Lilith was peacefully asleep on Nikolai's chest, her breathing soft and calm as she rested safely in his arms. The world outside could be filled with danger, secrets, and battles, but inside their room there was only silence and warmth.
Nikolai looked down at his tiny wife, his eyes filled with love and protectiveness. He gently held her closer, careful not to wake her. Tomorrow was the award night, an important night that everyone had been preparing for, but at that moment all he cared about was the woman sleeping peacefully against him.
He had tripled-checked everything. The arrangements, the security, the preparations for the wedding, every single detail had been inspected again and again. Nikolai knew how much these moments mattered, and he refused to allow anything to ruin them.
A small smile appeared on his face as Lilith moved slightly in her sleep and held onto him.
"My little wife," he whispered softly.
He kissed her hair gently before closing his eyes. Holding her carefully in his arms, Nikolai finally allowed himself to sleep.
Meanwhile, Nihal quietly entered another room. He looked at Khushi, who was already sleeping peacefully. A gentle expression crossed his face as he walked closer and carefully covered her body with the blanket.
"Achchhī nīnd soiye Rājkumārī (sleep well princess)," he whispered.
He smiled softly before lying beside her, making sure she was comfortable.
In another room, Clara sat quietly beside Zafraan. She watched him holding Sana, their little daughter sleeping safely in his arms. The sight broke something inside her because she knew the danger that was coming.
She reached forward and gently touched Zafraan's face.
"I love you very much, Z," Clara whispered. "I have to protect you and Sana at any cost."
Her heart was heavy. Her mother knew where Zafraan's restaurant was. She knew the woman was capable of anything, and the thought of what could happen terrified her.
Clara sat up slowly and kissed Zafraan's lips while he remained deeply asleep.
"I need a moment with my family," she whispered.
Her phone suddenly rang.
"What?" Clara answered.
"Clara, I'm waiting," her mother's voice said.
Clara looked at Zafraan and Sana before ending the call.
She knew what she had to do.
She held the gun tightly and zipped her bag. Before leaving, she placed a letter carefully on the bed. She leaned down and kissed Sana's forehead.
"Mama loves you," she whispered. "And I love you, Z. Please forgive me. I need to get the cure for Sana."
She looked at them one last time, tears filling her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Then Clara walked away.
During breakfast, Sana began coughing badly. Everyone immediately became worried.
Dr. Leonid examined her carefully, his expression becoming serious.
"Sana is very sick," he said.
Zafraan walked out, his face tense.
"Brother, what happened?" Lily asked.
His expression was cold and full of fear.
Then Farhan found the letter.
He opened it slowly.
"Z…"
Everyone turned toward him.
Farhan began reading.
"Z, by the time you are reading this, I am gone…"
The words filled the room with silence.
"I can't keep risking your and Sana's life. My mother is very dangerous. She almost killed you before, and now she has done the worst thing possible…"
Farhan's voice shook.
"She injected poison into Sana's body."
Zafraan froze.
Clara's words continued.
"She has the cure, but in return, I have to go back to her. She wants me to marry and live under her control…"
Farhan continued reading as everyone listened.
"By the time you are reading this, I am halfway to France. I am very sorry, Z. Please forgive me. Take care of Sana. The poison must have already traveled through her body…"
Zafraan's hands tightened.
"I tried taking it out, but it is an old French poison. I will find a way to send the cure. My phone and everything I have will be seized…"
Farhan swallowed.
"I took your gun. If I make it back to you on time, I will save Sana. If I don't, please forgive me. Hate me forever if you must…"
His voice became quieter.
"I love you until I die."
"Zafraan. Yours forever, Clara."
The room became completely silent.
Zafraan's face turned numb and cold.
Lily immediately held his shoulder.
"Bhai?" she whispered.
Suddenly, Sana coughed again.
This time, there was blood.
Zafraan's entire body froze.
He rushed toward her.
"Mama…" Sana whispered weakly.
He wiped away his tears.
"Let's take her to the hospital," Dr. Violet said.
Zafraan held Sana carefully.
"She left us," he whispered.
"No brother," Nihal said. "She went to get a cure for Sana."
"Why didn't she tell me?" Zafraan asked.
"Because you and Sana would have died trying to stop her. She did this for both of you," Nihal answered.
Nikolai looked serious.
"She didn't trust me enough to give me even a small sign," he said quietly.
Then he walked away.
