Two days later, after the reception, Hammed and Fariha came home together, holding hands.
"Ammi (mother!)" Fariha called, running toward Lilith and hugging her tightly.
"Hello, my sweet angel," Lily said warmly.
Nearby, Nikolai was watching the news while making Mila's hair. He suddenly saw reports of killings in India and the continuing war.
"Boss, the airports close to Mullanpur Dakha are all shut out. They are too close to the conflict. We can't fly there, but Mumbai and Delhi airports are still open," Damian said.
"So, no flying?" Nathan asked.
"Yes, and no trains are available to Mullanpur Dakha," Damian replied.
"So what now, boss?" Alexio asked.
"Hmmm. Alright. All the Indians, please come forward. Let's do this," Nikolai said.
Urlima, Rohan, Yamini, Aram, Damian, Zafraan, Farhan, and Zoya all sat together, discussing the situation and making a map of their route.
Meanwhile, Vishal's bandages were changed. Lilith sat with Ramira behind her. Vishal was awake, and his eyes never left hers.
"Oyee (Heyy)," Lily said.
He immediately lowered his gaze.
"Look at me," she said again.
With trembling eyes, he looked at her.
"Now listen carefully. If you ever lay your hands on her—oh, goodness—I will make sure that you will never, ever use your hands again. Is that clear?" she asked.
"Y… yes, Maa," Vishal said.
Ramira lowered her head.
"I'll be downstairs. It's also lunchtime," she said, walking out and leaving them both.
"I parked your bags," she whispered.
He stared at her.
"Vishal, boss wants you downstairs. Come on!" Darya said.
Ramira helped him up. Their noses touched, and her face immediately turned pink.
Just like those days.
He limped toward the door and left the room.
"I hope I made the right decision," she whispered.
"Yes, boss?" Vishal said when he reached downstairs.
"You good?" Kenan asked. "The tiny queen really taught you a lesson, huh?"
"No kidding. Even I got scared," Nikolai said.
Vishal sat down and nodded.
"So, these are the places we need to move through to get to Mullanpur Dakha," Damian said.
"But we are moving by road from Mumbai to Mullanpur Dakha, avoiding the wars. So these are the routes," he explained.
Vishal held the map, carefully scanning it.
"My place is here," he said, pointing toward the last edge of the map.
"That's six villages away from it," Ulrima said.
"Yeah," he replied.
"So we move. Also, we have thirty-one Sprinters. Damian, Alexio, David, Jaxon, Brandon, and Vishal will be flying this night to get them ready," Nikolai said.
"Yes, boss," they said together as they bowed.
"Dada," Mila said while rubbing her eyes.
"Yes, baby?" Nikolai replied.
"Pweas sing a lullaby for Mil?" she asked.
Nikolai smiled and lifted her into his arms. He gently patted her back as he softly and lovingly sang her a lullaby.
"Hush now, little moon princess
Close your eyes and rest your head
The silver moon is shining softly
Above your cozy little bed
Stars are dancing in the window
Tiny diamonds in the sky
Clouds are floating like soft pillows
While the sleepy birds fly by
Sleep, my little darling
Sleep beneath the moonlight glow
Dream of gardens full of flowers
Where the gentle fairies go
Your teddy bear is waiting
With a blanket warm and bright
The curtains sway so softly
As the whole world says goodnight
Goodnight to your little fingers
Goodnight to your little toes
Goodnight to your tiny eyelashes
Goodnight to your button nose
The moon will be your lantern
The stars will be your light
And every fluffy little cloud
Will guard you through the night
Sleep, sleep, little princess
Let your dreams begin to grow
Dream of castles made of sugar
And rivers that gently flow
Dream of butterflies with ribbons
Dancing through a garden green
Dream of golden little ponies
In the prettiest place you've seen
Dream of roses made of velvet
Dream of sunshine warm and sweet
Dream of tiny dancing kittens
With their little dancing feet
Sleep, sleep, little darling
There is nothing you must do
Let the night wrap up around you
Like a blanket made for you
The trees are whispering softly
The flowers have gone to bed
The sleepy little fireflies
Are glowing overhead
The ocean sings a quiet song
Far beyond the shore
And every gentle little wave says
Sleep a little more
Hush now, little moon princess
Your dreams are waiting near
A thousand tiny stars tonight
Are shining just for you, my dear
You are loved from morning sunlight
Till the evening skies turn blue
And wherever dreams may take you
