The party was slowly fading as the remaining guests began saying their final goodbyes. One after another, they handed their beautifully wrapped birthday gifts to Mrs. Pelagia.
"Thank you so much," Mrs. Pelagia said warmly, smiling at each guest. "Thank you all for coming."
Everyone wished her well before leaving the mansion.
Inside, little Mila waddled back into the hall, her tiny mouth stained with bits of cake and food. She rubbed her sleepy eyes before letting out a long adorable yawn.
"Come, baby. You're sleepy," Galina said softly as she bent down and lifted Mila into her arms.
"Dada an Mama… I wuv you," Mila mumbled sleepily.
"They love you too," Enzo replied with a gentle smile.
He looked toward Galina.
"You take her back home. I'll catch up with you guys."
"Thank you for dinner and Happy Birthday, Ma," Galina said respectfully.
"Thank you, dear. Take care," Mrs. Pelagia answered before hugging her.
"Bye."
Galina smiled before walking outside with Mila asleep against her shoulder.
Enzo watched her leave.
A soft smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like you're falling quick," Sergei chuckled.
Enzo laughed quietly.
"I think you should talk to Amanat."
Sergei's smile disappeared.
"I saw her trying to talk… but she spat blood."
"She wrote 'sorry' on a piece of paper. I think she was trying to apologize to you."
Enzo's words made Sergei freeze.
"She… spat blood!?"
"Yes."
"It has been months since you even looked at her or spoke to her."
"That's exactly what her ex-husband wants."
"He wants to destroy your marriage and drag her back into the hell she escaped from."
"So don't make this harder."
Sergei slowly nodded.
"…You're right."
Enzo quietly sat back down and looked around the large hall.
Every guest had already left.
The mansion finally felt peaceful again.
"Sergei."
Mrs. Pelagia walked over.
"Your father is waiting for you over there."
"He wants to speak to you."
"I'll talk to him later."
"Okay."
She nodded.
Just then—
"Enzo."
Mr. Matvey stepped forward carrying several folders.
"Look… we need these papers and our work approved by your company."
"It's very, very important."
Enzo didn't even glance at the files.
"No."
"No!?"
Mr. Matvey exclaimed.
"Yes."
"No."
"I reviewed your reports."
"The paperwork is child's play."
"Boss already rejected the work twice."
"If it's rejected a third time…"
"You'll be blacklisted."
"And no company will work with you again."
"B…But you can help us."
"Help you?"
"Yes," Lyubov quickly added.
Enzo rubbed his forehead.
"No."
"I will not."
"Besides…"
"I have nothing to do with your family."
"If not for Mimi…"
"I honestly wouldn't even be here."
Mrs. Pelagia slowly sat down.
"Talk to him…"
"Or we'll end up on the streets!"
Fyodor shouted desperately.
Mrs. Pelagia looked directly at him.
"And why should I?"
"Because it's my company."
"The same company you both stole from me."
Everyone became silent.
"We didn't steal."
"You gave it to me!"
Mr. Matvey argued.
"No."
"I didn't."
"You drugged me."
"You switched my papers."
"And now…"
"I got everything back."
"You're not the CEO anymore."
"I am."
"And I already wrote my will."
"Enzo owns that company."
"And I gave my children five billion rubles each."
"To build something with it."
"And to use it wisely."
"What!?"
Lyubov screamed.
"What about us!?"
Fyodor shouted.
"You are not my children."
"I tried…"
"I tried so hard to make both of you mine."
"To become your mother."
"But all I ever received were insults…"
"Bullying…"
"And worst of all…"
"You hurt my son."
Mrs. Pelagia's voice trembled with emotion.
"You old hag!"
Lyubov screamed as she rushed forward to shove her.
BANG!
A gunshot echoed through the mansion.
"AHHH!!"
Lyubov collapsed screaming while clutching her bleeding leg.
Enzo lowered his pistol.
"You…"
"And your brother…"
"Are stepchildren."
"Not blood."
"The other two children are half-blood."
"So…"
"Nothing belongs to either of you."
"It was my grandfather's money."
"My grandfather's company."
"It was never yours."
"You misused everything."
"So yes…"
"You get nothing."
"This isn't right!"
"I worked hard for years!"
Fyodor yelled.
Enzo scoffed.
"Worked hard?"
"No."
"You stole."
"And now…"
"You're left with nothing."
"Exactly the way you all left me."
