Nikolai held Mila's little hand gently as he sighed, watching Lilith carefully arrange the beautiful bow in her daughter's hair. His eyes were already red and swollen because Nikolai had cried almost all night after receiving the message from Mila's school. Their little princess was starting school.
The school had sent them a message saying Mila could start at four.
Nikolai crouched down in front of her, trying desperately to hold his tears back.
"Now listen, sweetheart…" Nikolai said softly.
"N…N…N…" he stammered, his voice trembling slightly.
"No meanie hurt you, okay? If they do hurt you, hurt them back. And pay attention to what the teacher says. Be a good girl. Read well and eat your lunch. And don't make bad friends, okay?"
Nikolai held his tears as tightly as he could.
Mila nodded.
She leaned forward and kissed him before wrapping her tiny arms around him.
"Ba Ba Papa, I be Good Girl for Dada an Mama, I promise!!" Mila said happily.
Lilith smiled softly.
She gently placed a beautiful bindi on Mila's forehead before kissing both of her cheeks.
"My little Princess," Lilith whispered.
"Ba Ba Sissys! Byeeeee!!!" Mila said, waving at the entire family.
A guard came forward and gently held her hand.
"Tank ooo, Unca," Mila said.
The guard smiled warmly at her.
Nikolai's tears finally came down.
The car began to move.
"Wait! You forgot your—" Nikolai suddenly said.
He stopped.
He looked down at his hands.
They were trembling.
"She didn't forget anything, Nick. It's her first day," Salatore said, holding Rosa, who was happily sucking on her pacifier.
"B…But…" Nikolai whispered.
Lilith wiped her own tears before walking toward him.
Nikolai immediately hugged her, burying his face against her shoulder as he cried.
Lilith chuckled softly and wrapped her arms around him.
"My big baby is gone for her first day in school," Nikolai said, sobbing.
Lilith hugged him tighter.
One month later, it was the 18th of June.
Mila's school was going well.
Nikolai had cried for two weeks every time he dropped her off at school.
Lilith's online school for one semester had been going on for two months. She was now seven and a half months pregnant, and day by day her bump grew bigger and bigger.
Nikolai had been buying baby things while his work at the office had become extremely demanding.
Then Lilith received a message from her school about physical examination week.
She had to be physically present at school.
Lilith read the message carefully.
Gloria had already sent her the textbooks, and Lilith was sitting down reading them when Nikolai came home.
"Hi, sweetheart," he said.
Lilith looked up.
She showed him the message.
Nikolai took the phone and read it.
"I'm going to school, but I need to hide my bump," Lilith whispered.
He nodded.
"Don't worry, Love. You just study," he said.
Mila came home.
"Hi Dada! Hi Mama!!" she said happily, immediately hugging them.
"Hello, my sweet baby," Nikolai said.
"Dada, wook! Four stars!" Mila announced proudly.
"Awwww, I am sooo proud of you," Nikolai said.
Mila happily placed her paper on the fridge.
She clapped happily before going for a shower.
By evening, Lilith was asleep.
She had eaten earlier, and Nikolai quietly took his phone while making a call.
"Yes, please clear a block for her. No students, and the teachers can supervise her. She studied for them," he said.
The call ended.
The next morning arrived.
"Ba Ba!" Mila said, waving at her papa.
Lilith stood before the mirror.
She wore an exceptionally long and voluminous white salwar kameez that had been specially designed with an oversized flowing silhouette to completely conceal the enormous seven-baby bump beneath it without revealing the slightest indication that she was pregnant.
The kameez fell from her shoulders in layers of luxurious ivory-white fabric, creating an almost regal curtain around her entire body.
The material was deliberately gathered loosely beneath the bust before cascading outward in an extraordinarily wide flowing shape, allowing the fabric to fall several inches away from her stomach rather than clinging to her figure.
The kameez extended all the way down to her ankles with an enormous sweeping hem that moved softly around her legs.
