One hour until landing.
Zayan sat tense in his seat, shoulders tight, his mind already bracing for the chaos at the mansion. He knew if he stepped foot inside in this mood, he'd explode.
"Z…" Nora's soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. She took his hand, squeezing gently. "Love, don't be stressed out, baby. Look—if he does anything stupid, I'll be right by your side. Okay?" She rubbed his cheek, her eyes steady on his.
He exhaled slowly, nodded, and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Thank you, my love." Resting his head on her shoulder, he rubbed her tummy.
In his arms, Liam murmured in his sleep. "My papa is the best papa ever… I love both Mama and Papa." He shifted, snuggling closer.
"Yes I am, love. Yes I am," Zayan whispered, patting his son's back and kissing his forehead.
They landed, and the Black Scar Lords split off to their own homes. Zayan, Nora, the children, and the rest headed straight for the mansion. Liam was still fast asleep in Zayan's arms, Seraphina stretched and yawned, while Lysander quietly sketched in his pad.
"All done, Papa," Lysander announced, holding up his drawing of the Titanic.
Zayan raised his brows. "Well, damn! Looks like I've got an artist here."
Lysander grinned. "Yeah, looks like Larry's gonna help me with drawings, right, my sweetest twin brother?" Seraphina teased, blinking at him dramatically.
"Move, girl," Lysander said with a laugh.
When the cars pulled up to the mansion, the kids jumped out to hug Catalina before running to their rooms. The men guided their pregnant wives to their bedrooms to rest.
In the living room, a large figure sat waiting—a man with grey-and-white hair, a beard, a blue vest, and perfectly pressed pants, legs crossed.
"Grandma!" Liam called, running into Catalina's arms.
"Loh, my dear Li Li!" she said warmly, checking his bandaged arm.
Liam turned and spotted the stranger.
"Well, hello, Li Li," Zayan's father said.
"Hello, Mr. Old Man," Liam replied sweetly.
Catalina chuckled. "Aw, Liam, we spoke on your dad's phone, remember? This is your grandpa."
Liam's eyes widened. "Yeah! I remember now! Hi, Grandpa!"
Zayan pulled out a chair for Nora. "Sit, love." She obeyed, breathing slowly, her gaze drifting to Raphael Kai—Zayan's father. The resemblance between father and son was uncanny.
"Well, hello, my dearest son," Raphael said smoothly.
Zayan rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come on, don't be like this. I believe this is your gorgeous wife—my daughter-in-law?"
"Yes, she is," Catalina confirmed. "Hey, Nora."
"Hi, Mom," Nora said, hugging her.
"Well, greetings. I'm Raphael Kai," he introduced himself.
Zayan's hands stayed in his pockets. "What do you want?" he asked coldly.
"Not even a hug?" Raphael asked.
"I know you," Zayan replied flatly. "So—what exactly do you want?"
Raphael nodded. "I heard your company is wildfire. It's the best in the world—international, global…"
Zayan's jaw tightened. "So, in conclusion, you want my company? The one you never cared about, the one you left in debt while you ran yours into the ground? Let me guess—yours is collapsing and you're broke. That's why you brought my cousins here?"
Catalina moved to step in, but Zayan held up a hand. "Mom, please take Nora inside. She needs rest."
Catalina took Nora's hands. "Come, love, let's go to my room."
Nora glanced at Zayan and signed discreetly: Calm down. Don't get more angry. For our baby.
He inhaled slowly and nodded.
"Just tell me what you want and leave," Zayan said, facing his father again.
Meira entered with Zayan's cousins—Kaz, Morana, Cahir, and Seth—and a woman named Renna.
"I thought you were still single," Raphael said. "I brought a woman for you…"
Zayan laughed coldly. "Have I ever listened to you? No. And if you're hiding what you want, spit it out and get lost."
"Zayan, at least listen to him—he's your father!" Kaz protested.
"Shut it, bitch," Zayan snapped, his voice dropping into a dangerous tone.
Renna kept staring at him like he was a prize.
"I'll shoot your eyes out if you don't stop looking at me," Zayan said. Renna quickly looked away.
Meanwhile upstairs, Nora's pregnancy pain was intensifying. She was due in a month, but something felt wrong. At the hospital, Maia, Lisa, and Zira had all just given birth—Lisa to a boy, Maia to a girl, and Zira to a boy.
Back in the mansion, Raphael said, "Your anger is justified, but my company is fine. I just want to fix things between us, son."
"Don't ever call me 'son' again," Zayan said coldly. "You locked me up for four years because I shot your mistress. When Grandpa gave me my company, you said—and I quote—'He's gonna be the biggest loser in life.' Isn't that right, Meira?"
"Yep, he said that," Meira confirmed.
Before Raphael could reply, Catalina hurried downstairs with a hot towel and water.
"What happened?" Meira asked.
"Nora's in pain—due next month, but it's bad," Catalina whispered.
Meira nodded and ran upstairs to apply the towel to Nora's bump.
"Zayan, I know I was a bad father," Raphael continued. "I hurt your mother, you, your sisters. I was greedy, foolish. But I still love you."
Zayan and Meira exchanged a look—then burst into laughter. Meira dropped to her knees.
"Yeah, we're not falling for that, old hag," she said.
Creise walked in with her son, Deo. "Dad?" she said to Raphael. "You shouldn't be here—you know Zayan hates you." She handed Deo to a maid and pulled Zayan and Meira aside.
"Look, I know this is hard, but let Dad stay for a few days. Melanie told me to come. For Nora and your unborn baby—just a few days. If he screws up, he's out. Please."
Zayan groaned. "Hmmm…"
Creise gave him the look.
"Okay, fine! Jesus. You can stay. But if anyone hurts my family, especially my wife—you drop dead. Understood?" They nodded.
"Papa! Mama is crying—she hurt!" Liam cried, running in.
Zayan moved instantly, finding Nora pale and whispering his name.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Catalina said. "Looks like pregnancy complications."
Zayan called Arion, who arrived with a nurse.
"How far along?" Arion asked.
"Four months—due next month. Why?"
"I think she's going into labor. We need to get her to the hospital."
The twins appeared, worried. "Mama?" Seraphina asked.
"Mama's fine, love," Zayan reassured. Liam burst into tears, and Seraphina held him.
The ambulance arrived, and the men saw Nora's condition. Nathaira, who had just given birth to a baby girl, came to comfort her.
Zayan rode in the ambulance, never letting go of Nora's hand.
"I'm here, love," he whispered.
"It hurts," she cried.
"Shh, I'm right here."
He paid for a private high suite. Her pain was so bad she writhed, making his chest ache. Arion and Imara checked her—she was close to labor. They monitored her in case her water broke, gave her an injection, and let her rest.
Zayan stroked her cheek. "Sorry, my baby," he whispered, kissing her forehead.