Love will always follow you
Sleep beneath your cozy blanket
Sleep so peacefully tonight
Let your heart be soft and happy
As you disappear from sight
The moon is slowly sailing
Across the velvet sky
The sleepy clouds are drifting
And the stars are passing by
Close your eyes, my little darling
Let your breathing become slow
Feel the pillow underneath you
Feel the gentle blanket glow
No need to hurry anywhere
No need to wake just yet
The night is soft and peaceful
And your dreams are waiting yet
Sleep, sleep, little princess
Sleep until the morning comes
When the golden sun comes dancing
And the day begins with drums
When the birds begin their singing
And the flowers open wide
When the morning breeze comes softly
You can wake with joy inside
But for now the world is sleeping
And your room is calm and still
The moon is watching from above you
From the top of every hill
So dream, my little princess
Dream beneath the stars tonight
May your dreams be sweet as honey
And your sleep be soft and light
Sleep, sleep, little darling
My beautiful little star
You are precious beyond measure
Exactly as you are
May your dreams be full of laughter
May your heart be full of peace
May every little worry
Fall asleep and gently cease
Hush now, little moon princess
The night has come to stay
Let your sleepy eyes grow heavier
And drift so far away
The moon says goodnight softly
The stars say sweet dreams too
The clouds have made a pathway
For dreams to come to you
Sleep, sleep, sleep, my darling
Sleep beneath the sky so wide
Let your dreams become a little boat
And gently let it glide
Glide across a silver river
Underneath a moonlit sky
Past the sleepy little mountains
Where the quiet dream birds fly
And when you reach the castle
Made of moonbeams shining bright
A little golden fairy
Will tuck you in tonight
She will bring you tiny flowers
She will sing a gentle tune
She will place a crown of starlight
Beneath the sleepy moon
But you don't have to follow her
You can simply close your eyes
And let your dreams come softly
Like a cloud across the skies
Sleep, my little moon princess
Sleep so warm and safe tonight
May the stars surround your window
With their gentle silver light
Goodnight, your little heartbeat
Goodnight, your sleepy smile
Goodnight, your tiny dreams
That make the night worthwhile
Goodnight, your little teddy
Goodnight, your favorite toy
Goodnight, the happy memories
That fill your heart with joy
Goodnight, the moon above you
Goodnight, the stars so bright
Goodnight, the quiet flowers
Goodnight, the peaceful night
Now close your eyes, my darling
Let the whole world fade away
The moon will keep on shining
Until the morning day
Sleep, sleep, little princess
Sleep peacefully and slow
Let your dreams become a garden
Where the sweetest flowers grow
And when the morning finds you
With sunshine on your face
You'll wake up feeling happy
In your warm and cozy place
So sleep, my little darling
My precious little star
You don't have to dream of kingdoms
Because you already are
You are someone's little sunshine
You are someone's little light
You are someone's sweetest blessing
Every morning and every night
So hush now, little moon princess
Let your sleepy journey start
May peaceful dreams surround you
And happiness fill your heart
Sleep, sleep, sleep, my darling
The moon is shining bright
Sleep, sleep, sleep, my princess
And have the sweetest night."
Nikolai sang softly as Mila fell asleep.
"Goodnight, my little princess," he whispered, kissing her forehead.
Lilith smiled at them.
Nikolai gently placed Mila on the bed.
"You're a great papa. All our kids will love you so much," she said.
Tears came down his face.
Lilith wiped them away and hugged him tightly.
Across the room, Vishal stared at his mother's number. He wanted to call her.
Ramira took his phone.
"You want to call your mother?" she asked.
He shook his head.
She typed a message.
"Maybe I will," she replied to the message.
He rubbed his arm.
"You don't have any clothes for the weddings and also no clothes for the trip, so I will sort it out. See you soon," he said.
Ramira helped him outside, and they drove off.
Everybody was done packing.
"Baba?" Sana asked.
"Yes, my love?" Zafraan said.
"Pweas no be mad at Mama no more. It hut here," she said, tapping her chest.
His heart broke.
He carried her into his arms.
"Oh, my princess. I am so sorry," he said, hugging her.
"I talk to Mama, okay?" he said.
"Pinky promise?" she asked.
"I promise," he said.