"So…"
"Enjoy it."
Stefania stood there in complete disbelief.
"That means…"
"We're bankrupt…"
"And broke…"
Lyubov whispered.
"Yes."
"So have fun."
"And enjoy the streets."
"NOOOOO!!"
Both siblings screamed.
Mrs. Pelagia stood.
"I have a better idea."
"You'll work as servants."
"But you won't stay inside this house anymore."
"You'll live outside."
"One more mistake…"
"And you'll be thrown out completely."
"Take them away."
She motioned toward the guards.
Immediately the guards dragged them away.
They screamed…
Yelled…
Begged…
Cried…
Their voices echoed through the mansion.
Eleanor slowly turned toward Stefania.
"And you."
Stefania became nervous.
"You don't belong here."
"Never show your dirty face here again."
"You only chased money."
"You're a spoiled brat."
"Enzo has a woman now."
"So don't think you'll run back to him and fix anything."
"That's impossible."
Miroslava's voice was cold.
"B…But…"
Stefania whispered.
"Take her out."
The guards grabbed her arms.
"No!"
"No!"
"PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!!"
Her cries faded as she was dragged outside.
Silence finally returned.
Enzo sighed deeply.
He rubbed his forehead.
"Peace…"
He whispered.
The rest of the family looked ashamed.
"We're sorry, Enzo."
"It's fine."
"No problem."
He stood.
Walked over to his mother.
And hugged her tightly.
Mrs. Pelagia wiped away her tears.
They all walked toward another hall.
Sergei quietly entered one of the rooms.
Inside—
Don Kiselev sat comfortably while smoking.
"What, old man?"
Sergei asked.
His father smiled.
"Greetings to you too, son."
"What?"
"I heard you got married."
"And now you have a little baby girl."
Don Kiselev smiled proudly.
"It concerns you why?"
"You're my son."
"And that baby…"
"Is my granddaughter."
"Is it bad that I want to meet them?"
"Yes."
"It is."
"Your mistress and her children will bother her."
"She can't speak."
"And I also have a son."
"You mean stepson?"
"My son."
"Don't call him that."
"His name is Samarth."
"He's three years old."
"And the girl?"
"Raisa."
"Her name is Raisa."
"She's eight months old."
Don Kiselev slowly smiled.
"You named her after…"
"…your mother."
"Hmhm."
Sergei nodded.
"I thought you were still single."
"I was preparing another marriage arrangement."
"But one of my men saw you with your family."
"He sent me pictures."
Sergei sighed.
"Why don't you bring them for lunch tomorrow?"
Don Kiselev suggested.
"She is mute."
"Her ex-husband destroyed her ability to speak."
"Oh…"
"That's terrible."
"How did it happen?"
Sergei slowly sat down.
"He mentally abused her."
"He physically abused her."
"He forced her to go through more than four abortions."
"Because he wanted a boy."
"She kept having girls."
"He shoved burning hot coal down her throat…"
"…while beating her."
"She was pregnant."
"He nearly beat her to death."
Silence.
Everyone in the room stared in horror.
"Jesus Christ…"
Miroslava whispered.
"What the hell…"
"That's pure torture."
Anatoly muttered.
"Yeah…"
"She must be extremely traumatized."
Evgeny sighed.
"She's also Boss's auntie."
"She's Indian."
Enzo added.
Don Kiselev nodded sadly.
"Please come for lunch tomorrow."
"We'll be expecting you."
"Okay."
"But if your mistress bothers her…"
"Give her my death warning."
Sergei said coldly.
Don Kiselev sighed.
"You know…"
"I was drunk."
"I never wanted her."
"I'm tired of her nonsense."
"Three days ago she broke the huge portrait of your mother."
"The one I look at every day."
"So…"
"I broke her hand."
Sergei nodded.
"Good."
The two men shook hands.
Then Sergei quietly left.
Far away…
Inside the sacred temple grounds…
Lilith (Mahira) carefully poured the glowing melted gold into the prepared stone mold.
Everyone watched from a safe distance.
She had specifically instructed them to remain far away because of the intense heat.
Using a thin iron carving tool…
She patiently shaped every tiny detail.
Each sacred engraving…
Each delicate curve…
Each elegant pattern…
Every gemstone was carefully embedded exactly where she envisioned it.
When she finally finished—
Nikolai gently wiped the sweat from her forehead using his shirt.
