Nikolai entered The Imperial Hour Channel station.
The director welcomed him as he sat down.
"Baby?" he said to Lily as she spoke.
"Don't cry, love. I will get a stock for her," he said.
The call ended.
"Sir, it's an honor to meet you," a lady said.
He nodded.
Damian whispered something into Nikolai's ear.
Nikolai nodded.
"We are live in three… two… one!" the director said.
"Good morning, everyone, and welcome to The Imperial Hour. We are here live with one of the world's richest men, who has crossed over trillions and grown his business worldwide. Great to have you, Mr. Nikolai Devereaux."
"Pleasure is all mine," Nikolai said.
"Wook, Dada!" Mila said, pointing at the TV.
Lily held her.
"Why is he smiling so much at her?" Lilith said with full jealousy.
Everyone looked at everyone.
"Boss, it's a show," Amelia said.
"Then I will knock her teeth out," Lilith said.
"Here, boss. A brass knuckle should do the trick," Madison said.
"Maddy!!" the group shouted.
"Awww," she said.
"So, Mr. Nikolai, how do you feel being the richest man?" the journalist asked.
"Honestly, nothing. Just okay. Nothing special about it," Nikolai said.
They asked him a few questions, and he answered them.
"So, Mr. Nikolai, your royal wedding in India has gone viral after the famous influencer TheLuxeDiary by Abellona posted about your wedding, all the ceremonies, but your wife's face was blurred. Why?" she asked.
"Well, my wife keeps her identity a secret. I really want to, like, show her face, but, like, not show her off, but avoid some scenarios and public attacking her from different angles. So she told me, 'Oh, I don't want to be public till after school,' because my wife is still studying. So she keeps it low-key for our daughter and her safety," Nikolai said.
"Still studying? But why is that? Didn't she finish school?" the reporter asked.
"Three years ago, she was in a condition where her mind wasn't okay. So, for her health, I kept taking her to different doctors and making sure she got better. And when she did get better, she looked at me and her father and said she wanted to start studying. She didn't get the chance to study for over ten years, so she finally got better while carrying our daughter. And after my baby's birth, she left for three years," he said.
Over two hundred billion people were watching the show.
"That's so sad," people said.
"Did she come back?" the reporter asked.
"I got her back from her hiding place with my daughter, and she got a scholarship by herself and got into school. While she was studying, I stayed home and took care of my daughter, who is now three years old," he said.
The reporter nodded.
"So, your wife and you were in an argument, and we saw the Muards there too, and they seem very close to her," she said.
"Because they're her family. She is Sohan Muard's daughter. That's a personal matter," Nikolai said.
She nodded.
"And also, a funny video of you and your daughter at the mall showed her angry at you. Why?" she asked.
"My daughter doesn't like when I get her and her mama expensive stuff. Like, I get her a diamond set worth millions and billions, and they get mad at me for no reason. And I'm like, 'Come on, take it.' She threw it away. I get ghosted by my both mama-and-daughter duo," he said.
The set laughed at him.
Mila giggled.
Lilith did too.
Sohan and Riyana laughed too.
"Do you ever choose between work and family?" she asked.
"Yeah. My wife just takes care of the family. Even without asking, she knows what's important and handles it. Sometimes she helps me and also makes sure nobody bothers me while working. She really respects my work," Nikolai said.
She nodded.
"Your private projects, NL, hit across the global community. We know that N is your name. What about L?" she asked.
"L is my wife's name. LMB is her name, so I joined it because those letters are in her name. My projects are her surprises from the family and me," he said.
"Is your wife from Russia too?" she asked.
"No. My wife is half Indian-American and half Bengali. She is always traditional with her cultures and loves them so much. Most of the time, she doesn't even remember she's half American," Nikolai said.
"What about your daughter?" she asked.
"My daughter's name is Mila. I call her Mimi. She has this funny personality. I don't know where she got that from. Definitely not me. She's sassy, running away and arguing with me. She loves me more than her mama."
He paused.
"Oops."
Everyone laughed.
Lilith gasped.
"Uh-oh, Dada!!!" Mila said as she covered her face.
"I'm in so much trouble with my tiny wife later," Nikolai said.
They laughed even more.
The journalist asked him more questions, and Nikolai answered them.
Meanwhile, Nino was done shopping.
"AM BACK!" she said.
Brandon stared at her as the guards all entered with over eight hundred bags.
"What the hell!?" they said.
Brandon blinked slowly.
