The hospital corridor was silent except for the steady beeping of machines.
Lilith sat outside the ICU her eyes never leaving the closed door.
Her dark blue dupatta covered her chest as she tightly held onto it with trembling fingers.
She stared at the ICU for several long moments before glancing toward another room.
Slowly she stood up.
Her footsteps were light as she walked toward the room.
She reached the door.
Her hand rested on the handle for a second.
She pushed it open.
Inside she saw Nikolai sitting quietly while a doctor carefully wrapped fresh bandages around the bullet wound on his arm.
The smell of antiseptic filled the room.
The doctor finished tying the bandage before turning toward her.
"Ms are you his relative?" the doctor asked.
Lilith slowly nodded.
"I am his..."
"His?" the doctor asked.
Nikolai looked directly into her eyes.
"His wife."
Lilith softly said the words.
Nikolai smiled warmly.
The doctor smiled politely.
"Oh Mrs Nikolai we are done treating his wounds."
She nodded.
"Thank you doctor."
The doctor left the room quietly closing the door behind him.
Silence filled the room once again.
Lilith slowly walked toward Nikolai.
She nervously gripped the edge of her veil before gently reaching toward his injured arm.
Her fingertips lightly touched the bandage.
"D…D…Does I…I…It still hurts..?"
She asked softly.
Nikolai lovingly stared at her.
"It doesn't anymore since you touched it."
Lilith slowly lifted her eyes toward him.
"T…T…Thank you."
"For?" Nikolai asked.
"Mila."
Lilith whispered.
Nikolai smiled.
"She is my baby too."
"I will always take care of both of you."
Lilith lowered her head.
"But school…"
"I have tests coming up this week."
Nikolai quietly looked at her.
She suddenly puffed her cheeks.
"But I'm still mad at you."
She adorably pointed one finger at him.
Nikolai couldn't hold back anymore.
He burst into laughter.
Lilith gently leaned forward.
She placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
The moment her lips touched him his eyes slowly closed.
A peaceful smile appeared on his face.
"Come."
"Let's go to Mimi."
Lilith quietly nodded.
()
Everyone stood outside the ICU.
Lilith never once took her eyes off the small figure lying inside.
Little Mila wore an oxygen mask.
Tiny tubes surrounded her fragile body.
Her little hands rested motionless beneath the blanket.
The ICU door finally opened.
The doctor walked outside.
Everyone immediately stood up.
"The patient is out of danger."
A deep sigh of relief escaped everyone.
Some even closed their eyes in gratitude.
"But…"
Everyone immediately became tense again.
"She isn't waking up."
"The loss of blood and the injury to her head have caused her to fall into a deep slumber."
"It will take some days before she wakes."
Lilith blinked once.
"W…What do you mean…"
"She wouldn't wake up?"
The doctor looked at her gently.
"Mrs Lilith your baby is still very soft."
"The excessive crying caused her blood to spill even more."
"That made her unconscious."
"Our calculations suggest…"
Everyone silently waited.
The doctor's expression became serious.
"Two weeks."
Everything became silent.
Lilith's vision blurred.
Nikolai's eyes widened.
"Two weeks?"
Lilith suddenly dropped onto her knees.
The entire hallway spun around her.
"M…Mila…"
Sohan tightly clenched his fists.
"Mahira?"
He stepped toward his daughter.
She wasn't listening.
She only cried.
"Mahira!"
He gently held both her shoulders.
She slowly looked up.
Tears endlessly rolled down her cheeks.
"M…M…My b…b…Baby…"
She pointed toward Mila's room.
Sohan's eyes became red.
He gently cupped her face.
"She will be fine."
"She is strong."
"Just like you."
Riyana slowly knelt beside her daughter.
"Mila will be fine."
"She only needs rest."
"And you need to stay strong for your baby girl."
"Right Mihu?"
Lilith looked at both her parents.
Every emotion she had been holding finally broke.
She burst into tears.
Sohan immediately pulled her into a long embrace.
The embrace he had waited years to give his daughter.
He held her tightly.
Never wanting to let go.
Riyana gently rubbed Lilith's hair while quietly crying beside them.
()
Later that evening…
Nikolai carefully carried Lilith bridal style back to her apartment.
She had cried herself to sleep in his arms.
