Nikolai held Mila after her bath while Lilith(Mahira) slowly walked around the apartment, looking at every room once again.
"Dada," Mila said.
Nikolai chuckled softly before kissing her tiny forehead.
Lilith(Mahira) immediately pouted.
"I said small," she complained.
He simply winked at her.
She rolled her eyes.
After drinking her milk, Mila slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Goodnight, my little angel," Nikolai whispered.
He gently kissed her forehead once more before carefully placing her inside her crib.
He quietly closed the nursery door.
Meanwhile, Lilith(Mahira) had unknowingly fallen asleep on the couch.
Her hair was messy, with loose strands covering part of her face.
Nikolai slowly bent down beside her.
His eyes carefully admired the gorgeous face he had missed for so long.
His fingers twitched.
He wanted nothing more than to kiss her soft plum lips.
"I'm still mad at you for leaving, Bambi… but I love you so much. I will never let you go."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
He gently covered her with a blanket before quietly leaving the room.
Meanwhile…
Several cars slowly pulled up in front of Nikolai's mansion.
Oyiva stepped out first while helping the younger children.
"Ya Allah…" Fariha whispered in amazement.
"It's so so beautiful, Maa(Mother)," Diya said while looking around.
"Ammi yahan nahin hain yaad hai (Mother isn't here remember)," Fariha reminded her.
"Oh right…" Diya replied with an embarrassed smile.
"Come in," Damian said politely while guiding everyone inside.
The children walked through the mansion with wide eyes.
"It looks like heaven…" Charvi whispered.
"It's your new home now," Damian said warmly.
"Look it… Amma(Mother)," Atharva called.
Everyone turned toward the wall.
Large wedding portraits of Lilith(Mahira) and Nikolai decorated the entrance.
"Wow… she looks more gorgeous," Satyam said.
Damian smiled.
He patiently explained a few house rules.
Everyone nodded in understanding.
Afterward, he showed them to their rooms.
"Lily said to make a prayer side for you," Damian told Fariha.
She quietly followed him.
As the bedroom door opened, she froze.
Beside the window was a beautifully prepared prayer corner.
A prayer mat.
A Qur'an.
Prayer beads.
Everything had been thoughtfully arranged.
"Thank you, sir," Fariha said gratefully.
"You're welcome. If you need anything, tell me."
Damian smiled before leaving.
Fariha quietly entered her room.
She removed her veil.
Her long hair flowed freely down her back.
She sat beside the window.
Closing her eyes, she peacefully listened to the wind.
Outside…
Hammed stood alone on the grass.
He smoked quietly while watching the dark clouds gather overhead.
The sky grew darker.
Moments later…
Rain began to fall.
Hammed simply remained standing beneath it.
His eyes stayed closed.
"Excuse me, sir! Come inside or you'll catch a cold!"
The gentle voice surprised him.
He turned.
Fariha was sitting by the open window.
She smiled warmly.
Hammed slowly raised his hand.
She happily waved back.
He silently returned inside.
Fariha continued looking at the rainy sky.
Inside the mansion…
Hammed suddenly stopped walking.
A flashback of Fariha's smiling face crossed his mind.
"Cute…"
He quietly walked away.
That night…
Nikolai lay on his bed.
His phone displayed the CCTV cameras installed throughout Lilith(Mahira)'s apartment.
He watched her sleeping peacefully.
Another camera showed Mila sleeping comfortably inside her crib.
Tiny adorable sounds escaped her lips.
Her little hands were covered by soft pink gloves.
His expression softened.
"My precious angel…"
"Daddy loves you."
A small smile appeared across his face.
The next morning…
Warm sunlight entered through the apartment windows.
Lilith(Mahira) woke up.
Her hair was wrapped inside a towel.
She completed her morning prayers.
The sunlight gently touched her face.
She smiled peacefully.
With folded hands she touched her forehead before walking toward Mila's room.
Her baby was already awake.
"Hi, my sweet girl. How was your night?"
Lilith(Mahira) smiled while lifting her into her arms.
She bathed Mila before opening her wardrobe.
It was completely filled with baby clothes.
She sighed.
"Your Papa is crazy."
She smiled lovingly.
She dressed Mila in a beautiful two-piece baby outfit.
It included a brown corduroy romper with a bear face embroidered on the front and a matching long-sleeved light brown shirt with a subtle rainbow print.
The romper featured a front pocket and adorable bear ears attached to the straps.
"Awwwww… look at my Mil Mil."
Lilith(Mahira) gently tickled her.
Mila burst into adorable giggles.
Just then…
The house phone rang.
Lilith(Mahira) walked over and answered.
"Hello?"
"Good morning, Bambi…" Nikolai answered.
His deep sleepy voice immediately made her heart pound.
"M…Morning," she whispered.
"How was your night?" he asked while rubbing his tired eyes.
"It was okay… and yours?"
"I didn't sleep all night again. I only got twenty minutes of sleep."
"Why, Nikki? You need sleep… right, Mil?"
She looked toward Mila.
Mila giggled.
Nikolai couldn't stop smiling.
"How is Mila? Has she eaten?"
"I only gave her milk… and I'm going to study now."
"Oh… okay."
"I can come stay with Mila while you study for the exam."
"You have work, Nikki… and Mila is watching TV."
Her voice remained soft.
"Okay, Bambi…"
"Uhmm… I'll call back later."
"Have a blessed day," she whispered.
