What?" Nikolai said as David told him about the attack.
David's voice was filled with worry.
"Lily is going to kill us all, do you know that?" he said.
Nikolai's expression became serious.
"How are their conditions?"
"Boss, Kishu is still unconscious and they are treating Oyiva," David answered.
"Please watch them," Nikolai ordered.
"Yes, Boss," David replied.
The call ended.
Nikolai lowered his phone and sighed.
"The kids got hurt," he whispered.
"Lily isn't going to like that at all," Nathan said.
"That woman is doomed," Valerio added.
They all sat inside the cave as the rain poured outside.
The sound of thunder filled the mountain.
"Bambi…" Nikolai whispered, his mind filled with worry.
⸻
Mila slowly opened her eyes.
She yawned softly and rubbed her little eyes.
The small child looked around the room.
She slowly climbed down from the small bed and crawled toward the door.
Her little blanket was wrapped around her.
She walked outside carefully.
The sound of prayers filled the air.
Mila looked ahead.
People were praying inside the temple.
Curious, she slowly crawled toward the stairs.
Her tiny hands held onto the stairs gently as she carefully came down.
She waddled forward.
Her blanket was still in her arms.
Her pacifier stayed in her mouth.
She reached the temple and sat in front of the idols.
Mila folded her tiny hands together.
Her eyes slowly closed.
⸻
Rohan entered the room.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked as he sat closer to her.
Oyiva nodded.
She covered her chest.
Rohan looked at her carefully.
"Via?" he whispered.
She looked at him.
His dark ash eyes met her glowing yellow amber eyes.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
She blinked slowly.
They moved closer.
Their noses touched.
"Sir…" she whispered.
Rohan lifted his hand and gently cupped her cheek.
His thumb brushed against her soft round lips.
He moved closer as he rubbed her back.
Their lips were almost touching.
Almost.
Then—
A knock.
They quickly pulled away.
"Y-Yes?" Oyiva answered.
The door opened.
Diya rushed inside.
"Come quickly! Mila isn't in the small bed we put her to sleep in," she said.
"Kya?" Rohan said in shock.
They immediately ran downstairs.
"We found her. She is in the temple," Brandon said.
Everyone entered the temple.
They saw Mila sitting peacefully.
She was praying.
Then Mila opened her eyes.
She waved at the idols.
"Hi! Me Mila. I had bad dweam 'bout my Mama. I come here 'cause Mama always pway here back home."
She looked at the idols seriously.
"Dada an' Mama no call an' I scawed."
Her little voice became softer.
"You help Dada an' Mama?"
She held her tiny hands together.
"If you make Mama win an' bwing my Mama here to Mil, I give a hundwed chocwates to evewybody."
She lifted her tiny pinky finger.
"Otay? Pinky pwomise?"
Everyone watched silently.
Mila stood up.
Suddenly, the wind blew through the temple.
The garland hanging above fell down and wrapped around her tiny pinky finger.
Mila giggled.
"Yayyy!"
She clapped happily.
"I go nappy now. Tank oo Maa."
She turned around.
"Ba Ba!"
She waddled toward them.
Nolan picked her up.
"I pray all the prayers are answered," Oyiva whispered.
"Me too," Fariha said.
⸻
Two days later, in Russia.
Inside the Sergei family mansion, Amanat held Samarth in her arms.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I no go. I stawy with you and Dada. He my dada. My dada," Samarth said.
He wiped her tears.
Amanat kissed his face and hugged him tightly.
Sergei held Raisa.
"She scared, brother. And you are too," Oksana said.
"Y-Yes, I am," Sergei replied.
"When Sammy was born, he held my finger."
Sergei looked down at the baby in his arms.
"I am not his father, but yet he made me his father."
His voice became emotional.
"I love him so, so much."
"He cheers me up. He runs around, and he loves his little sister so much."
"One day, Raisa was three months old. It was midnight."
"Sammy's room is eight rooms away from hers."
"Somehow, he heard her crying."
"He went to her room, climbed her crib, got her out, and held her."
"Like a little flower."
"He entered our room without waking Amanat and me."
"He gently breastfed her."
"After that, he carried her back to his room, covered them both, and they slept."
Sergei looked at Samarth.
"He is a good son and brother."
"I am not losing him."
Amanat held Samarth close.
"I no go to bad Dada. I stawy with Mama," Samarth whispered.
He held onto his mother.
Thirty minutes later, Amanat fell asleep.
Samarth gently patted her head.
"Hey buddy. You okay?" Sergei asked.
"I sad. I no go with bad Dada."
Samarth wiped his tears.
"I stawy with you."
"I wuv you an Mama an Ra."
