It was morning.
But the mansion no longer felt alive.
No giggles.
No happy dancing.
No tiny footsteps running across the marble floors.
No cheerful singing.
Just pure silence.
Everyone sat around the large dining table quietly eating breakfast.
The atmosphere felt painfully empty.
"Give me Baneva plate," Aklima said automatically while sitting down.
"Amma(Mother)… she asleep remember?" Rezaul reminded softly.
Aklima froze for a few seconds.
Her hands slowly lowered.
"Oh…"
Then she quietly began eating again.
The others silently continued eating too.
Upstairs—
Nikolai was eating inside the room while staring at his sleeping wife.
The oxygen mask covered Lily's tiny face while her hair scattered softly across the bed. Machines beeped rhythmically around her.
He cleaned his hands after eating and sat beside her while a maid collected the empty plate.
Nikolai gently rubbed her forehead.
"My sweet baby," he whispered lovingly.
Then he kissed her forehead softly.
Suddenly—
His phone began ringing.
At first he ignored it.
Knock knock.
"Come in," Nikolai said.
Damian entered the room.
"Boss… for you," he said while handing him the phone.
"Yes?" Nikolai answered.
He listened carefully to everything being said on the call.
"Alright… we have an online meeting in 10 minutes," he said calmly.
"Yeah…"
He ended the call.
Nikolai grabbed his laptop, carefully covered Lily with the blanket again, kissed her head once more and left the room.
Soon—
Nikolai and the Dominant Apex sat inside the massive office working intensely.
Screens glowed brightly around them.
The sounds of keyboards filled the room.
They hacked systems.
Destroyed enemies.
Moved shipments.
Weapons.
Drugs.
Gold.
Money.
Everything moved beneath their control.
While the Bratva remained deep in business operations—
The Red Order focused on destroying rival companies completely.
Everyone was deeply focused on work.
Meanwhile upstairs—
The doctors carefully checked Lily.
She remained asleep peacefully while injections were slowly administered into her body.
Anika and Nishi stood nearby watching closely.
Anika checked her blood samples carefully.
Elsewhere—
Nikolai was speaking to international clients through online meetings.
He watched carefully.
Listened to every word.
Rejected some proposals.
Accepted others.
After four exhausting hours—
The meeting finally ended.
"Hey brother," Meghan said while entering.
"Hey," he replied tiredly while rubbing his face.
"I got a call from an old lady. She said she wants us to come home brother. She even called Lily mad. I yelled at her," Meghan said angrily.
Nikolai stayed silent for a moment.
Then—
"I'm thinking of giving Lily a baby," he suddenly said.
Meghan's eyes widened.
"Really brother?"
"Yes. She wants a baby," Nikolai answered calmly.
Meghan immediately grinned excitedly.
"I am fully ready to be an aunt!"
Nikolai chuckled softly.
"Okay now listen…"
He leaned closer and whispered something into her ear.
She listened carefully.
"Okay brother," Meghan nodded.
Five days later—
Everything still felt off lately.
The mansion remained quieter than normal.
The doctors continuously checked Lily(Neva).
The tiny girl remained asleep.
That afternoon—
"Welcome," Aklima greeted warmly.
Momtaz, Anwar, Irtiza, Doyel and Efty entered the mansion together carrying gifts.
They all sat down while opening the presents happily.
"Here this one is for Baneva. Where is she? I haven't seen her," Anwar asked.
"She is uhmm asleep… it will take days for her to wake up," Rezaul explained carefully.
"Why days?" Doyel asked worriedly.
Rezaul explained everything quietly.
The group became completely stunned.
"Can we see her?" Efty asked softly.
Rezaul nodded.
The group followed him upstairs.
Inside the room—
Nikolai sat sleeping on the chair beside the bed while holding his tiny wife's hand tightly.
The visitors entered quietly.
They saw both husband and wife asleep together.
"Poor man," Irtiza whispered sadly.
"May the almighty heal her," Momtaz prayed softly.
They stared at the oxygen mask on her face while she slept peacefully.
Silence filled the room.
After one hour—
The doctors checked Lily once more.
Nikolai quietly ate food beside her while staring at her sleeping face.
The bedroom door opened.
Riyana entered together with Rafsan and Aarav.
"Are you okay?" Riyana asked softly.
Nikolai nodded.
Suddenly—
"Baby… baby… baby… Lily b..baby…"
The tiny sleeping girl mumbled weakly in her sleep.
Leonid slowly looked toward Nikolai.
"She wants a baby so bad huh?" Rafsan muttered softly.
"Nikolai," Riyana called.
"Yes mother?" he answered immediately.
"Give Lilith a baby," she said seriously.
"Mumma are you—" Aarav began.
