The car moved smoothly along the long private road leading toward the estate.
Inside, Gloria sat comfortably with her brothers while the soft hum of the engine filled the luxurious vehicle.
Cornelia was seated nearby, occasionally looking through the window at the passing scenery while Zale and Rodion were engaged in conversation with Gloria.
Their mother had already asked them about where Gloria would be staying.
"So Mother said you're staying with your friends?" Zale asked, glancing at his sister. "One is married?"
"Yeah," Gloria replied casually.
"What's her name?" Rodion asked.
"Mrs Lilith Nikolai Devereaux."
The moment she said the name, both brothers looked at her.
Zale blinked.
Rodion slowly turned his head.
"Wait…"
"The Nikolai Devereaux?" Rodion asked.
"Yeah," Gloria said.
Zale stared at her.
"You're actually staying with them?"
Gloria nodded.
"I have my own mansion in the estate. We moved in like some months ago," she explained.
She smiled slightly.
"And she has eight girls. She gave birth two months ago."
"Eight!?" both brothers exclaimed.
"Yeah," Gloria said, laughing.
"She gave birth to Mila four years ago, and the septuplets were born in August."
"Wow," Zale muttered.
Rodion remained quiet for a moment.
His best friend Jerome had been sitting nearby, and throughout the entire conversation, his eyes kept drifting toward Gloria.
She looked different.
More beautiful than before.
Jerome quietly watched her while she continued talking with her brothers.
Gloria eventually noticed him looking.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Jerome quickly looked away.
A small smile appeared on Gloria's face.
A few minutes later, the car began slowing down.
"We're here," Gloria announced.
The gates opened automatically.
The car moved inside.
"Goodness," Cornelia whispered.
Everyone looked around as the vehicle drove deeper into the enormous estate.
The property seemed almost endless.
Beautiful gardens stretched across the grounds.
Massive trees stood along the private road.
Elegant buildings could be seen throughout the estate, each one surrounded by carefully maintained gardens and pathways.
The car finally stopped.
Everyone stepped out.
Gloria looked around before spotting someone sitting on the grass.
Mila was sitting peacefully on the lawn while reading.
Gloria smiled.
"Mila."
The little girl looked up.
"Baby, where is Mama?" Gloria asked.
Mila pointed toward the door while continuing to read.
Gloria nodded.
"Okay."
They headed toward the mansion.
Inside, everything was peaceful.
Nikolai was asleep.
Peacefully.
The most feared and most dangerous King of Kings was lying comfortably in bed, completely unaware of the world around him.
Lilith had covered him with his favorite blanket.
Beside him was his little teddy bear.
Yes.
The most feared.
The most dangerous.
The King of Kings.
Was sleeping peacefully with a teddy bear his wife had given him.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Gloria and the others sat down.
The girls were gathered on the couch.
"Hello, sweethearts!" Gloria said warmly.
The girls looked toward her.
Hareena's light blue eyes immediately caught Gloria's attention.
Then came the gummy smile.
A moment later, Hareena began giggling.
Gloria immediately made kissing sounds toward her.
Hareena giggled even louder.
Gloria laughed.
"You're so cute!"
Footsteps could be heard approaching.
Lilith came downstairs.
She looked around.
"Is he okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," Lilith replied.
"I put him to sleep, Lily said
Gloria nodded.
Everyone stood up.
She folded her hands respectfully toward them.
They immediately did the same.
"These are my brothers I was telling you about," Gloria said.
Lilith smiled.
"Greetings."
They folded their hands toward her again.
"Greetings, Mrs Devereaux."
Everyone eventually sat down.
The atmosphere became relaxed as they began talking.
There was laughter.
Questions.
Introductions.
Stories.
And Gloria was happy to finally have her brothers meet Lilith.
The next morning came quietly.
Nikolai had slept peacefully for the whole day.
Now he was awake and changing Rhea.
She was wearing a green jumpsuit.
Nikolai carefully held her upright, trying to help her stand.
Rhea's little legs wobbled.
Nikolai chuckled.
"Come on, princess."
Rhea wobbled again.
He steadied her.
"Christmas is tomorrow. I got pretty gifts for all my angels."
Rhea suddenly bumped her lips against his nose.
She cooed.
Nikolai smiled.