They hugged each other tightly.
Everyone sat with their luggage packed and sent their bags off to the airport.
Meanwhile, Riyana was now awake.
She went to the market and mall as she brought everything that was on the list for the dowry.
Her cousins followed behind her.
She had bags filled with supplies, and the bags were taken away as she continued shopping.
Eventually, she sat down and wiped her face with her saree.
"Aunt, here, water," Vamika said.
Riyana drank it.
She smiled at her.
They were worried about her health. The doctor had already warned them that the stress should not consume her because her blood pressure was high.
"Hello?" Reyan said.
"Aunt is breathing heavily. She doesn't want to sit down," Arhant said as they spoke.
"Auntie, eat something," Hetal said.
Riyana ate.
"The money is close, but Uncle ran out of his withdrawal limit," Arhant said.
"How much are they short on?" Riyana asked.
"Eight hundred million dollars," he said.
"I'll work on it," Arhant said.
Riyana thought for a while.
"Let's go home," she said.
They all left.
By midnight, Riyana opened her safe, which was filled with gold, pearls, diamonds, and jewelry.
Sohan was asleep.
She kissed his cheeks and covered him.
Then she tiptoed out of the mansion, got into her car, and drove off to the bank.
It was morning.
Nikolai was eating breakfast when Damian approached him.
"Boss, Sohan made a huge withdrawal of two hundred and eighty billion dollars, and Mrs. Riyana has been missing since last night," Damian said.
"What's going on there? Why isn't anybody saying anything?" Nikolai asked.
Sarah was on a call.
"Why didn't you tell Nikolai, brother? He wouldn't like this," she said.
"He doesn't know," she continued.
Nikolai stood nearby, overhearing her.
"She is very, very sick, and now she's missing. Listen, if you guys don't tell Nikolai or Mhaira, I will," Sarah said.
"Come on. Say it," Damian said.
"Look, his aunts are bitches. They targeted Aunt for no reason. What right do they have to call off the wedding, huh?" she said.
"What?" Nikolai whispered.
"Keep your voice down. Someone might hear you. Mother has made us swear on her not to say anything, and you're here yelling," Farhan said.
Sarah covered her mouth.
"Sorry, bhai (brother)," she whispered.
"Come on. Let's go," he said.
They left.
Nikolai remained where he was.
"Someone dares to try and call my wedding off and insult Mother. That person will pay," Nikolai said quietly.
Two hours later, they all arrived at the airport, got on the plane, and flew off.
"Where is SHE?" Sohan said angrily.
"Calm down. We'll find her," Mr. Kadeon said.
They searched the city itself and still couldn't find her.
Sohan covered his face.
"What's going on?" they heard a voice say by the door.
They turned.
Riyana stood there, holding heavy bags.
Sohan rushed toward her, held her in his arms, and hugged her tightly.
"Oh, my love, where did you go this morning?" he asked.
"I went to the bank. They weren't open early, so I had to wait," she said.
"What the hell…" Karim said.
"Open the bag."
"Where are your golden bangles?" Sohan asked.
She smiled at him.
"Baba, look…" Rafsan said.
Karim opened the bag.
Inside were money and gold bars.
Sohan stood there in shock.
Riyana sat down as they gave her water.
"Uhmm, the money can be added, and these are the—" Riyana began.
"How did you get these, Ria?" Mr. Noman asked.
"Well…" she said.
"Mumma, why is your saving box empty?" Nihal asked.
Sohan took it and checked.
The box was empty.
Riyana stared at him.
"Ria, did you sell your things?" Sakshi asked.
Riyana remained quiet.
"ANSWER!" Sohan shouted.
She flinched and nodded.
"Why would you sell your stuff? Your savings? All the jewelry I got you?" he asked, moving closer.
She moved backward.
"Boy, back the fuck up now," Mr. Kadeon said.
Sohan stopped.
"You… you guys were short on money, and I… I… I didn't want anyone to suffer more, so I took my things to the bank and exchanged them. They gave me seven hundred and fifty million dollars, and I went to the jewelry shop and sold my bangle, the big one, for sixty million dollars. It was pure gold," she said.
Sohan didn't know what to do.
"You sold the things I gave you out of love? My love for you?" he said, tears rolling down his face.
"I didn't want you to worry about…" she whispered.
The whole family went to her.
Sohan fell to his knees and held her feet, crying.