"Yes I am. She really wants one and maybe her condition will improve," Riyana explained.
Then she looked directly at Nikolai.
"So Nikolai?"
"Yes mother," he answered quietly while staring at his tiny wife.
Morning.
Day 6.
Everyone sat inside the hall still feeling sad.
But upstairs—
Something changed.
The tiny girl slowly opened her eyes.
She blinked sleepily while staring around the room.
Then she carefully removed the oxygen mask and turned the machine off exactly the way Clara had shown her before.
She yawned softly.
Then walked into the bathroom.
She peed.
Brushed her teeth.
Her tummy growled loudly.
An adorable little frown appeared on her face.
Holding her teddy bear tightly in her arms—
She wandered downstairs in search of food.
Downstairs everyone continued eating quietly when suddenly—
"Nikki Nikki Nikki Nikki N..N..Nikki!"
Everyone froze instantly.
Nikolai immediately stood up.
Then—
The tiny girl entered the hall.
"G..G..Good M…M….Morning E….E….E….Everyone," Lilith(Baneva) said sleepily.
Everyone stared at her in shock.
The tiny girl slowly walked toward Nikolai.
"Lily tummy hurts a lot… I hungry Nikki!" she whined while tugging onto his clothes.
Nikolai smiled instantly.
He kissed her forehead before the two shared a soft sweet kiss.
Aklima smiled emotionally.
"Morning Amma(mother!)" Lily(Neva) chirped.
"Morning Baby," Aklima replied happily.
Nikolai sat her down carefully beside him.
Everyone gathered around immediately.
Aklima began feeding her.
"Nikki what h..h…happened?" the tiny girl asked.
"You became sleeping beauty for 5 days," Yulian answered.
She gasped dramatically.
"Nikki kiss Lily wakey up?" she asked excitedly.
"Yes baby he did," Arina answered.
Lily looked at Nikolai and giggled loudly.
Soon—
Lily(Neva) was running around the entire castle again.
Giggling.
Clapping.
Playing with the ducks outside.
The mansion finally felt alive again.
Meanwhile—
Everyone sat together making arrangements.
Riyana and Sohan were currently arguing over colors.
"No no no Ria this is better on the boys and I will match! Can't you let me choose a better color for us? You and Mihu can wear pink together! Come on please please!!!" Sohan begged dramatically.
His sons struggled not to laugh.
"Pink? Oh so you think all girls like pink!?" Riyana snapped while placing her hands on her hips.
"Uhmm yeah so pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! Let me choose the color!" Sohan begged with puppy eyes.
"Now I see where Lily gets her eyes from," Daria muttered.
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Ugh fine… no dumb colors," Riyana warned.
Sohan clapped excitedly before kissing her.
She smiled against the kiss.
At that moment—
Nikolai walked into the room.
"Your daughter caught a chicken and wants to cook it," he announced calmly.
"Mumma look Lily got a big c..c..ch—"
"Chicken," Nikolai corrected.
"What Nikki say?" Lily asked while giggling.
Reyan quickly took the chicken from her hands and gave it to a maid.
"Amra onek shomoy dhore murgi-ta dhorar cheshta korchhilam ekhon she eta dhore feleche ashchorjo
(We had been trying to catch the chicken for a long time now she has caught it amazing!)" the maid said while walking away.
Everyone laughed loudly.
Outside—
Workers busily prepared decorations and arrangements for Kaziya and Anwar's engagement happening tomorrow.
Meanwhile Lily happily picked flowers for Kaziya's wedding basket.
"Nikki Lily make a f…f…flowers g..g..garden?" she asked while holding her basket.
Nikolai carried the basket for her.
"Yes baby. Lily will have a flower garden back home," he promised.
Suddenly—
His phone rang.
It was his grandmother Viktoria.
"Good evening Grandma," Nikolai greeted.
"Hello Nikolai my child. How are you and Lilith?" Viktoria asked warmly.
"We are fine. She picking flowers for her aunt wedding," he answered.
"Good. Well you have guests waiting for you."
"I know but please tell her not to call my wife mad. That something I wouldn't take," Nikolai said firmly.
"Of course child. Give the phone to Lily. I miss her so much," Viktoria said.
"Bambi Grandma wants to talk to you love," Nikolai said while putting the phone on speaker.
"Granny!" the tiny girl squealed happily.
"Oh my darling! How are you my dearest?" Viktoria asked lovingly.
"Lily fine and you Granny?" Lily(Neva) asked sweetly.
"I'm good love. I miss you," Viktoria answered.
"Lily m..m..miss you a lot and Lily love you too!" she said happily.
The two continued chatting happily for a while.
As evening slowly approached—
Everyone continued preparing for the engagement ceremony tomorrow.