It was Sunday.
He reached her apartment.
He rang the doorbell.
The door immediately opened.
Enzo stood there holding a gun.
"Boss?"
He quickly stepped aside.
Nikolai entered.
He carefully laid Lilith on her bed.
He gently covered her with a blanket.
Then he leaned down.
He softly kissed her forehead.
"She needs rest."
Everyone quietly nodded.
The bedroom door softly closed.
Nikolai sat down in the living room.
Everyone watched him.
"It will take two weeks for Mila to wake."
"She lost a lot of blood."
Shock spread across every face.
"Lily is traumatized."
"She is broken."
The room became painfully silent.
Nikolai noticed Lilith's phone charging nearby.
He picked it up.
He searched through her contacts.
He found Gloria's number.
He pressed call.
"Hello?"
A cheerful female voice answered.
"You're Lily's friend aren't you?"
"Yes I am."
"When are the tests?"
"They begin tomorrow."
"They continue until Friday."
"Then our middle semester break starts."
Nikolai nodded.
"How many friends does Lilith have?"
"We're not many."
"Only four."
"You know our daughter Mila right?"
"Yes we do."
"Is everything okay?"
Nikolai slowly explained everything that had happened.
Silence followed.
"Oh Good Lord…"
"Please can I get her address?"
"Yes."
"But after two weeks."
"She'll be coming home with us."
"My mansion is a very very hidden place in Russia."
"The day all of you see me…"
"You'll be shocked."
"But how can I trust you and the others?"
Gloria immediately answered.
"Lilith is much more than a friend sir."
"She's our sister."
"She helped me get a job worth ₽600000."
"So I could support myself."
"Even Kseina who doesn't have a mother…"
"Lily became like a mother to her."
"And to the twins too."
Nikolai quietly listened.
"If someone lied about Lily to you…"
"Would you believe them immediately?"
Gloria already understood.
He was testing her.
"I'm not dumb enough to fall for people's tricks."
"I've learned many painful lessons."
"I know when someone is lying."
"I can even recognize fake evidence."
Nikolai softly hummed.
"Hmm."
"I'll send you the address."
"Thank you so much."
The call ended.
()
The next morning…
Sunlight entered through the apartment windows.
Nikolai had already prepared breakfast.
Lilith quietly got dressed for school.
Her face looked pale.
Dark circles rested beneath her eyes.
She absentmindedly prepared a bottle of warm milk.
She gently shook it.
"Mila milk time!"
She happily called.
Nikolai looked at her.
"Lily…"
"Huh?"
She continued shaking the bottle.
"Mila isn't here."
"Remember?"
"Yes…"
Lilith froze.
Several seconds passed.
The bottle slipped from her hands.
Milk spilled across the floor.
"Oh…"
"Right…"
She quietly whispered.
She silently sat down.
She barely touched her breakfast.
After eating only a little…
She stood.
"Bye Nikki."
"Bye Bambi."
She walked downstairs.
She climbed onto her white bicycle.
Then quietly rode toward the academy.
Nikolai watched until she disappeared.
He sighed.
Then wore his suit.
He left for work.
()
Meanwhile…
At the office…
Nikolai entered.
Sohan was already waiting.
"Father?"
Nikolai immediately bent down.
He respectfully touched Sohan's feet.
"How is she?"
Sohan quietly asked.
"Tired."
"And sad."
"She's trying to stay strong."
Sohan slowly nodded.
"Take me to her apartment later."
"Yes Father."
()
At the academy…
The students had just completed one of their tests.
Nearly six students remained together.
Lilith quietly sat at her desk.
She hadn't eaten.
Gloria had already told everyone what happened.
"Can we come on Wednesday?"
Gloria gently asked.
Lilith nodded.
"Don't worry."
"She'll wake up."
Wiktor and Wiktoria smiled encouragingly.
"Thank you all so much."
Lilith wiped away another tear.
She hugged each of them.
"Come on."
"Let's eat."
Kseina smiled.
The group shared their food.
They quietly ate together.
()
Not very far away…
A group of seniors watched Lilith.
She quietly wiped away her tears.
"She's the topper right?"
A tall dark haired boy asked.
"She's very very pretty."
A girl beside him smiled.
"Too bad."