Sergei hugged him.
"Don't worry buddy. Everything will be alright."
"You stay with us forever."
"Pwomise?" Samarth asked.
"I promise, my little spider."
Sergei hugged him.
His sisters watched them before leaving the room.
By sunrise, Amanat was feeding Samarth.
The mansion was quiet.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then her phone suddenly dinged.
Amanat looked down.
A message appeared.
It was from her ex-mother-in-law.
She opened it.
"Just give us the boy and you can live with your new husband. Is it that hard?"
Amanat stared at the screen.
Her hands tightened.
She began typing.
"Yes, he is my son. I birthed him. I watched him grow."
"I will leave him with you all to destroy his future? To make him like your son?"
"Never."
"I will never let anyone go close to him."
"He will never be like your son."
"A monster."
She stopped typing.
Sergei gently held her hand.
"It's okay," he whispered.
A small cry came from Raisa.
"Shhhh," Sergei said.
He picked her up and rocked her gently.
But her crying became louder.
"Shhhh, little one."
Samarth immediately jumped down from his chair.
He opened his arms.
Sergei looked at him and smiled.
He handed Raisa to him.
"Hey, I hwere," Samarth said.
Raisa slowly stopped crying.
Samarth waddled back to his seat while holding her.
Her small giggles filled the room.
He clapped happily, making her smile.
She moved her tiny hands toward him.
Samarth kissed her finger.
"I wuv you," he whispered.
He hugged his little sister.
"Bad Dada goin' to cwy."
"He make Mama cwy."
"I make him cwy."
"Hump!"
⸻
On the island.
Lilith's eyes remained closed.
Her body was covered with fresh marks.
The men poured water over her.
"It time, Mhaira," Malvika said.
Lilith did not respond.
"Her eyes are still closed."
"Take her."
The men lifted Lilith.
They carried her away.
But as they walked outside, Lilith slowly opened her eyes.
Nobody noticed.
She quietly moved her hand.
She activated the timer of the bomb.
The numbers began counting down.
⸻
"Boss, the bags are out. Ready to leave," one of the men said.
Malvika smiled.
They entered the cars.
The vehicles drove away.
⸻
Meanwhile, Nikolai ate a banana as they reached the back door of the chamber.
Austin had been admitted into a hospital in town.
He still had not woken up.
Two days had passed.
"Boss, it's open," Hassan said.
Nikolai nodded.
"I need to trigger Lily to get her angry…"
He looked ahead.
"But she already is."
Sohan and his sons, Chandrak, stood beside him.
Nikolai rolled his eyes.
"Nick, give it," Sohan said.
Nikolai handed him the chip.
The chip disabled the door security systems.
The red light turned green.
The back door opened.
Everyone entered.
Inside, they discovered the hidden treasure.
Gold.
Rubies.
Diamonds.
Money.
More than ₹8 billion.
Sohan's sons immediately began moving everything.
They cleared the rooms.
"Nimra, check the drone," Nikolai ordered.
"They are here, Boss," Nimra answered.
"Farhan, watch what Lily is doing."
Farhan looked at the screen.
"What is she putting down like that?"
They zoomed in.
The screen showed a tiny woman planting bombs.
"Are those my bombs?" Nikolai asked.
"Looks like it, Boss," Nimra replied.
"No wonder…"
Nikolai stared.
"I thought I didn't bring them from home."
"She hid them from me."
The boys placed fake gold and money where the real treasure had been.
They moved into another room.
Nimra connected the system.
She and Farhan hacked into the security.
"Hani, baby, here are the codes," Nimra said.
"Thank you, love," Farhan replied.
"Ugh," Nihal said, rolling his eyes.
They laughed.
"Almighty, please bless me too with a good woman."
"I am so, so lonely," Nihal joked.
"And bless you with brains to understand her," Farhan replied.
Nimra laughed.
"Rude ass man. Hump."
"Awww, I love you too, baby bro," Farhan teased.
"Ewww," Nihal replied.
"And we are in."
Nimra smiled.
"See? Didi ji is smarter than you."
They all laughed.
⸻
The Nocturne Matriarchate arrived at the mountain.
Lilith noticed an apple.
She picked it up.
She cut it.
Rain poured from the sky.
The water washed over it.
She secretly cut it into two pieces and ate it.
Nobody noticed.
They reached the top of the mountain.
Malvika placed her hand on the door.
"Finally, Baba."
"I can fulfill your wish."
The door reacted.
A shock went through her hand.
She hissed.
"Key to unlock the Golden Chamber scanning," the system announced.
The system scanned her.
"Access denied."
The words appeared again.
Malvika clenched her fist.
