.
"Pretty auntie!" the twins cried.
Flashbacks of his late wife hit him violently—
—but he pushed through them.
He ran.
Straight to the hospital.
At the mansion, Dr. Leonid treated Nikolai's wound.
Lilith (Baneva) sat beside him, her eyes teary, sniffing softly.
He held her hand, kissing the back of it.
"I'm fine, Bambi," he whispered.
At the hospital—
Rima was rushed into the operating room.
Asif stood outside, washing her blood from his hands.
The twins waddled in.
"Why did you bring them here?" he asked Oishi and Nabila.
"They wouldn't stop crying… they wanted to see her," Oishi said.
"Come here, sweeties."
They ran into his arms.
He kissed their foreheads.
"It's okay… she'll be fine."
The doctor came out.
"Please… how is she?" Nabila asked.
"She lost a lot of blood. We don't have her blood type. She's B-positive."
"I'm B-positive—take mine!" Nancy said immediately.
"I am too," Salim added.
"Mine too," Mina said.
"This way, please," the nurse instructed.
"I wanna give mine too…" Yasmin sniffed.
Asif hugged his daughters tightly.
Four hours passed.
Lily (Neva) stood by the glass, staring at Rima.
"Don't worry, love… she'll be okay. Ria is strong," Nikolai said.
She nodded, hugging him.
Inside, the transfusion was complete.
Mr Rahim and Mrs Brenda watched silently.
Asif stood still… remembering.
His late wife.
The neglect.
The coldness.
"I hate the kids… and him… he doesn't give me luxury… just love… ugh!"
His heart had broken that day.
The memory faded.
Nearby, Yasmin and Yasmine held hands.
"Come… let's go pray for pretty auntie," Yasmine said.
They went to the small mosque in the hospital.
Fatema had dressed them properly.
They joined the prayer.
Cupped their hands.
"Almighty… pretty please let pretty auntie wake up… we'll give everyone 400 sweets," Yasmine whispered.
"Yes please… let her wake up and give us kisses…" Yasmin added, tears falling.
Asif watched them.
Sighed.
"Come, girls."
They picked a flower from the mosque.
He carried them back.
In the room—
Olivia sat beside Rima.
The twins entered and placed the flower gently in her hair.
Two minutes passed—
Rima's eyes fluttered open.
She looked around.
Saw the twins resting on her.
Lily (Neva) asleep on Nikolai's chest.
"Are you girls okay? Did they hurt you?" she asked weakly, stroking their hair.
They hugged her tightly, crying.
"I'm okay… did they hurt you? I swear I'll break their bones…"
They shook their heads.
"I sowry pretty auntie…"
"It's not your fault, love."
"You lost a lot of blood… Mina and your siblings gave you theirs," Olivia said.
Rima looked outside.
Her family—sleeping in chairs.
She smiled faintly.
"Come on… how about I read you girls a bedtime story?"
Even injured—
she reached for a book.
She read softly.
Slowly—
they fell asleep.
Asif stepped forward to carry them—
—but they whined.
Refusing to leave her.
He paused.
Watched.
Then gently covered them.
Rima drifted to sleep.
Days later—
Rima was discharged.
Back home.
She sat with her family.
Took a deep breath.
"I… I can't forgive… nor forget… but I'm willing to move on."
They looked at her—stunned.
"Really?" Mr Rahim asked, eyes red.
"Yes. I'll try to move forward."
"Thank you… we promise to make it up to you," Mrs Brenda said sincerely.
Mina smiled.
"I overheard… you were evicted?" Rima asked.
"Yes… we couldn't afford it," Mr Rahim admitted.
"I have a mansion in Russia. You can stay there. I'll help with jobs too."
They were speechless.
"We promise… we'll do our best," Salim said.
"Mhm."
"Come, girls—lunchtime."
Holding her side, she went into the kitchen and cooked.
In the hall—
Asif sat with his sisters.
A young woman sat nearby.
"Her name is Ismat. She's 23. A lawyer," they introduced.
"It's nice to meet you," she said politely.
Asif nodded.
"So… what do you do?" she asked.
He sighed.
"Listen… I know what my sisters told you… but this won't work. I have two daughters. I don't want to marry anyone. Sorry."
He walked away.
"Asif!" Oishi called.
"Please don't bother me."
He left—
angry.
He ended up in Rima's room.
She was struggling to pick up her top from the floor, unable to bend due to her injuries.
Frustrated, she sat down.
He knocked.
She quickly covered herself with a sheet.
He entered quietly, picked up her shirt, and helped her wear it—carefully, respectfully adjusting it for her.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"I want to thank you… for saving Yaya… for protecting my daughters. I'm sorry for your wounds."
"It's nothing… I'm used to being shot. And I didn't want anything to happen to Yaya… she's like my daughter too. I love them."
He smiled faintly.
They looked at each other.
"Goodnight, Ria."
He left.
She blushed… and giggled softly.
He heard it.
And smiled as he walked away.
The next morning—
During breakfast—
Sohan and Nikolai discussed wedding plans again.
"Asif, why did you do that?" Zahuril asked.
"I don't like them. Nor do my girls."
"Don't you want someone?" Noman pressed.
Asif glanced at Rima.
Then at his family.
He took a deep breath.
"Wait… and watch."
He walked out.
Made a call.
Inside—
"Pretty auntie…?" Yasmin whispered.
"Will you be my pretty mama… pretty please?"
Rima's heart softened instantly.
"Of course, my sweet baby. I'll love and protect you both. I love you so much."
She kissed their foreheads.
Outside—
Asif heard everything.
Watched quietly.
Then—
a slow, mischievous smirk formed on his face.