She carefully lowered the mold into the cold water.
SSSSSSSSSS—
The water violently bubbled as steam filled the air.
Three minutes later…
Nikolai lifted the hammer.
The dagger was removed from the water.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
He carefully struck it repeatedly.
Stabilizing the blessed weapon exactly as his tiny wife instructed.
Just then—
Vishal approached.
"Boss."
"Damian is on the call."
Nikolai accepted the phone.
"Yes?"
"Boss."
"The mansion for Lily is ready."
"All arrangements are complete."
"We only need the ceremony dates for the invitation cards."
"And the girls said they want to come and take Lilith's measurements for every ceremony."
Nikolai smiled.
"Good job, Dammy."
"I believe you're on your way back?"
"Yes, Boss."
"I am."
"I'll be out of reach for a while."
"Move every meeting until we return."
"And you're officially on break until I come back."
"Yes, Boss."
"And…"
"I hope Lily is okay."
"This is a dangerous mission for her."
"I know, Dammy."
"Bye."
"And write down the entire list."
"Tell everyone."
"This is a secret."
"Understood?"
"Yes, Boss."
The call ended.
Nikolai looked back.
Lilith had begun sharpening the blade.
Carefully…
Patiently…
She added the final colors.
Karim walked over carrying several buckets.
"Thank you, Bhai (Brother)."
She smiled.
Then—
She poured every single one of the ten buckets over herself.
One after another.
The cold water washed away every trace of sweat, dust and gold.
Afterward…
She cleaned herself.
Changed into her pajamas.
She quietly picked up the finished dagger.
Looked at it for several seconds.
Then smiled.
"All done…"
She whispered.
The family unfolded the original design paper.
They looked at it.
Then looked at the finished dagger.
It matched perfectly.
Except—
Lilith had added elegant white-colored edges.
The description read:
The long dagger is forged from pure blessed temple gold designed by Lilith Mahira with a long razor sharp double edged blade featuring elegant white colored edges that contrast beautifully against the rich golden center. The blade is engraved with sacred lotus flowers flowing vines and ancient temple patterns while the curved golden crossguard ends in carved lotus buds. The braided golden handle provides a secure grip leading to a blooming lotus pommel. At the back of the dagger tiny blue green and violet temple gemstones are carefully embedded into the design creating a radiant line of color that symbolizes wisdom prosperity and divine blessings. Every detail is handcrafted with exceptional precision making the dagger a sacred masterpiece that combines royal elegance ancient craftsmanship and the blessings of the temple into one timeless weapon.
Lilith gently lifted the dagger.
Everyone stared.
"Oh Almighty…"
Faharn whispered.
Nikolai looked proudly at his tiny wife.
She yawned.
"Nikki…"
"Look…"
She whispered sleepily.
He smiled warmly.
"I am very proud of you, Bambi."
He kissed her forehead.
Carefully lifted her into his arms.
The family walked back inside the house.
Nikolai gently laid her on the bed.
Covered her with a blanket.
He glanced at the dagger.
Ding.
Her phone lit up.
He picked it up.
"Is that…?"
Aarav asked.
"Her school."
"They're resuming on Monday, the twenty-sixth of May."
"Second semester."
"First year."
"They also sent the semester schedule."
"And the sports events."
"Oh."
"How is she doing in school?"
Riyana asked.
Nikolai smiled proudly.
"She's the topper."
"She ranked first last semester."
Karim laughed.
"Looks like first place runs in our family."
"Yes."
"Because of me."
"My smart brain."
Riyana grinned.
Sohan blinked.
"Are you calling me dumb?"
"You have your own ways of being smart."
"Love…"
"You called yourself dumb."
She replied playfully.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Sohan folded his arms.
"Hmph!"
He pouted.
Meanwhile…
On a remote island…
Austin lay unconscious on the floor.
His entire body was covered in blood.
Cold water was suddenly poured over him.
He gasped violently.
A woman stood before him.
Behind her stood several powerful women.
Each carried an overwhelming aura of dominance.
All of them understood the sacred rules of The Nocturne Matriarchate.
"What now, Boss?"
One dark, feminine woman asked.
The leader slowly smiled.
"We move."
Every woman looked at one another.
Then bowed respectfully.
A sinister smirk appeared on the leader's face.
"Ready or not…"
"Mihu…"
"Here I come."
She broke into deep…
Dark…
Terrifying laughter.