He kissed her.
"Love you too, princess."
He gently rubbed her head.
Outside, snow was falling.
The white flakes covered the estate grounds as the family prepared to leave.
The car doors closed.
The vehicle drove away from the mansion.
Inside, Lunessa kept crying.
She stretched her little hands into the air, grabbing at nothing.
Nikolai immediately took her.
"Shhhh, baby," he whispered.
But she cried loudly.
He gently rocked her.
"It's okay."
She continued crying.
An hour passed.
She cried more.
And more.
Eventually, they reached their destination.
Mila stepped out.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Luna is crying all day," Lilith explained.
"Uh, no. Why?" Mila asked.
Lunessa sniffed.
Mila approached her.
"Hi."
She gently tapped Lunessa's face.
Lunessa looked at her.
Then she reached toward Mila.
She pulled herself from Nikolai's arms and into Mila's arms.
"There, there. I'm here," Mila whispered.
Mila began rocking her.
Lunessa sniffed again.
Nikolai smiled.
He took out his phone and captured a picture of his girls.
"Big sissy duties, huh?" Lilith said.
"Yep!" Mila replied proudly.
Rhea was still in Nikolai's arms.
He looked down at her and smiled.
The family continued with their day.
Later that night, it was midnight.
Brandon's phone suddenly rang.
"Hm?"
He looked at the screen.
"Brandy?"
"Yes, baby?" the girl replied.
It was Nino.
"Can we get married?" she asked, sobbing.
Brandon immediately sat upright.
"Why are you crying?"
"Grandma locked me up again," Nino said.
Brandon's expression changed.
"She wants me to get married to an older man."
He listened silently.
"And Aunt's marriage is fixed with you. She showed her our pictures."
"Nino," Brandon said.
He sat up fully.
"Listen to me."
She sniffed.
"You're a good girl, right?"
"Hmhmhm," Nino answered weakly.
"Is the window opened?"
"It has bars," she replied.
"Shit," Brandon whispered.
He immediately began putting on his clothes.
"Look for anything that can break them."
Nino looked around.
Her eyes suddenly landed on something.
"Laser gun."
"What?"
"Papa's laser gun. He got me."
"Good."
Brandon stood.
"Now melt them."
He grabbed his keys and ran toward his car.
"Is your father around?" Brandon asked.
"N…No. Papa is on a business trip."
"Okay. Do it."
Nino grabbed the laser gun.
She aimed it at the bars.
The first bar melted.
Then the second.
Then the third.
She continued.
The fourth bar finally melted.
"Done," she whispered.
She threw her bag down.
Then she jumped out of the window.
"Run!" Brandon shouted through the phone.
He drove as fast as he could.
Nino ran.
She kept running.
Her heart was pounding.
Her breathing became heavy.
Then—
"She escaped!" one of the guards shouted.
One of them fired.
The bullet struck Nino in the back.
"Ah!!"
Brandon heard her scream through the phone.
"What the fuck!?"
Nino cried.
But she kept running.
She refused to stop.
She reached the gates.
Two women rushed after her.
"Catch her!" the old woman shouted.
Nino continued running.
Then Brandon's car pulled up.
The door opened.
Nino immediately got inside.
"Baby?"
Brandon cupped her face.
"Go!" Nino cried.
Brandon stepped on the accelerator.
The car sped away.
Faster.
And faster.
Until they were both completely out of sight.
Morning came.
Everyone was eating when Brandon suddenly entered carrying Nino.
"Leonid!"
Everyone turned.
Brandon was covered in panic.
"Brandon?"
Leonid immediately stood.
"Nino?"
Lilith's expression changed.
"She's not waking up."
Brandon's voice trembled.
"They shot her back."
Dr. Leonid immediately began examining her.
Dr. Violet put on her gloves.
Brandon closed his eyes.
The doctors carefully removed the bullet from Nino's back.
They worked quickly.
They cleaned the wound.
They treated the injury.
And Brandon remained nearby, unable to take his eyes away from her.
Meanwhile, Lilith sat in her hall.
Athava approached her.
"Maa."
Lilith looked at him.
"There is a small gift for you."
"A gift?"
"I found it outside with your name on it."
"For me?"
Lilith took the box.
She slowly opened it.
Nearby, the crow was watching.