Every layer was deliberately oversized and generously cut, giving her enough room to walk comfortably while keeping the shape of her body completely hidden.
The front consisted of several overlapping panels of lightweight white silk chiffon layered over a thicker opaque inner lining, so that the garment remained completely modest while still appearing soft, elegant, and almost cloudlike.
A second layer of white georgette was draped over the entire front, creating additional volume across her abdomen.
The fabric began high around her chest and flowed outward in a broad A-line silhouette, making the garment appear naturally oversized rather than obviously designed to conceal anything beneath it.
The extra fabric gathered gently at her sides and fell in long vertical folds that completely disguised the enormous curve of her stomach.
The sleeves were equally long and spacious, extending all the way to her wrists with wide flowing cuffs embroidered with delicate white thread.
The neckline was high and modest, with an elegant rounded collar decorated with tiny pearls and subtle crystal embroidery that caught the light without making the outfit appear flashy.
Across the entire kameez were intricate white-on-white patterns consisting of delicate paisley embroidery, floral vines, tiny jasmine blossoms, and traditional Indian motifs, almost invisible from a distance but beautifully detailed when viewed closely.
The embroidery continued from the neckline down the chest and across the sleeves before becoming denser around the lower half of the garment.
The most important feature was the extraordinary amount of fabric around her stomach.
The kameez was intentionally constructed with multiple generous pleats beginning beneath her chest and expanding dramatically toward the floor, creating a beautiful flowing silhouette that concealed the enormous seven-baby bump completely from every angle.
Even when Lilith stood sideways, there was so much flowing fabric between her body and the outer garment that nobody could distinguish the actual shape of her stomach over the kameez.
Over the salwar kameez, she wore an exceptionally large white dupatta made from several layers of lightweight chiffon and silk.
The dupatta was wide enough to wrap around her shoulders and cross completely over the front of her body before falling almost to the floor.
One side was carefully arranged across her chest and stomach while the other side flowed down her back, creating another layer of coverage over her abdomen.
The dupatta was bordered with heavy pearl embroidery and delicate white crystalline detailing while the center remained soft and almost completely plain.
Its enormous width allowed it to cover the entire front of her body without looking unnatural, and the overlapping layers made it impossible for anyone nearby to see the silhouette beneath the fabric.
Her salwar trousers were equally oversized and flowing, with an extremely wide leg that gathered softly at her ankles beneath the long kameez.
They were made from matching white silk cotton and were comfortable enough for her to move without restriction.
The entire outfit was pure white from head to toe, giving Lilith an ethereal, almost royal appearance while the enormous silhouette made her look as though she had simply chosen an exceptionally luxurious and modest traditional salwar kameez rather than deliberately hiding anything.
Nobody looking at Lilith would suspect that beneath all those layers she was carrying seven babies.
Her enormous pregnancy remained completely concealed beneath the countless folds, pleats, panels, and layers of white fabric, and from the outside she appeared simply elegant, modest, graceful, and mysteriously wrapped in an unusually oversized white salwar kameez.
"All done, Bambi," Nikolai said.
Lilith looked at herself in the mirror.
"Wow," she said.
They looked at her carefully.
"It covered perfectly," Kenan said.
"You wouldn't even know she's pregnant," Farhan said.
"Bye Bye, Nikki!" Lilith said.
About two hundred guards stood behind her as they helped her into the car.
The car drove off.
Meanwhile, at school, all the students were getting ready for the examination.
Cars parked outside.
Lilith came down from her car.
She walked down the halls with twenty guards behind her.
She was annoyed.
The students saw her.
"Isn't that Lilith?" they whispered.
Lilith continued walking down the hallways.
"Can you guys go back?" she asked the guards.
"You know the rules, Mrs. Lily," one guard said.
"Shhhhhhh! Are you nuts!?" she whispered.
"Oh, sorry," he said.
Lilith facepalmed herself.
"Lilith ND?" the teacher called.
"Yes, Madam," she replied.
"This way," he said.
Lilith followed him.