Then she grabbed Lilith by her hair.
The AI system scanned again.
Her mark appeared.
"Access granted."
"Welcome, Gem."
Everyone froze.
"Woahhhh…"
The group stared.
They entered the chamber.
"Do we still need her, Boss?" a woman asked.
"Maybe bring her," Malvika replied.
They dragged Lilith inside by her leg.
Inside, Lily was chanting prayers.
They saw the gold and money.
Malvika grinned.
She laughed while holding the treasure.
The chip lay on the ground.
Lily stood up.
Then she laughed.
A terrifying laugh.
Everyone looked at her.
She continued laughing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The laughter filled the Golden Chamber.
Lily's voice echoed against the walls.
The Nocturne Matriarchate members looked at each other.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Then footsteps were heard.
A group emerged from the shadows.
Nikolai and the others stepped forward.
"Welcome, Malvika," Sohan said.
Malvika turned around.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You old bastard."
She smiled coldly.
"You're late."
"Lily?" Sabrina whispered.
Lily's eyes were still closed.
She stood silently.
Nikolai looked at Malvika.
"You hurt my wife," he said.
The Nocturne Matriarchate members immediately moved backward.
They held their weapons tightly.
Lilith was still on her knees.
Malvika stared at Nikolai.
"She sent men to get Mila," Nikolai said.
His voice became darker.
"But Via got shot in the back."
"They smashed Kishu's head, making him bleed out."
"Mila got hurt too."
He gave a sign.
The others understood.
"Yes," Karim said.
"Mihu, listen."
Lilith's eyes remained closed.
But slowly…
Very slowly…
Her fingers moved.
She was cutting the ropes around her hands.
Then—
A sound entered her ears.
A child crying.
"Mama…"
"Dada…"
"Owies…"
Mila's voice echoed through Lilith's mind.
Her breathing changed.
Malvika rolled her eyes.
"So what?"
"I sent men to get her."
"But now I got what I wanted."
The room became silent.
Then a small voice spoke.
"That was the biggest mistake you ever made."
Everyone looked at her.
The tiny woman slowly stood.
The ropes around her body fell to the ground.
Her eyes remained closed.
First…
"You send them to get me in school."
Second…
"You abuse Austin mentally and physically."
Third…
"You send men to attack my family at the park."
"They threw stones at us."
"Mil got hurt."
"And now…"
"You touch all my kids."
Her voice became louder.
"I WILL…"
Everyone froze.
"...HAVE YOUR HEAD!!!!!!!"
Her scream became the loudest sound.
It echoed throughout the island.
It traveled beyond the mountains.
Even the town heard it.
Riyana and the family stopped.
"Lily?" Riyana whispered.
Inside the chamber, Lily held a button.
Malvika looked at it.
"What is that?"
She pointed her gun.
Lily smiled.
"Your doom."
She pressed it.
BOOM!!!!
The penthouse exploded.
The men inside died instantly.
More explosions followed.
The ground shook.
Everyone looked around.
Lilith walked forward.
"Ahhhh!"
Malvika fired her gun.
But Sohan moved.
He covered his daughter.
Three bullets entered his back.
"BABA!!!!"
The boys screamed.
Lily caught her father.
"I'm fine," he said.
His breathing became heavy.
"I have pills."
"I am okay…"
"As long as I am h-here…"
"Baba will protect you."
Nikolai immediately shot Malvika's gun away.
Addison kicked one of the members in the leg.
Lily held her father.
Memories rushed through her mind.
"Stay with us, Baba!"
"Reyan cried.
Lilith pulled out her dagger.
"You will PAY!!!!!!!!"
She ran toward Malvika.
Malvika tried to shoot again.
But Lilith reached her first.
The dagger went into her.
"Boss!"
The Nocturne Matriarchate members shouted.
Nikolai looked at them.
"You girls know the rules."
They stared at him.
"You all know the rules of The Nocturne Matriarch organization."
They looked at each other.
Lilith pulled Malvika's body away.
She dragged her outside.
Rain poured from the sky.
Sohan watched.
He saw what his child had become.
His worst nightmare.
He had dreamed of giving her a loving and peaceful life.
But now…
She had become something even darker than him.
Lilith dragged the body into the woods.
Nikolai did not stop her.
"Boss, we have—"
"Rima," Nikolai interrupted.
"Nobody should go near her."
"She has lost her mind completely."
"If anyone dares…"
"She might end up killing the person unknowingly."
The body was thrown into the sand.
Lilith gathered sticks.
Her hair was a complete mess.
The marks on her body were visible.
Her clothes were torn.
She covered the body with wood.
Then she pressed the button again.
The mountain exploded.