"Take those ones to his room and these are mine," Nino said.
The guards followed her orders.
"You spent over $960 million dollars," Brandon said.
"Wellllll, it's for you," she said with a smile.
"I mean, look at you. The day I saw you with this shirt with Dad and when you picked me up, you basically didn't pack anything for this trip and no swim trunks. So you're telling me you're gonna use your underwear to swim?" Nino said.
"Thank You, Jesus. Someone finally told him the truth," Adrian said.
Diya laughed.
"Meaning?" Brandon asked.
"Well, take this to heart, Brand. You ain't got no clothes, bro. It's heartbreaking," David said.
"Seeee. Even your friends said so," Nino said.
Brandon rolled his eyes.
"Finally, we can burn this ugly shirt?" Enzo said.
"Ouuu, yes!" she said.
She walked toward him.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!!" Brandon said.
Nino began to drag the shirt off him.
"This is cotton, okay!" he said.
She ripped it off him.
"Nio Valen, here you go. All gone!" she said.
Emil took it and lit it on fire.
"You're lucky I didn't light it up on your body!" she said with extreme happiness.
"Crazy-ass girl. Let's go," Osyth said.
She took her bags and went upstairs while Mila watched her Dada on TV.
By noon, The Bratva and The Dominant Apex were in their New York base company branch.
Nikolai entered.
They sat as Ms. Teresa was there.
Nathan stared at her while flipping his papers.
"Uhmm, guys, look at Nathan," Jaxon said.
They all looked at him.
"Shall we begin?" Nikolai said.
Teresa began talking and showing her presentations to him.
After hours of reading and checking the files, Nikolai finally spoke.
"Congratulations. You're in. Please make sure your teams begin to stock up on the ship immediately. Please, we leave soon," Nikolai said.
He pressed his phone.
Teresa received an alert of $70 billion dollars.
"Thank you, sir," she said.
"You have a party tonight, and your ex-husband is out of the companies, right?" Nikolai asked.
"Yes. I will announce it tonight," she said.
"Good. See you soon," he said.
She took her bag and left.
Nathan smiled happily.
"Hmmmmm!??"
Olivia looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"What got you all excited?" Rima asked.
"Nothing. Can't a man smile?" he said.
They all looked at each other and laughed at him.
Meanwhile, Ariz opened the door.
Elina sat at the corner crying.
"Linny?" Ariz said.
She sniffed.
"You haven't eaten anything since last night," he said while sitting on the floor beside her.
She turned away.
"Hey, Linny. Look at me. I just didn't want you to get hurt. Your Papa is dangerous, and Baba isn't here. Linny, I am so sorry for what I said. Please forgive me, darling," he said.
She turned to him.
"I ran away for you. I wanted you to take me away from them. I waited for you," she said while wiping her tears.
He lifted her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
"You don't… love me anymore? Is that why you let me go easily?" Elina said.
"Don't ever say that again. I love you very much. You're my life, my everything. I love you so much. My heart only beats for you, sweetheart," he said.
She held him.
He lifted her and took her to the bathroom.
He bathed her.
She kept staring at him.
"Remember when we used to hate each other back in school and somehow we ended up in each other's arms?" Elina said.
"That's our sign. We are meant to be," Ariz said.
"Come on. We are going to get married, my love," he said.
"Really?" she asked.
He nodded.
He bathed her, they got dressed, and they left for the marriage registration office.
Meanwhile, at a party, Byron and his pregnant mistress, Stella, were together holding hands.
His mother, Mrs. Corllina, stood proudly, and his sister Fida stood as they comforted Stella.
"How dare she?" Corllina said.
The doors opened.
Teresa walked in wearing a white suit.
She was on a call with her team as she walked toward Byron and his family.
"Yes. Tell them to stock over eight billion products and make sure nothing goes wrong with them. Triple-check everything before boarding. He is going to check them. It's for his family especially," she said.
"You childless woman!" Corllina said while grabbing her hand and pushing her back.
Teresa steadied herself.
"So anyways, give me full feedback on each of them. And my bags are packed. I doubled the security guards over the next few months before I return," she said.
"Return? Where is she going, brother?" Fida asked.
"I don't know," Byron said.
Teresa ended the call.
"Madam, the test results," a guard said.
"Stella, right?" Teresa said.
"Yes," Stella answered.
"So you're the student, or should I say mistress? I'm surprised you both are having a child while stealing from me and Mr. Nikolai, almost making my company go bankrupt and crash out," Teresa said.
