Two hours had passed since Lilith was brought home. Karim sat beside her bed, gently bandaging her legs.
"I'm sorry, Lilly," he whispered softly, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.
He noticed her fever. He placed a cold towel on her forehead. She was still asleep.
"M… Mumma…" Lilith murmured in her dreams.
Zafraan rubbed her arm gently. "Good… they're all dead. I would have tortured them till they died," he muttered grimly.
"Maybe stabbed, cut, and fed to the dogs," Nihal added with a chilling grin.
Lilith stirred. Karim turned to Anika, who sat closer to the tiny girl.
"Baby?" she asked softly.
Lilith's eyelids fluttered open. She blinked, taking in the sight of the eight boys standing around her, and of course, Anika.
"A… Annie?" she whispered, her voice fragile.
"Hm?" Anika replied.
Lilith sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Milky… pretty please… gimme Milky," she said. Anika handed her a cup. Milk had been her daily ritual since childhood.
"Are you okay, Bambi?" Aarav asked.
"H… Huh?" Lilith clutched her teddy bear.
Anika smiled softly.
"W… Who are you?" Lilith stammered, looking at the boys.
"We are your brothers, remember, Bambi?" Karim said calmly.
"N… o… M… My brothers are small… T… T… They are… n… not bigger… l… l… i… ke you all…" Lilith trailed off, hesitant.
"But we all grew up, baby," Farhan said gently.
"R… Really? B… b… b… bigger b… boys?" Lilith asked, her voice trembling and scared.
"Yeah, Bambi," Ariz replied softly.
"B… B… Baba? Where's Baba?" she asked, turning to Anika.
"He went for work. He'll be back next year, sweetie," Anika reassured her.
"Pinky… promise?" Lilith held out her tiny finger.
"Pinky promise," Karim replied, holding her pinky tightly.
"T… T… They are big meanie… t… they say I'm naughty… b… but I… good girl… I p… promise," Lilith said, clutching her throat nervously.
"Yeh accha hai ki ve sab mar jaayen aur ve nark mein jalenge."
(It is good that they all die, and they will burn in hell.) Karim whispered in Hindi, and the boys understood immediately.
"A… A… Annie… please don't g… o… pretty please…" Lilith whimpered.
"I'm here, meri baccha," Anika whispered, hugging her.
During dinner, Karim fed Lilith carefully. The boys had finished earlier. Lilith's and Anika's room was closed for the night, as Anika had exams tomorrow. Lilith fell asleep after drinking the heavy milk Farhan prepared.
But Tamanna had already plotted. She crushed the same pills the hospital used to give Lilith into her milk.
"I will be the Gem very, very soon," she whispered with a wicked smile.
Vamika and Arhant stood behind her, craving their share of the wealth.
But they didn't know: all of it belonged to Sohan, the Mafia King. In his mansion, secret rooms, hidden treasures, and locked safes ensured no one could ever seize his empire.
Meanwhile, in Russia, in the city of Moscow, a man walked in power, wealth, and blood. He was feared in the underworld, and even government officials bent to his will.
They called him Lucifer.
Anyone daring to look him in the eyes would perish. He controlled dangerous drugs, an army of workers, and led two deadly crime syndicates: The Dominion Apex and The Bratva Solntsevskaya. He was a Trillionaire, a master underground fighter, feared since childhood.
He sat in his office, staring out the window. His assistant entered.
"Boss," he said.
Lucifer nodded slightly.
"The shipments have been tampered with in New York. Someone stole the weapons, and we tracked them," the assistant continued.
"Who did?" Lucifer asked, smirking.
"Someone from… the Obsidian Triad," his assistant said.
Lucifer's eyes narrowed. "He's in jail… the assistant said that means one of his sons or family members must have taken it. Hmm… prepare the jet. I am going to New York. Set a meeting with them."
"Yes, boss," the assistant replied, lighting a cigarette and inhaling deeply.
Two days later, Anika was at school, and Lilith stayed home.
Lilith sat in the garden with an old lady.
"Nani, it looks… so pretty," Lilith giggled.
"Yes, meri baccha," the old lady replied. Her name was Rhea, a maid who had served the Murad mansion for many years.
"I'm back!" Anika called, running to hug her little charge.
"How are you, baby?" she asked.
"I… I'm fine!" Lilith replied. Anika's heart softened.
The boys returned from work. Karim was first. He saw Anika and Lilith in the garden. Lilith rested her head on Anika's lap, while Anika read a medical report and textbooks.
"Afternoon," Karim said, kissing Lilith's face. "How are we, Lilly?"
"We're okie!" she replied.
Karim couldn't help but glance at Anika — her beautiful face, red bindi, long blue skirt, and gentle V-shaped kurti. His gaze lingered until Lilith spoke again.
"Annie… milk… pretty please," she said.
"Alright, baby. Let's get you your milky milk," Anika said. Lilith shook her head and dashed to the kitchen — accidentally bumping into Vamika.
"Are you blind?!" Vamika snapped. Lilith covered her ears; she hated loud noises.
"Shut up!" Karim roared. Vamika flinched. "Shhh… it's okay, Bambi. Hm? Get out now," he said again. Vamika rolled her eyes and stormed off.
Anika prepared milk for Lilith, who happily drank almost four cups. Karim carried her back to her room.
Her room was pink and black, filled with her drawings. He placed her gently on the bed.
"Sleep well, baccha," Anika whispered, kissing her forehead.
As Karim walked away, he bumped into Anika. Their eyes met.
"G… Good night," Anika murmured, running off to her room. Karim smirked subtly.
At New York Airport, the dangerous mafia lord Lucifer landed after a seven-hour flight.
"Any plan, boss?" his assistant asked.
Lucifer smirked, blowing smoke into the air. Cars waited. Men bowed as he approached. Black Rolls Royce, black Lamborghini Urus, and five black G-Wagons surrounded him.
"Set a meeting with one of the leader's sons," he instructed.
"Yes, boss," the assistant replied.
Lilith slept peacefully, unaware that fate was about to bring her, the Murad family, and this new threat together.
The shadows were stirring.
And the Murad mansion would soon face a storm unlike anything it had ever seen.