Morning came cold and heavy.
Lilith still had not woken up.
The mansion that had once been filled with celebration now moved in silence as everyone packed hurriedly for the emergency flight. Bags rolled across marble floors, phones rang nonstop, and quiet crying echoed through the halls.
Inside the room, Nikolai sat beside the bed rubbing Lilith's head gently.
They had already changed her clothes.
Forty minutes later—
The tiny girl finally stirred.
Her lashes fluttered weakly before she slowly sat up. Her eyes immediately searched the room until they landed on Nikolai standing near the window smoking quietly.
Without hesitation, she climbed off the bed and walked toward him.
Tiny arms wrapped around him from behind.
Nikolai immediately crushed the cigarette and turned, holding her hands carefully.
"I sowry Nikki…" she whispered.
"It's not your fault, my love," he said softly.
He wiped the tears forming in her eyes.
Then his expression shifted painfully.
"Baby… we have to shave your hair. But don't worry, love, it'll grow back. It's for your surgery… to make you all better. I promise."
Lilith blinked slowly.
"Hmmm… M…Mkay Nikki. R…R…Rapunzel c…c…cut hers!"
Nikolai chuckled despite the pain in his chest and kissed her lips softly.
"Let's go, love."
He bathed her gently before taking her downstairs.
Breakfast was painfully quiet.
Nikolai fed Lilith slowly while she occasionally fed him back with tiny giggles.
"All set, boss…" Damian said sadly.
"Ready, sweetie?" Nikolai asked.
She nodded excitedly.
He carried her outside.
In the garden, burning coals had already been prepared.
Lilith sat down innocently while Sabrina stood behind her holding the long brown hair everyone adored so much.
Sabrina took a deep breath.
Then tears fell.
Sohan buried his face in Riyana's neck trying not to break apart.
The boys looked away.
Nishi held Aarav's hands tightly while he rested his forehead against hers.
Karim cried openly while Anika wiped his tears and covered his eyes.
Reyan stood frozen as Amala hugged him tightly.
"It's okay, Dad…" Jai whispered.
Dr Clara squeezed Zafraan's arm comfortingly.
Nimra softly patted Farhan's back.
Nihal stood stiffly with his fists clenched behind him.
Ariz leaned against the wall staring at the floor because if he looked up, he knew he would collapse.
Rafsan held his mother's hand tightly.
Then—
Sabrina cut the first section.
The long hair fell heavily into her palm.
It was thick.
Beautiful.
Very full.
"Here…" Sabrina whispered sadly, raising it slightly.
Valerio stepped forward holding the clipper.
His hands trembled.
He closed his eyes as tears escaped him.
Lilith giggled loudly.
The buzzing sound filled the garden.
Slowly—
All her hair disappeared.
Nothing remained.
She was bald now.
"All done!" the tiny girl chirped happily.
She skipped toward the mirror and stared at herself curiously.
Nikolai walked over slowly and placed his hands on her shoulders.
She looked up at him and giggled again before hugging him tightly.
That was when his tears finally fell.
He wiped them quickly and picked her up.
"Let's go."
They headed for the airport.
Meanwhile—
Rima had packed her own bags along with the twins'.
"Ready, my babies?" she asked.
"Yes!" both girls answered together.
Asif came downstairs carrying luggage too.
Nikolai had expanded the mansion massively while everyone was away—adding over 300 rooms.
"Bye, Father," Asif said.
Zahuril hugged him tightly.
"Bye bye, Grandpa!" Yasmin shouted.
He kissed both twins' foreheads lovingly.
Rima's family had already departed for Russia to her mansion.
Soon they all entered their vehicles and drove toward the airport.
Inside the plane, silence dominated everything.
Nikolai sat holding Lilith carefully while patting her gently.
Nobody spoke.
The atmosphere felt suffocating.
Then—
"Got the location, boss," Nimra announced.
"Where?" Rima asked while the twins stared out the window.
"Moscow," Nimra replied quietly. "Same location as ours."
Nikolai hummed darkly.
Moments later the captain entered.
"We're about to land in two minutes, boss."
Nikolai nodded.
Nearby—
"What are you searching for all morning?" Caspian asked Urmila suspiciously.
"Ordering hair herbs from India for Lily. Don't bother me," she muttered.
"Hold on—I was doing the same thing," Brandon added.
"Me too," Yulian said.
"You're not a girl, Lian," Zhanna replied.