"Oh please, you couldn't—" Fida began.
"Oh, shut your dirty mouth up! Your family got kicked out of the mansion, and I also sold everything you brought for her with my money. You always thought I was the problem, that I couldn't bear a child, right? Well, here are the fucking results. All these years, the problem was YOU!" Teresa said.
She threw the papers at his face.
Byron read them.
His eyes widened.
"You are infertile!!!" Teresa said.
Everyone gasped.
Stella began to shake.
"So I have a little announcement for you," Teresa said.
She catwalked to the stage.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for attending this event. I would like to announce that my ex-husband, Mr. Byron Kane, has been permanently banned and removed from my company's board and fired as manager."
She paused.
"And I, Teresa Blackwell, the CEO of Blackwell Industries, hereby announce my divorce from Byron. He is hereby cut off from my family and our wealth due to the money laundering and fraud over the years and stealing from Nikolai Devereaux, almost getting away with a $70 billion-dollar deal."
The crowd listened.
"So he is hereby stripped of everything he has in my name, and his family has nothing to do with Blackwell."
"Thank you," Teresa said.
Everybody clapped.
"WHAT!?" the Kane family said.
Teresa walked toward Byron.
"I got the $70 billion deal and also opened a store in his private property. I will be on sea over the next few months. Everything you stole with your useless and stupid family is all gone."
She pointed at Stella.
"And you."
Stella looked scared.
"Run back to the father of this child for your own good. He is poor now."
Teresa looked at Byron.
"Our marriage ends here, Byron. I hope we never cross paths again."
"No, no! Please don't do this! I beg you! I didn't know about it. Please give me a chance for the love we have for ten years," Byron pleaded.
"Throw them out of my face," Teresa said.
The guards grabbed them.
"Teresa!!!" Byron shouted.
They threw them out.
Teresa sighed and enjoyed the party.
Meanwhile, Nikolai came back home.
"Hi, Dada!" Mila said.
She waddled to him.
He lifted her into his arms.
"How you?" she asked.
"I'm okay, sweetie," he said.
"Dada, Mama mad you say, 'I wuv you bigg,' and now she mad at you," Mila said.
"I know. That's why I got flowers for her," he said.
They went into the kitchen.
"How dare he, huh? Smiling at her like a drunk crocodile," Lily said.
Farhan choked on his drink while laughing at his little sister.
She was laughing so hard.
"Like her eyes were all on my husband, my man! She kept pushing that flat table on her chest forward for him to notice her, and he dares say Mila loves him more than me. Can you believe that!?" she said.
Gloria giggled at her.
"That Russian donkey will pay. Ohhhh, just wait till he gets here first," she said.
Mila giggled.
Nikolai smirked at his tiny, angry, jealous wife.
"Dada hewe," Mila said.
Lilith turned around and folded her hands.
"Welcome, smiling clown donkey. How was the interview?" she asked while smiling, but not the good kind.
"Well, my angry tiny dove, I got these for you, my queen, since you're mad at me. And I didn't smile at her. Everything was professional," he said.
"Everything was professional," Lily mocked.
She turned around, pouting and folding her arms.
Mila came down, looking at her angry mama.
"What?" Lilith said.
"Upies?" Mila asked adorably.
Lilith picked her up.
Both father and daughter winked at each other before giving her a big kiss on the face.
"Mwah!"
They kissed her cheeks.
Lilith blushed.
"Whatever," she said while hugging them.
Desmond was asleep as Nikolai's family entered with their bags.
"Nick, don't worry. Everything will be fine," Mr. William said while hugging him.
"Where is Grandma?" Nikolai asked.
"Well, she was extremely happy and kicked us out of the house, saying she wants peace and quiet," he said.
"Dada?" Mila said.
"Ye—" Nikolai began.
They saw her nose bleeding.
He quickly took tissue and shoved it into her nose.
He lifted her, hugging her gently.
"Mila, in my arms. Shhhh, baby," he said.
They looked at him.
Meanwhile, Yulian sat in his room as Mrs. Francesca entered.
"Lian?" she said.
He raised his head.
"Mom?" he said.
She entered and sat on the bed, rubbing his hair.
"Baby, what were you thinking? Drugs? Really? Into drugs?" she said.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
She kissed his forehead.
"And you hurt Virsa's feelings, baby," Mrs. Francesca said.
"I didn't mean to hurt my Riri. I wished I didn't say any of those things to her. I just want her back," he said with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Give her some time, son. She will come around," she said.
