A month had passed since Liam started school.
He was thriving — reading eagerly, learning quickly, and even studying alongside the twins before climbing into his parents' bed each night to fall asleep.
Nora's bump had grown rounder, her pregnancy becoming more visible. She carried on with her daily activities, but her cravings were getting… unusual.
One afternoon, she looked up at her husband with a mischievous smile.
"Z, I want orange noodles with a milkshake."
Lysander's head turned sharply toward his father.
"Did Mama just say orange noodles?"
Zayan rubbed his face, stifling a groan.
"Are you okay, love?" he asked gently.
"I'm perfectly fine," she replied innocently. "Just craving something different."
Meanwhile, the representatives who were supposed to meet Zayan delayed their visit. On their way to the mansion, several big changes happened among the group:
Alex proposed to Dabira, and they had a quiet court marriage.
Kenna and Eryx tied the knot as well.
Kian and Meeri began dating.
And in a surprise turn, Xandira and Arion also got married.
Nora, that afternoon, was painting in the studio. She felt a little dizzy but brushed it off, determined to finish. Zayan came in to check on her.
"Hey, darling," he said softly. "We have guests coming over. Are you okay, my love?" He touched her cheek.
She nodded, and he kissed her forehead, wrapping her in a blanket. Before she knew it, she was asleep with her head on his shoulder.
The representatives arrived along with Miska.
"Yo, Zayan!" Miska greeted loudly.
"Shhh!" Zayan hissed. "She finally fell asleep."
"Oh—sorry! Here, this is for Li-Li. Frya said she's sorry for missing the party. And I heard a guy tried to nab Nora?"
Zayan's eyes darkened. "Yeah. I broke all his bones for that. He came to her office and even hurt Liam. I wasn't about to let him walk away."
They moved into the large newly renovated meeting room. The representatives settled in, discussing final prices and partnership details. Members of the Black Scar Lords were present too.
Meanwhile, Rose stopped by to see Nora. Finding her asleep, Rose quietly held little Lora in her arms while Levi remained at school with the kids.
But in Nora's dreams… things were far from peaceful.
She opened her eyes to a scene of horror — blood everywhere.
Her children were bleeding.
"Mama!" the three of them cried, reaching for her. She ran toward them, but someone grabbed her arm.
A cold voice whispered in her ear:
"I'm back, my dearest. I'm here to take you away. You are mine."
Nora screamed and bolted awake.
"MY BABIES!!!" she cried, panic shaking her voice. "Where are my babies?! My babies—my babies!"
Her breathing turned rapid, almost gasping.
Rose quickly set Lora down and rushed to her. "Calm down, Mama. Calm down—"
The commotion reached Zayan and even the meeting room. He came running with the representatives following curiously. Azara trailed behind, holding Lora.
Nora clutched at Zayan's shirt, her voice frantic:
"My… my family… my babies… they want to take my babies! Z, they were bleeding—they were crying—WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?!" Her voice rose into a scream. "ZAYANNNNNNNN!!!"
Zayan held her tightly. "The babies are fine, love. They'll be home from school soon. Did you have a bad dream?"
She grabbed his neck, sobbing.
"I WANT MY CHILDREN NOW! They were hurt—there was blood on the twins and Liam—I fell on my baby bump—GET MY CHILDREN NOW!"
The Black Scar Lords rushed out of the meeting with Alex.
"Whoa, whoa!" Nora Sachi said, trying to steady her. Valencia joined, holding Nora's arms while Xandira and Dabira held her legs to stop her from thrashing.
Xandira quickly called Arion.
"Please, get here fast—she's in a terrible state."
Arion arrived with a nurse within minutes. Nora was still breathing heavily, her body shaking. He checked her pulse and blood pressure.
"Whoa," he muttered.
Zayan's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'whoa'?"
"Her blood pressure is extremely high — 170 over 90. That's dangerous in her condition," Arion said firmly.
Zayan's jaw tightened as Arion administered an injection to calm her. Slowly, the kicking stopped. Her breathing evened out, and she drifted into a deep sleep. Zayan stroked her cherry-red hair and kissed her forehead.
The representatives stepped out, seeing Zayan on the floor with Nora in his lap, her baby bump visible.
"Is she alright?" the Denmark representative asked.
Alex answered for him. "She's fine. Just some pregnancy complications. Please, take your seats."
"Mama!!!" Liam's voice rang out. He came running from the front door, the representatives watching as he rushed straight to her side.
"Mama?" he whispered, tapping her face.
"Baby, Mama's sleeping," Zayan said softly. "She'll wake up soon, okay, my boy?"
"Okie, Papa!" Liam said, kissing Nora's cheek. The twins followed, hugging her before Lysander took Liam upstairs. They changed clothes and ate together.
Later, the representatives left, and the twins bounced into Zayan's study.
"Papa, we're on holiday now!"
"I got B and A too!" Seraphina beamed.
"I got all B, Papa!" Lysander added.
Liam came forward with a card. "Here, Papa."
Zayan put on his glasses. "Six golden stars, huh? Moving to nursery section next season." He smiled proudly. "I'm very, very proud of all three of you. And guess what—your bags are packed. We're going on another family trip… to Denmark."
The twins' eyes lit up. "Dad… is Mama okay?"
"Yes, she's fine. Just tired," he assured them.
When Nora woke, her first words were trembling:
"My babies… my babies…"
"Hey, hey," Zayan soothed, pulling her close. "The kids are fine. They just got home. They're safe, I promise."
She rested her head on his chest, breathing in his scent, her heartbeat finally slowing.
"It was just a nightmare, love," he whispered, rubbing her hair. "Shhh… there, there."
He fed her himself, refusing to leave her side.
"Darling, we have a vacation to Denmark. I've packed your clothes and bags too, alright?"
She nodded weakly. He kissed her forehead, his large hand resting protectively on her bump, rubbing it gently until she relaxed completely in his arms.