"Diana isn't going to leave her alone."
Another boy laughed.
"Look at her hand."
"That's an engagement ring."
The girl pointed.
"So she's engaged."
The leader quietly observed Lilith.
Nearby another student walked past.
"Hey."
"Come here."
She walked over.
"Yes?"
"Do you know that girl over there?"
"Oh."
"Lilith."
"She's in our department."
"She's really nice."
"But nobody knows much about her."
"Is she Russian?"
"No."
"She's half Indian American."
"And half Bengali."
The seniors nodded.
"Thanks."
The student smiled before leaving.
"Lilith huh…"
The leader slowly grinned.
"Let's go."
The group quietly walked away.
()
After school…
The Cultural Club meeting began.
Lilith entered the large practice hall.
"Mahira!"
A cheerful brown skinned girl happily called.
Her name was Poojan.
She was from Gujarat.
Lilith smiled.
She hugged her.
"How are you?"
"I'm okay."
"You look tired."
"A little."
"It's because of the test."
"Hi Mahira!"
Everyone greeted together.
Lilith waved.
She sat down.
Then carefully tied her anklets around both ankles.
Not far away…
Diana and her group quietly watched.
The senior group had also arrived.
Poojan suddenly gave a loud whistle.
The girls burst into giggles.
They quickly formed a large circle.
The music started.
Rangon Ka Jashn
(Stage opens with Lilith standing in the center wearing her uniform while Indian students surround her in colorful traditional outfits Soft dhol beats begin)
Indian Students
Aao aao saath nacho
(Come come dance together)
(Everyone walks in from both sides in two lines smiling and clapping twice)
Lilith
Dil mera Bharat ke rangon se bhar gaya
(My heart is filled with the colors of India)
(Lilith places one hand on her heart then gracefully opens both arms)
All
Hey Hey Rang Rang Rang
(Hey Hey Colors Colors Colors)
(Everyone raises both hands high then performs four energetic Bhangra hops)
Indian Students
Dhol bajega raat bhar
(The drum will play all night)
(The back row pretends to play dhol while the front row spins once)
Lilith
Saath chalo dosti ka geet gao
(Come together and sing the song of friendship)
(Lilith walks forward as two students join her from each side holding hands)
All
Naacho gao muskurao
(Dance Sing Smile)
(Everyone claps four times steps right left right left then forms a large circle)
All
Rangon ki duniya mein hum ek hain
(In the world of colors we are one)
(Everyone points toward one another then places a hand over the heart)
Haathon mein haath sapnon ke saath
(Hand in hand with our dreams)
(Everyone joins hands and sways side to side)
Hey Hey Bharat ki shaan
(Hey Hey Pride of India)
(Everyone raises one hand proudly while the other rests on the waist)
Dil se Dil Tak
(From Heart to Heart)
(Everyone walks toward the center forming a tight circle)
Dance Break
All
Hey Hey Hey
(Everyone performs eight Bhangra shoulder bounces)
Ho Ho Ho
(Everyone spins once then claps overhead twice)
Na Na Na
(Two groups exchange places while waving their hands gracefully)
La La La
(Everyone forms a V formation with Lilith standing at the front)
Final Chorus
All
Aao milkar khushiyan baatein
(Come together and share happiness)
(Everyone steps forward together with bright smiles)
Ek sur ek taal
(One melody One rhythm)
(Everyone claps in perfect synchronization)
Rangon ka jashn sada rahe
(May the festival of colors live forever)
(Everyone makes a large circle around Lilith)
Jai Hind
(Victory to India)
(Everyone strikes a grand final pose with both hands raised as colorful confetti falls)
The hall erupted into applause.
Students loudly clapped for the performance.
Even Diana looked genuinely surprised by Lilith's graceful dance.
The senior students watched quietly.
"She's good."
One boy admitted.
The leader smiled.
"I want to know her."
A girl nudged Gloria.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"Is that girl single?"
The leader asked.
"No."
"She has a fiancé."
"The ring on her hand…"
"He gave it to her."
Gloria answered proudly.
"Oh."
"That's nice."
He smiled warmly.
"We still want to be friends with her."
Another senior girl smiled.
"Sure."
Gloria nodded.
The seniors quietly walked inside.
They continued watching Lilith dance with admiration.