"Wowww," the students whispered.
Diana and her friends saw her.
"She's not writing with us?" Jennifer asked.
Gloria walked in.
She, Wiktoria, and Wiktor sat down as the exams began.
After two hours, all the students were done.
Lilith was still writing on her extra sheet.
The teachers searched her and found nothing.
After ten minutes, she submitted her examination.
The teachers surrounded her.
"How many months?" the female teachers asked.
"I'm seven and a half months," Lilith said.
"Girl or boy?" Mr. Ken asked.
"Actually, it…" Lilith began.
The teachers leaned closer.
"Seven girls," she said.
They gasped.
"Seven!?" they all exclaimed.
"Shhhhhh," Lilith said.
The guards were standing both inside and outside.
Lily showed them her bump.
"Damn," the male teacher said.
Lilith giggled.
She folded her hands at them before going to the library.
She took some books.
"He hasn't called back and texted back too," Gloria said.
"Don't worry, darling. He's working. It's his first company," Lilith said.
Gloria hugged her.
Lilith took a file and waved at her friends before getting into the cars and leaving.
Meanwhile, Nikolai was in the office typing on his phone.
Damian entered with an angry face.
"Boss," he said.
"What got you pissed?" Nikolai asked.
"Papa," Damian replied.
"Marriage?" Nikolai asked.
"He arranged a marriage with my enemy's daughter. My stepbrother dumped her for a hottie, according to him," Damian said.
"So he cheated on her?" Nikolai asked.
Damian nodded.
"He called her lame and disrespected and disgraced her. He called off the engagement," Damian said.
"How about you see her once?" Nikolai suggested.
"Boss, I'm a busy man, and right now marriage isn't on my mind," Damian said.
"Nikki!!!!" Lilith called.
She waddled into the office holding bags.
Nikolai smiled at her.
"Dammy, your papa called me," she said.
"He has your number?" Damian asked.
"Yes!"
"So you are going to your papa tonight to meet him and the girl. I saw her. She's sooo pretty!" Lilith said.
Damian rubbed his forehead.
"Fine," he said.
Lilith happily kissed his cheeks.
"Hey!" Nikolai said.
"Jelly?" Lily asked.
"Jelly," Nikolai mocked.
Damian laughed.
Meanwhile, Gloria entered her apartment.
She saw a bouquet of flowers at the door.
She picked it up and read the note.
"Hey baby, sorry I haven't been responding lately. Work is crazy as fuck. I missed you soooo much, my love. Gosh, I wish I was with you right now. After work, I would lay on your chest while you hold me all night. I miss you so much. Lots of love, Valen."
She read it and blushed hard.
She typed on her phone.
Meanwhile, a hidden camera captured her.
The boy blew his cigarette while working out, watching his Kiwi.
He smirked.
Meanwhile—
"There!" Mila said as she dusted Damian's suit.
"Ba Ba Mama! Ba Ba Dada! Ba Ba Sissy!" she said, waving as they got into the G-Wagon.
Meanwhile, in a hidden estate, Mr. Rathore sat with his second wife, Mrs. Lata.
They had four children, two girls and two boys named Gary and Nitin.
Nitin had cheated on the girl Damian was arranged with.
The girls were Susan and another daughter.
The toddler waddled into the room.
Mr. Rathore was talking to his rival, now his friend, Mr. Eugene.
They turned and saw her.
"Hello, sweetie," Mr. Rathore said.
"Hi, Granny. I hewe wif Dammy. He come now. How you?" Mila said.
She waddled toward him.
He picked her up.
"I am fine. Where is Damian?" he asked.
"Wait," Mila said.
Then she screamed.
"DAMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"
Everyone stared at her.
"Jesus," Mr. Eugene said.
"He come now," she said.
They chuckled.
Damian walked in.
"Really?" he said.
Mila smiled sweetly at him.
He touched his father's feet.
"Bless you," he said.
Mila held his hand as Damian sat down.