Everyone stood frozen as the reality of Clara's sacrifice settled over them.
The woman they knew as strong, fearless, and impossible to break had walked willingly into danger alone.
Farhan lowered the letter slowly, his eyes filled with sadness.
"She chose to carry this pain herself," he whispered.
Zafraan said nothing.
His eyes remained fixed on Sana, who was lying weakly in his arms.
The anger inside him was overwhelming.
Not anger toward Clara.
Never toward Clara.
It was anger toward the person who had forced his wife into such a decision.
"Why is it now?" Clara's mother's actions haunted everyone. "After all these years, why is she coming after her again?"
Dr. Rafael looked thoughtful.
"Clara is a princess. There may be political reasons. Perhaps some alliance or royal arrangement."
Lilith looked surprised.
"Lara is a princess?"
"Yeah," Dr Liv answered. "She is from France."
Dr. Kelvin's expression became serious.
"We need to bring her back."
Lilith looked toward everyone.
"She is already far gone now," she said quietly.
Dr. Leonid nodded as they prepared to leave for the hospital.
Zafraan sat beside Sana's hospital bed, holding her tiny hand.
"Mama…" Sana whispered through the oxygen mask.
His heart broke.
He kissed her little fingers gently.
"Lara, why didn't you tell me?" he whispered. "No signs. Nothing."
Sana slowly closed her eyes.
The doctors moved around her quickly.
"We got the antibiotics for her," Dr. Liv said.
Zafraan looked at his daughter.
"Don't worry, baby. Papa will bring Mama home."
The medicine was slowly injected into Sana's body.
Zafraan stepped away and made a call.
"Eight hundred men. To the location I give you now."
"Yes, boss," the man answered.
Meanwhile, the plane landed.
Clara stepped out quietly.
She hid her gun and changed into a mini black dress with a jacket and boots. She looked nothing like the frightened woman who had left her family.
She looked like a princess returning to a battlefield.
A driver immediately bowed.
"Bienvenue à la maison Princesse Clara (Welcome Home Princess Clara)," he said in French.
Clara entered the car silently.
The vehicle drove through the beautiful French landscape.
After ten minutes, they arrived.
A magnificent French royal castle stood before her.
The castle was built from luminous ivory limestone, with towering slate-blue spires, gilded domes, elegant turrets, and intricate Renaissance architecture that displayed timeless royal grandeur.
Massive crystal windows reflected the golden sunlight.
Majestic arched gateways, sculpted marble columns, and ornate balconies showed the incredible wealth and history of the royal dynasty.
Inside, the castle was even more breathtaking.
Soaring vaulted ceilings covered in gold leaf stretched above glittering crystal chandeliers. Priceless paintings decorated the walls. Handwoven royal tapestries hung throughout the halls. Polished marble floors reflected every movement.
The throne room was decorated with crimson velvet and pure gold, showing generations of royal power.
Outside were perfectly manicured gardens, marble fountains, sparkling lakes, ancient oak forests, and elaborate hedge mazes.
It was a royal sanctuary where elegance, power, and history existed together.
Clara stared at the castle.
She took a deep breath.
Then she walked inside.
She saw an older man and woman laughing with several people.
"She's here!" a young girl said.
Everyone turned.
Clara stood silently.
"Bienvenue à la maison ma fille bien-aimée (Welcome home my beloved daughter)," King Sylvain said.
Beside him stood Queen Véronique.
The royal family looked at Clara.
Sylvain and Véronique had children.
Four boys and three daughters.
The boys were Loïc, Noël, Ernest, and Geoffroy.
The girls were Océane, Anaïs, and Clara.
Anaïs was their stepsister.
"Welcome home," Queen Véronique said.
Clara looked at King Sylvain.
For a moment, his heart softened.
"My dear," he said. "It has been twenty-two years since you left us."
He stepped forward and hugged her.
But Clara remained emotionless.
He smiled sadly.
"Come in."
"Where are your bags?" Queen Véronique asked.
Clara looked directly at her.
"I am not here to stay."
The room became quiet.
"Your Majesty," Clara said coldly. "Give me the cure now, or else I will do something to you and this bastard daughter of yours."
Everyone froze.
"What cure?" Ernest asked.
Clara's eyes burned with anger.
"Your mother poisoned my daughter."
Silence.
"Just because she wanted me to come back and remarry an old man. She wanted me under her control."
Everyone looked shocked.