Virsa stood by the doorway and went back to her room.
Everyone ate dinner, and all settled down in their rooms.
Five days later, after checking on the ship and everybody packed, Ariz brought Elina a lot of things.
They got married and registered it too.
Sohan was angry when he heard about this.
Riyana was happy.
Mila's nose kept bleeding.
During lunch, everybody was eating.
Mila waddled to the table.
Lily fed her.
"What happened, baby?" she asked.
Mila's eyes were red as she showed them her hair in her hands.
"Oh no," Dr. Liv said.
Nikolai stood up and checked it.
Her hair in the middle was gone.
"What the hell is going on!?" he said.
"Nick, hair loss. She is losing her hair. We need to shave her hair off," Leonid said.
Lily looked at her baby girl.
"No, please don't," she said.
Nikolai touched her hair.
Some of it got onto his hands.
Kalma's heart tightened.
Mila looked at Nikolai.
"Dada?" she said.
He cupped her face and kissed her forehead.
"Yes, my dear?" he said.
"Mil no hair?" she asked.
Dr. Clara held Mila's hands.
"Baby, you're sick, and we're gonna fix you. But first, Dada cuts your hair so we can get the yucky in here away to make you feel better, right? No sickey, hm?" she said.
Mila nodded.
Mila cut her hair.
"No more sickey, Dada!" she said.
He sat down and stared at her.
She moved her body while Lily fed her with trembling hands.
By 10:34 a.m., Nikolai took a clipper.
His hands were shaking.
"Come on, Dada. Cut!" Mila said slowly.
He took it and began shaving off his child's hair.
Karim hugged Lilith tightly.
Khushi hid behind Nihal.
Each soft curl fell off.
Kalma sat watching, tears rolling down her face.
Hana looked away.
Caspian gripped the knife.
Deillah held his hand, comforting him.
Nikolai shaved everything off.
Mila was now bald.
She stood up.
"Tank oo, Dada!" she said.
She waddled to the mirror.
"Wawwwwwww! Mil no hair! More pwetty!" she said.
Nikolai covered his face.
He stood up and went into the bathroom.
"Mama?" Mila said.
Lilith carried her.
"H…H…Hi, my strong girl," she said.
"Mil cut her hair. I cut too!" Olga said.
"Me too!" Yelena said.
"Nu, nu, nu, nu. Mil hair grow back. I pwomise. I play wif your hair!" she said.
Hania burst into tears.
"No cwy, Nia," Mila said, hugging her.
They had a group hug.
Lilith held the list of things for Mila and also the food and fruits for her to be eating.
Nikolai came out of the bathroom cleaning his hands.
"What's that?" he said.
"It's the—" Lily began.
She looked at him.
All his hair was gone.
He was now bald.
He took the list and read it.
Lilith's eyes became even redder.
Mila waddled in.
"Dada, wook!" she said, pointing at the iPad.
"Dada show," she said, watching him.
He kissed her face.
Mila turned and saw her Dada bald too.
Her face fell.
"Come, baby. Let's go get your things," he said.
"Where Dada hair go?" Mila asked.
"Somewhere, sweetheart. Now come on. Let's go," he said in a deep, muscular, manly voice.
Mila held her bunny.
"Ba Ba Mama!" she said as they left.
Lilith finally broke down crying loudly.
Amelia hugged her.
"Calm down, boss," she said.
After three hours in the mall, Nikolai checked the list and got them everything.
He also brought the entire fruit market and loaded them up.
Mila held a bowl.
"Snacky bowl," she said with a cough.
He lifted her and placed her into the cart.
He brought blankets, soft socks, gloves, jumpers too.
"Dada, you an Mama give Mila a baby to plawy wif. Z has a baby. He is a big bubba now. I wanna be a big sissy!" she said.
He chuckled.
"Of course, love, but no telling Mama, okay?" he said.
She nodded.
They paid for their things.
"Nikolai Devereaux," a man said.
He turned around to see him standing there with a smirk.
Both of them were the same height.
"Why, hello, Dante," Nikolai said.
They both stared at each other coldly.
His name was Dante Hakonarson, half Russian and half Icelandic.
Both men stared at each other more.
The tension between them intensified.
Neither man looked away.
The mall suddenly seemed quieter around them.
Nikolai's expression remained cold.
Dante's smirk remained on his face.
Two powerful men stood face-to-face.
And neither one was willing to back down.