"So, Damian," Mr. Eugene said.
"Yes, sir," Damian replied.
"Well, I heard a lot about you," Mr. Eugene said.
Damian nodded.
Mr. Rathore fed Mila milk while patting her gently.
"So the engagement will take place this weekend," he said.
Damian made a fist.
"I haven't seen her, nor did I accept," Damian said.
Mr. Eugene smirked.
"How about you come for lunch tomorrow?" he asked.
Mila blinked.
"Hmmm," Damian said.
"Dammy go," Mila said.
"Fine," Damian replied.
"Great," Mr. Eugene said.
He stood up.
They both shook hands and left.
It was midnight.
Nikolai woke up.
He touched the bed.
Lilith wasn't there.
"Bambi?" he said in a raspy voice.
He sat up and walked out.
He searched for her everywhere.
"Have you guys seen Lily?" Nikolai asked.
"No, brother," Daria said while folding clothes.
Suddenly, they heard a loud noise coming from the kitchen.
Nikolai went downstairs.
A small light was on in the kitchen.
They followed the sound.
Then they saw her.
Lilith was sitting on the floor.
The fridge was open.
There was ice cream, peanut butter, and even an air freshener inside the fridge as the cold wind blew over her.
She hummed while mixing peanut butter inside the ice cream.
Leonid was shocked.
Zafraan took a video.
"What in Jesus Christ are you eating, Lilith?" Nikolai asked.
Lilith looked at them and blinked.
"Yummy," she said.
"Baby, this is bad for you," Nirma said.
"Here, have a taste, Nikki," Lilith said.
"Oh, with this!" she added.
She gave him an apple covered with ice cream and peanut butter.
Her hands were stained with the mixture.
Her mouth was stained too.
Nikolai took a bite.
He immediately licked it and spat it out.
"Tf!?" he said.
Lilith pouted at him angrily.
"Get out of there now," he said, scolding her.
Her eyes became watery.
She began crying loudly.
Everyone looked at each other.
Lilith took her phone.
She dialed Sohan's number.
Meanwhile, it was midnight.
Sohan's phone vibrated on the table.
"Baby, pick up," Riyana said sleepily.
Sohan growled and picked up.
"Hello?" he said.
"Baba!" Lily cried.
His eyes opened.
"Mihu, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Sohan asked, sitting up.
Riyana's eyes opened.
"Nikki scolded me!!" Lilith cried.
"Why?" Sohan asked.
"He mean to me and my baby! He scolding me! Scold him!" she said.
Riyana showed Sohan the video Zafraan had sent.
Sohan blinked.
Then he chuckled.
"Dear, what are you doing in the fridge?" Sohan asked.
"Well, I was hungry, and he was sleeping like a little king puppy, and I went to eat, not waking him up, and now he scolded me," she said, crying.
"Oh lord," Nikolai said.
"Nick, Sohan did," Riyana said with a laugh.
"Yes, Father?" Nikolai replied.
"Just take her out of there," Sohan said, laughing.
Nikolai chuckled.
Lilith sniffed.
"You sleep on the couch," she said.
She got up, pouted at him, and waddled out angrily.
"Baby?" Nikolai called.
Lilith turned around.
She took off a shoe and threw it at his face.
"Mean donkey!" she said.
Nikolai looked at everybody in shock.
They held their laughter before finally bursting out laughing.
By sunrise, Lily left for her examination while Mila was at school.
Damian worked as he checked the time.
Mila waddled in with her uniform.
Addison changed her.
"Ready?" Damian asked.
She hummed.
Nikolai kissed her forehead.
"Ba Ba Dada!" she said.
He waved at her.
She got into the car and left.
After thirty minutes, they arrived at a mansion.
Mila had fallen asleep.
Damian held her in his arms and entered.
"Welcome, Damian," Mr. Eugene said as they shook hands.
"Hello, sweetie," he said.
"She's asleep," Damian replied.
"Oh," Mr. Eugene said.
They went inside and sat down talking.