"Have a lovely day, Bambi."
"Mil… tell Dada bye bye."
"Ba Ba."
Mila clapped happily.
Nikolai chuckled before ending the call.
At the dining table…
"Morning, Brother," all his siblings greeted.
"Good morning."
Nikolai's cheerful voice immediately caught everyone's attention.
Everyone exchanged surprised looks.
"You sound happy," Ethan observed.
"Yeah."
"Mila and I had a talk."
"She promised she wouldn't disturb her Mama while she studies for her exam."
Everyone smiled.
Nikolai quietly continued eating.
But deep inside…
He missed Lilith(Mahira)'s cooking.
More than anything…
He wanted her back home.
Back in his arms.
No matter what it took…
He would bring them home.
Later…
Nikolai made another phone call.
"Hello, Nick," his mother, Mrs. Francesca, answered.
"I found them, Mom."
"I found my Lily…"
"And Mila."
"I brought them back to Russia."
"Oh my God, Nick!"
"That's amazing!"
"I sent Dad pictures of Mila."
Nikolai explained everything that had happened.
Mrs. Francesca sounded happier than she had in years.
"When can we meet them?"
"Not now, Mom…"
"But I'll try to bring Mimi soon."
"Oh, please do, Nick."
She wiped away her tears before ending the call.
She hurried toward the dining room.
"Nick found them!"
Everyone looked up in shock.
"Really?" Meera asked.
"Yes!"
"Willy… check your phone!"
Mr. William immediately unlocked his phone.
His eyes widened.
"She looks exactly like Nick!"
Everyone gathered around.
The pictures showed Lilith(Mahira) holding Mila.
"She looks even more beautiful than before," Viktoria whispered while wiping her tears.
"Yes…"
"We have to bring them together," Mom Albina said.
"Yeah… but how?" Albert wondered.
Albert hadn't seen Sarah for two years.
She had been busy with school.
Sarah once confessed her feelings to him.
He rejected her.
He claimed he was too old and that their age difference wasn't right.
It was only an excuse.
He was thirty-three.
She was nineteen.
Sarah never stopped loving him.
Instead…
She quietly focused on her studies while avoiding him.
"Let's wait for some time," Timur suggested.
Everyone nodded.
One week later…
Nikolai sat inside the apartment.
Mila lay peacefully on his chest while sucking her thumb.
Across the room…
Lilith(Mahira) studied nonstop.
She wrote key points.
Walked around.
Repeated important topics aloud.
Reviewed every book.
For the entire week…
She never stopped studying.
Today was Sunday.
Her examination was tomorrow.
As the hours passed…
She became increasingly nervous.
Nikolai quietly sat beside her.
"Bambi…"
"Look at me."
She shook her head.
Tears filled her eyes.
He gently lifted her chin.
"Hey… look at me."
"I know you're nervous."
"But don't let fear make you forget how hard you've worked."
"You didn't come this far by luck."
"You earned every step."
"Tomorrow's exam isn't there to prove your worth."
"It's simply another chance to show what you already know."
"Don't think about passing or failing."
"Walk into that room."
"Breathe."
"And give it your very best."
"That's all anyone can ask."
"And no matter what happens…"
"I'm already proud of you."
"You are stronger…"
"Smarter…"
"And braver than you believe."
"So tonight…"
"Get some rest."
"Tomorrow…"
"Go in there…"
"And make that exam remember your name."
"I'll be waiting for you when it's over."
Nikolai gently wiped away her tears.
He kissed her forehead.
Lilith(Mahira) smiled.
"Maybe… I will come home soon," she whispered.
"Oh, Bambi…"
"Please do."
Just then…
Mila let out a tiny growl.
"Oh… my little Lioness."
Nikolai laughed while hugging his daughter.
Monday…
Examination Day.
The examination was scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
"Ammi(Mother)… here are more almonds," Fariha said.
Lilith(Mahira) ate a few more.
Everyone hugged her tightly.
Meanwhile…
Leonid had collected more of her blood samples.
He continued searching for a cure to the poison.
Soon…
The car arrived outside the examination center.
"Good luck, Bambi," Nikolai said softly.
She looked outside.
Hundreds of candidates had already arrived.
She picked up her bag.
"Open the door."
"Ba ba," Mila said happily.
"Be a good girl for Papa, okay Mil."
To everyone's surprise…
Mila nodded.
"Good girl."
Lilith(Mahira) smiled.
She looked at Nikolai one last time.
He looked back.
She suddenly stopped.
"What happened?" he asked.
Without saying anything…
She gently rested her forehead against his.
Nikolai smiled.
He softly kissed her forehead.
"Good luck, Bambi."
"Thank you, Nikki."
Lilith(Mahira) kissed Mila's forehead before stepping out of the car.
She walked toward the examination center.
Candidates were organized into different lines.
Nikolai watched quietly.
Soon…
She disappeared into the crowd.
Four minutes later…
Everyone was seated.
Lilith(Mahira) folded her hands.
"Bless me, Lord."
"Har Har Mahadev (Praise to the Great God Shiva in everything)."
"You may all begin," the invigilator announced.
The examination hall immediately became silent.
Lilith(Mahira) carefully read every question.
She answered one after another.
She frequently checked the time.
She remained calm.
She remembered every lesson she had spent an entire week studying.
Now…
All that remained…
Was hope.
Hope that this examination would open the door to a new future.
Hope that this opportunity would finally change her life forever.