Everyone looked up.
"Holy shit!" Darya shouted.
Lilith stood in the fire and smoke.
"Die."
"Die."
"Die."
"Die."
"Die."
"DIE!"
"DIE!"
"DIE!"
She jumped crazily.
The forest caught fire.
She carried a burning flame.
She threw it onto the body covered in wood.
The flames grew.
"Rest in hell with this stupid chip you wanted for years!"
"Go meet your father in HELL WITH IT!"
"This is for my kids!"
She broke the chip.
She threw it into the fire.
Then she fell to her knees.
She watched the flames.
Silence surrounded her.
The flames continued to rise into the dark sky.
Everyone stood frozen.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
They had never seen Lilith like this before.
She sat on her knees, staring into the fire.
The rain poured around her, but the flames refused to disappear.
Her eyes were empty.
Her heart was filled with pain.
Nikolai watched her from a distance.
He knew that the woman standing in front of him was still his Lily.
But she had been pushed beyond her limits.
"I believe your leader is dead," Nikolai said.
The Nocturne Matriarchate members looked at each other.
Then slowly…
One by one…
They walked toward Lilith.
They went down on one knee.
They placed their hands over their chests.
"Lilith is the new leader of the Nocturne Matriarch."
"Our leader."
"Our Supreme Matriarch."
"The Velichayshaya Koroleva Korolev."
"The Greatest Queen of Queens!"
Their voices echoed throughout the island.
Lilith slowly looked up.
"Nikki…"
The moment he heard her voice, Nikolai ran toward her.
He pulled her into his arms.
"Home," she whispered.
"Of course, my love," Nikolai replied.
He carried her carefully.
"Let's go."
The Nocturne Matriarchate members bowed.
They followed behind.
⸻
"They are out, Baba," Karim said.
"Good job, buddy," Sohan replied.
He tapped his son's face gently and wiped his tears.
"Strong men don't cry, boy."
"Remember that."
"Baba…"
Lilith whispered.
She reached for his arm.
"I am sorry, my little deer."
"Baba is fine," Sohan said softly.
She held onto him.
The boats began moving away from the island.
The ocean waves crashed behind them.
Lilith pressed the button one last time.
The entire island exploded.
The flames rose into the sky.
Everyone stared.
"Pretty…" Lilith whispered.
"Woahhh…" Alexio said.
"Wow," a woman whispered.
"We could have been dead by now if we stayed longer," another member said.
"Boss truly…"
"Gone."
They looked at Lilith.
"She is our new boss."
"We follow her."
"We take her orders now."
The boats disappeared into the distance.
⸻
Meanwhile, Mila sat outside.
"Ronny tawe," she said.
She handed him the keys.
"Thank you, love," Ronny replied.
He tied her shoes carefully.
Then he let her walk into the garden.
He removed his shirt while Mila picked flowers.
She placed them into her little basket.
⸻
Oyiva was taking a bath.
Rohan sat outside with his brother while checking the guns.
Mila continued picking flowers.
After four minutes, Oyiva walked by the window.
She dried her hair with a towel.
Rohan laughed.
Then he looked up.
His expression changed.
He saw her.
His heart folded.
He watched her as she looked toward Mila.
Oyiva smiled.
Her dimples appeared.
Rohan blinked slowly.
"Looks like you're falling in love, brother," Prince Aadesh said.
"Shut up," Rohan replied.
"Hi Viaaaaa!" Mila shouted.
She waved at Oyiva.
Oyiva smiled and waved back.
Mila picked more flowers.
Later, everyone returned inside.
"Boss and Lily are safe," Nolan announced.
"They won the war."
"Lily is the new Supreme Matriarch and Queen of Queens."
"Tf!?" David said.
"Yes."
"She blew the whole island out with Boss's bombs."
"She took everything."
"Mama won," Mila said.
Rohan smiled.
"Really?"
"Yes, baby," Oyiva said.
Mila waddled back toward the temple.
She looked at the idols.
She placed her tiny hands together.
"Tank ooo pwetty Lord!"
"I do my pwomise now!"
"Hundwed chocwates for evewyone!"
"I wuv you!"
"Mama win!"
"Mil see Dada an' Mama too!"
"Yay!"
Mila jumped and clapped.
She started a happy dance.
The flowers in her basket fell onto the floor as she danced.
Everyone watched her.
"She is adorable," Princess Medha said.
"Yeah, it is," Princess Trupti replied.
Mila giggled loudly.
The sound filled the temple.
For the first time in many days…
There was peace.
But the world had changed.
The old leader was gone.
A new queen had risen.
Lilith.
The Supreme Matriarch.
The Greatest Queen of Queens.