"So what? I can order too."
The plane finally landed.
Touchdown.
Cambridge.
Snow covered the ground outside.
Sohan's family waited at the villa while other families returned home temporarily but remained informed.
Nikolai zipped Lilith's jacket and carried her out of the plane carefully.
Rima bundled the twins into their coats while Asif carried Yasmin and Rima held Yasmine.
Both girls were asleep.
The convoy immediately drove toward the hospital.
They arrived at Addenbrooke's Hospital.
Doctors and nurses rushed outside with a medical bed.
Nikolai carefully placed Lilith onto it.
She slept peacefully as they wheeled her inside.
The gang followed close behind.
Xeno.
Adnan.
Salvatore.
Everyone entered together.
Doctors moved rapidly through the private surgical suite.
Nikolai held Lilith's hand softly.
"The surgery begins tomorrow at 8:00 AM," Dr Mason explained.
Nikolai only nodded while quietly ordering food for his wife despite everything.
Meanwhile in Russia—
"I want you to inject her with that dozen. Got it?" a woman ordered coldly through the phone.
"Yes ma'am. The job will be done," the nurse replied.
"I paid you a lot. Don't fail me."
"Yes ma."
The call ended.
Morning arrived.
Nikolai sat feeding Lilith breakfast quietly.
It was nearly time.
Elsewhere in the hospital—
Riyana sat inside the small mosque praying intensely, her hair covered.
Aarav, Karim, Ariz, and Farhan joined her silently.
"It's time," Nikolai heard.
Dr Leonid prepared the injection.
Dr Rafael administered the sedative.
Nikolai leaned down kissing Lilith slowly.
"I l…love you n…n…Nikki…"
"I love you too, Bambi."
Lilith wiped his tears weakly before slowly losing consciousness.
Dr Violet placed the oxygen mask over her face.
Then they wheeled her away.
The red operation light turned on.
Nikolai waited outside wearing a white shirt and blue pants.
One hour passed.
Then three.
Then six.
He could no longer sit still.
His hands shook uncontrollably.
Riyana and her sons had still not left the mosque.
Anika prayed nearby.
Sohan sat outside praying silently.
Inside the operating room—
Blood stained gloves continuously.
The paid nurse stood among them.
"Cottons," Dr Kelvin ordered.
Dr María handed them over.
As they carefully worked around Lilith's brain, they finally located the fresh wound.
Then—
Dr Leonid prepared something carefully.
Neurodex-7.
(Neuro-Maturation Serum.)
A serum they had spent months developing.
The possible cure for Lilith's condition.
He slowly injected it.
Halfway through—
The nurse suddenly kicked Dr Leonid violently.
"HEY!" Dr Violet shouted.
The nurse grabbed another injection and stabbed it directly into Lilith's neck.
Dr Mason tackled him instantly.
Dr Liv ripped the syringe away.
Dr Leonid punched the nurse brutally until blood poured from his mouth.
Outside—
Riyana suddenly stepped out of the mosque before collapsing.
Blood dripped from her nose.
"Mumma are you okay!?" Karim shouted.
Then realization struck her.
"Lilith…"
She immediately ran toward the operation hall.
The boys followed.
Elsewhere Sohan paced outside the operating room anxiously before tripping suddenly.
His forehead smashed into the wall.
"Ouch!" Nikolai muttered moving toward him.
But a sharp blade attached to a chair sliced Nikolai deeply.
"Lily?" Sohan whispered weakly.
Blood dripped from his forehead.
"Neva!" Riyana screamed arriving.
"Mumma calm down!" Nihal shouted holding her back.
Suddenly—
The operation doors burst open.
Dr Clara dragged the nurse out violently and punched him hard.
"He's a spy! He injected Lily with a chemical! She's unstable because of him!"
Inside the room—
Machines beeped wildly.
"We're losing her!" Dr Kelvin shouted.
Doctors injected antibiotics rapidly.
Dr Clara removed bloodied cotton from her brain.
The monitor beeped faster.
Faster.
Then—
Flatline.
Everything stopped.
Nikolai suddenly grabbed his chest tightly.
His breathing became uneven.
"Are you okay brother?" Meghan whispered.
Then the doors opened.
Dr Leonid stepped out crying.
"Nikolai… I… I'm so sorry… we lost her."
Silence.
Pure silence.
"What do you mean she is…" Vanya whispered.