Lilith looked inside.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh my. What a beauty we have here."
She smiled as she touched it.
Far away, inside an ancient temple, a woman frowned.
"It's not glowing."
A boy looked at her.
The woman raised a finger.
"Shhhh. Wait."
Back at the estate, Lilith lifted the pendant.
She placed it around her neck.
Athrava stared at it.
"It's very beautiful, Maa."
Lilith shook her head and giggled.
But Athrava's expression suddenly changed.
"Amma."
Lilith looked at him.
"It's glowing."
The pendant was unlike anything she had ever seen.
It was a dark ancient pendant made from a large jagged black crystal.
At its center was a sharp elongated diamond shape.
Natural silver-white cracks ran through the crystal's surface like ancient veins.
Surrounding the crystal was an intricate black metal frame shaped like sharp thorned petals.
The petals formed a mysterious flower-like or star-like pattern around the central stone.
The center of the pendant contained a dramatic pointed black metallic design that spread outward like blades or ancient dark petals.
The edges were decorated with twisted black metal vines and thorn-like details.
Everything about it looked extremely old.
Forbidden.
Powerful.
Mysterious.
Cursed.
Royal.
The pendant appeared as though it had survived thousands of years.
It carried a dark supernatural presence.
It looked like something created for an ancient secret cult.
Something belonging to a forgotten bloodline.
Something that had been waiting for its rightful owner.
The pendant hung from a thick, heavy black chain with an ancient gothic design.
Lilith stared at it.
"Maybe it's just the light," she said.
But in the ancient temple—
The woman suddenly stood.
Her eyes widened.
Then she screamed.
"SHE IS THE QUEEN!!!!!!!!!!"
A girl appeared at the temple door.
Gunshots rang out.
Drums began beating.
The ancient temple erupted into chaos.
The woman stood completely still for a moment.
Then she began laughing.
Loudly.
Her dark laughter echoed across the entire place.
The sound traveled through the ancient halls.
The forgotten temple seemed to awaken.
Meanwhile, morning arrived at the estate.
Nino slowly opened her eyes.
She rubbed them.
Brandon was on a call with her father.
"I am not taking her back there."
His voice was firm.
"Bro, fuck no."
He looked toward Nino.
"They shot her back."
His jaw tightened.
"She lost a lot of blood."
He paused.
"She stays with me."
Brandon ended the call.
"Bandy?"
Nino's voice was weak.
Brandon immediately turned.
He sighed with relief.
"My sweet princess."
He walked toward her.
He kissed her forehead.
"Are you okay, baby?"
Nino nodded.
She wrapped her arms around him.
Brandon held her tightly.
Nino was now twenty-two.
She was working in her father's company after her graduation.
Brandon continued holding her.
He sighed.
"I got you, baby."
Nino sobbed quietly against him.
"I got you," he repeated.
Meanwhile, Lilith was preparing Christmas.
She wrapped the last gift.
"Perfect."
She carefully placed it down.
Nearby, Mila was gently patting Giselle's back while the little girl was falling asleep.
Sohan covered them all.
He kissed their foreheads.
The mansion was peaceful.
Nikolai was sleeping.
It was Christmas Eve.
Everybody was talking.
Knox smiled at Charvi.
He kissed her.
Kishore held Nora.
They were both wearing matching pants.
Zorina was wrapped in blankets.
She was scrolling through an article about Aram.
His picture appeared on the screen.
She smiled softly.
"I missed you," she whispered.
She held a puppy stuffy close to her chest.
It was the same puppy stuffy Aram had gifted her when he was trying to win her heart.
She hugged it tightly.
Meanwhile, in another country—
"Merry Christmas, Big Mama."
A man stood alone in the shadows.
"I hope you like my gift."
He smiled coldly.
"I think you will love it."
Behind him stood a giant portrait of Zorina.
The massive portrait dominated the room.
The man crossed his legs.
He looked at the portrait.
Then he coldly smirked.
Christmas had arrived.
Families were gathering.
Children were sleeping.
Gifts were being wrapped.
Love filled the mansion.
But somewhere far away, something ancient had awakened.
A forgotten bloodline had been recognized.
An ancient pendant had begun to glow.
And somewhere inside an ancient temple, a woman had declared the impossible.
The Queen had returned.