Queen Véronique stood up.
"You will—"
"Don't you have any shame?" Clara interrupted.
Her voice trembled with years of pain.
"Old bitch. I left you years ago, yet you still found me."
Tears filled her eyes.
"I came here thinking maybe you still loved me. Maybe you wanted to apologize."
Her expression hardened.
"But instead, you attacked my family."
Clara stepped closer.
"I left them last night only because I needed my daughter's cure."
She pointed toward Anaïs.
"You poisoned your own granddaughter for her?"
Anaïs looked horrified.
"Sana is only three years old," Clara said. "She turned three last month. I just celebrated her birthday."
Her voice broke.
"And yet you poisoned my baby."
She pushed Queen Véronique away.
"You almost killed my husband!"
"Clara!" King Sylvain shouted.
Clara looked at him.
"I will make your lives hell."
Then she turned and walked away.
"Lara, please stay," King Sylvain called.
"I booked a hotel room," Clara replied. "Tell her to give me the cure."
"It is your home too, Lara. Please."
Océane gently held Clara's arm.
"Clara…"
Clara looked at her.
"Fine."
They took her to a room.
The door closed.
Clara locked it.
For the first time since she arrived, she allowed herself to break.
She covered her face.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I am so sorry, Z," she whispered.
"I truly am."
Back at the hospital, Zafraan listened as Dr. Leonid explained.
"The poison is strong, but the injections are slowing her body down."
Zafraan held Sana's hand tighter.
"It is an old French poison. Very strong."
"Will she be stable?" Zafraan asked.
Dr. Leonid looked at him.
"For now, we cannot promise anything. But we are searching for a way to remove it."
Zafraan's breathing became heavier.
"We will find something."
Dr. Leonid hesitated.
"Clara is in France. I hope she gets the cure before her mother locks her away again."
Zafraan looked up.
"Again?"
Dr. Leonid sighed.
"Twenty-two years ago, Clara's mother married into royalty. They lived a royal life."
He continued.
"Clara studied hard in the medical field. Her mother continued living as royalty, but her stepsister never truly liked Clara."
"One day, Clara was an intern at my hospital branch. Her stepsister tried destroying her career."
"Nothing worked."
"Then she went as far as killing a patient and blaming Clara."
Zafraan's eyes darkened.
"Clara was sent to prison for four years until the truth was discovered."
"They never arrested her stepsister."
Dr. Leonid looked away.
"Clara cursed her mother and that family. She left them."
"And now she is back."
Everyone remained silent.
"We don't know why they want her again," Dr. Leonid said.
Sana suddenly tightened her grip on Zafraan's finger.
"Papa…"
Zafraan immediately looked down.
"I'm here."
He kissed her hand.
"Mama…"
Sana whispered again.
"Mama."
Zafraan closed his eyes.
"I will get Mama back."
His anger burned.
"I promise."
Today was Diya and Adrian's wedding.
The main wedding celebration was everywhere.
The decorations covered every corner.
Lilith moved around checking everything carefully.
"Move it over there!" she ordered.
"Calm down, Bambi," Nikolai said.
He walked toward her and kissed her forehead.
Upstairs, Adrian was hiding behind the wall smoking.
"ADRIAN!"
Lilith's voice echoed.
He immediately flinched.
"Woah," he muttered. "That tiny woman has fucking power."
He threw the cigarette away and walked downstairs.
"Yes, Lily?" he asked.
She looked at him.
She checked his groom outfit carefully.
"Hmm."
She handed him something.
"Take this."
He held it.
"The wedding is by four," Lilith said. "And it is also Nikolai's award night."
Lilith later chose a suit for Nikolai.
Mila walked over and tapped the dark oxblood suit.
"Great choice, baby," Lily smiled.
"Now go give Dada."
Mila carefully held the suit and waddled toward Nikolai's office.
"Dada?"
Nikolai looked up.
"Yeah, princess?"
"Mila waddled she give him the suit."
She handed it to him.
Nikolai dropped the file in his hand.
He looked at the suit.
"Did you choose this for me, baby?"
Mila nodded.
"Uh huh."
He smiled and kissed her.
"Thank you, baby. I love you so much."
"I wuv Dada bigggg too," Mila said.
She hugged him tightly.
Nikolai held his daughter close.
"Oh Lord," he whispered.
"Please bless my family."
"Please don't let us separate again."
He hugged Mila tighter.
"Please."