His wife had sacrificed the things she loved to save the family from embarrassment, gossip, and trouble surrounding their daughter's wedding.
On the plane, Farhan suddenly received a message.
"SHE DID WHAT!?" Farhan shouted.
Everyone looked at him.
Sarah's eyes widened.
Zafraan's mouth hung open.
"What the hell!?" Clara exclaimed.
"TF!?" Nimra said.
"What's going on?" Nikolai asked.
They looked at each other.
"It's your—" Sarah began.
Farhan shoved the paper into her mouth.
"Nothing!" he said.
"Why isn't anyone saying anything? Huh?" Lilith asked.
"Nothing, Mihu. Everything is okay. No problems," Zafraan said.
Nikolai looked at her.
He kissed her forehead.
She placed her head against his.
The plane landed.
They all walked into the VIP room.
They took their baths.
It was noon.
Lilith was bathing Mila.
Mila growled at Lily and pouted.
"I washed me," Mila said.
"Oh, that's so?" Nikolai said.
She nodded.
"Alright. Show Mama," Lily said.
Mila scrubbed her little feet and pouted as she poured water on her head, cleaning her small body.
"All otay!" she said.
"Woww. Mila clean," Nikolai said.
She giggled.
Lily cleaned her up.
Later, Nikolai and Lilith bathed together, slowly teasing each other and enjoying their private moment.
Everyone eventually got to the mall.
Ramira didn't have any money.
Vishal walked behind her.
"Let's go," he said.
"Vishal ji, I don't have any money," she said.
"Who said you're paying?" he asked.
"Come in. Let's go," he said again.
They entered a jewelry store.
Ramira's eyes fell on nose rings.
She smiled and held one.
Vishal looked at her.
They began shopping.
He bought everything her hand touched and everything her eyes rested on.
Soon after, Vishal was holding a lot of bags.
"This is too much, Vishal ji…" she said.
"No, it's not. I will spend billions on you no matter what," he said.
They stared at each other.
Mila held her snacks as they left the mall after getting all the supplies they needed for the trip.
They arrived at the border of Mumbai.
Everyone got down from the cars.
"Nino, here's your dad," Brandon said.
She snatched the phone from him.
He didn't move.
"Hi, Daddy!" she said as she spoke with him.
"How can I get you back, my Nio?" he whispered.
At the back of his mind, he thought about how he could bring her back.
"Take it," she said.
"You really hate me this much?" he asked.
Nino rolled her eyes.
"Jezz, I wonder why," she said.
"I didn't mean that day. Trust me when I say the day you find out why I did that, I will take any punishment you give. Nino, our blood still ties together. Remember that," Brandon said.
"It's not that easy. You broke everything, Brandon. You broke everything because of you—the love, the memories. They all burnt down," she said.
"I will do whatever it fucking takes to raise them from the ashes because you are mine from the start, and I will make you all fucking mine," Brandon said.
"Good luck, asshole," she said.
He smirked at her.
"Come on, guys!" Emil said.
They all gathered.
The Sprinters were lined up.
There were thirty-one luxurious six-seat Sprinters.
They were:
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIP
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Executive
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter First Class
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Presidential
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Platinum
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Black Edition
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Royal
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Imperial
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Diamond
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Elite
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Prestige
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Signature
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Crown
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Majesty
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Grand Executive
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Business Lounge
Klassen VIP Sprinter
Klassen First Class Sprinter
Klassen Presidential Sprinter
Klassen Executive Sprinter
Becker JetVan 6 Seater
Becker Executive Sprinter
Senzati VIP Sprinter
Senzati Executive Sprinter
Senzati First Class Sprinter
Lexani VIP Sprinter
Lexani Executive Sprinter
Lexani Presidential Sprinter
Midwest Automotive Designs Executive Sprinter
Ultimate Toys Executive Sprinter
Ultimate Toys Presidential Sprinter
They got into each one.
"Nice!!" Baran said.
"Ouuu, so my type!" Juliette said.
They settled into their seats.
Guards got into the accompanying cars.
The convoy began moving.
Thirty-one luxurious six-seat Sprinters traveled together along the road as the group began the long journey toward their destination, leaving Mumbai behind and heading toward the villages and routes that would eventually lead them to Mullanpur Dakha.
The road stretched ahead of them.
The journey had begun.