Nikolai collapsed to his knees.
Riyana stood frozen.
Sohan stumbled backward.
"M…My Mihu…"
The gang burst into tears instantly.
"She can't die! Not now! It's not her time!" Riyana screamed in shock.
Zhanna grabbed the nurse by the hair while crying hysterically.
"WHO SENT YOU!?"
She shot his leg.
He screamed.
"SPEAK!" Yulian roared stepping onto the wound.
"The leader of Krasnaya Prikaz—The Red Order! She paid me! She wants the title of Queen of the Mafia Underworld!"
Before he could finish—
CRACK.
Arina snapped his neck instantly.
Dead.
"Baneva can't die like this!" Riyana screamed.
"She is death herself! The day Lilith was born people died across the world! It rained heavily! Sohan wiped out entire enemy groups just hearing her first cry!"
Tears streamed down her face.
"The meaning of Lilith is The Night! I refused to bow before anyone for you! HOW CAN YOU BOW TO DEATH HUH!?"
She stormed inside the room.
Lilith's body was covered completely with a white sheet.
"Take this shit off her. NOW."
She ripped the sheets away.
"OI BANEVA!"
Her voice cracked.
"How dare you leave your mother!?"
Everyone slowly entered.
Nikolai walked in last.
He stared at Lilith's pale face.
Then slowly approached.
"Come on love… wake up now hmm? Mumma promised Disney Land remember?"
His hands shook as he touched her.
"Wake up love… please…"
Then he screamed.
"GET UP!"
Sohan pulled Riyana backward as she broke down sobbing loudly.
Zafraan collapsed to his knees crying.
Anika and Karim sobbed together.
Aarav moved toward the body slowly.
"Hey Neva… remember basketball? I'll let you win this time… please open your eyes…"
His voice trembled completely.
Then Nikolai pushed forward desperately.
"Move."
He cupped Lilith's cold face.
"Bambi… you can't leave me. Remember? For life and forever. Even the Lord can't separate us right?"
Tears hit her cold skin.
"WAKE UP!"
He screamed while lifting her into his arms.
"Please don't leave me. I beg you. Please…"
Elsewhere—
Asif called home crying.
"Baneva is dead, Father… she left this world…"
Zahuril slowly stood.
"What?"
The entire dinner table froze.
"Baneva is dead," he whispered.
Asma's plate shattered onto the floor as Fatema caught her collapsing body.
Meanwhile in India—
Mr Kadeon answered his phone.
"What!?"
His face drained.
"What do you mean she's dead!?"
Bhairavi looked at him slowly.
"Mahira is dead," he whispered.
"What?" Bhairavi breathed.
"Someone poisoned her during surgery…"
Bhairavi immediately stood.
"GET THE JET READY! WE LEAVE NOW!"
Then she walked toward the temple crying.
"Almighty… she's only a child… she hasn't lived her life fully yet… please bring her back…"
Meanwhile in Russia—
"What do you mean she's DEAD!?" Mr William shouted.
"Nick must be going insane right now…" Francesca whispered tearfully.
The family immediately departed.
Three hours later—
Both families arrived at the hospital broken apart.
Nikolai still held Lilith's body tightly while patting her head gently.
"Nick… we have to take her…" Dr Leonid whispered.
But Nikolai remained silent.
"Brother… they w…want to take her…" Arina cried.
Ethan stood frozen staring at Lilith.
Flashbacks destroyed him.
The mental hospital.
Her giggles.
"Best friends!"
Drawing together.
Playing.
Feeding her.
His little sister.
Nathan and Marco tried holding Nikolai back.
"No! Don't touch her! She's not dead! PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER FROM ME!"
Doctors finally wheeled her body away.
But Lilith was not gone.
She was dreaming.
A vast white space surrounded her.
"H…Hello?"
"Lily."
She turned.
Rhea stood behind her.
Not human-like.
A true angel.
Covered in pure white with a glowing ring above her head and a staff in her hand.
"Nani!"
Lilith ran into her arms.
"It is not your time, Lilith. You have a very long life ahead of you… and Nikolai by your side."
Rhea kissed her forehead softly.
"So now, Lilith Mahira Baneva… your journey continues. You will become stronger."
The angel smiled gently.
"Go back, child. It is not your time."
Everything became white.
Outside—
She can't leave m…me Nikolai said
Francesca held Nikolai tightly while he continued crying in rage and devastation.