"Well, your brother doesn't know about this. I want to make him pay for what he did to my daughter," Mr. Eugene said.
Damian patted Mila.
Suddenly, a girl dropped a cup of coffee.
"Th—"
Damian looked up.
He saw her.
She was wearing a white strap saree.
She had brown skin with light makeup that made her even more beautiful and attractive.
A silver bindi rested on her forehead.
Damian stared at her.
"This is my daughter, Iniya," Mr. Eugene said.
Iniya folded her hands at Damian.
Damian could tell she was sad.
"Is she your daughter?" Iniya asked.
"No. Boss's daughter," Damian said.
He forced himself to drink the coffee.
Mila remained deeply asleep.
Later, Damian and Iniya were outside walking in the garden.
"Listen, please reject the proposal Baba gave you," she said.
Damian didn't look at her.
"Not a chance," he said.
"W…what?" her soft voice asked.
"Well," he said as he took a deep breath.
"Amma said I should meet you first, and I heard what my foolish brother did. So how about you get a little revenge on him?" Damian said.
She held the end of her saree.
"You still love him?" Damian asked.
She shook her head.
"That love died when he cheated," she said.
"He always gives his mistress jewelry I wanted. And I touched Papa. Isn't he always home? He stays with Mama's old house. After her death, he never left there," she said.
Damian looked at her.
He nodded.
"I will accept this marriage, and you too. So know this: I don't know how to love. I respect, and we keep our distance. My work is dangerous, and if I'm with anyone, that doesn't mean I'm with them."
He paused.
"Amma is the Lady of the mansion. Her rules stand. Nobody dares disobey her. She gives the harshest punishment in our family. Any man who dares cheat and lay his hands on a woman, and anyone who betrays us…" Damian said.
Iniya looked down.
"I want love," she whispered.
Damian heard her.
"Hm?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Nothing," she said.
He turned toward her and scanned her.
She was a brown-skinned, gorgeous girl with curly hair, thick curves, shiny skin, beautiful deep-violet eyes, and a sad expression as she looked down.
"Well then, I will give my word to your father," he said.
She nodded sadly.
Damian walked away.
He stopped when he heard her sobbing.
"Why can't I have the beautiful kind of love I wanted?" she whispered, sobbing.
Damian looked up.
Then he kept walking.
Four days later—
Nikolai tied Lilith's shoes.
"It's Mila's first dance!" she said.
"I will make it," he said.
"Please do," Lilith replied.
Nikolai remembered when his father and mother had separated.
He had once had a school award.
They called his name.
Neither of them came.
It was after the show when they finally arrived.
He looked at them with a broken heart.
"I swore never to be like them," he had promised himself.
Lily and the family left after four hours of working.
Nikolai returned to work.
He signed a work document and read every page.
The company had hired a new assistant in the department.
Her name was Rozalia.
She was half-American and half-Polish.
She stared at Nikolai as he worked.
"Boss, it's almost time for the dance," Damian said.
Nikolai worked faster.
Meanwhile, Lilith sat as the show was about to start.
"Come on, Nikki," she said.
Mila peeked at the door.
"Dada busy. I wait," she said.
Sarah smiled and signed.
She placed a bow on Mila's hair.
Back in Nikolai's office, he closed the last file.
"Done," he whispered.
He wore his suit and ran out.
"Sir!" Rozalia called.
Nikolai got on a bike and drove off.
Cars followed him.
The dance was about to begin.
And Nikolai was determined not to miss the moment he had promised himself he would always be there for.
For Mila.
For Lilith.
For his family.
For the little girl who had become the center of his world.
And for the promise he had made years ago to never become the kind of father who arrived too late.
He had spent his entire life remembering what it felt like to look toward the crowd and find nobody there.
Tonight, Mila would look into the crowd and see him.
No matter what.
Nikolai pushed the bike faster.
"Wait for me, my princess," he whispered.
And somewhere inside the school hall, the lights began to shine over the stage.