It was 3 AM. The massive bedroom of the penthouse was now quiet. After the horrific havoc, screams, and wild excitement of a few hours ago, a heavy silence loomed over the room. Adrik's torn shirt, the shattered phone, and the empty vial of the toxic injection lay scattered on the floor.
Both Adrik and Soha were immersed in a deep sleep. Adrik held Soha in a tight embrace from behind, his face buried in her hair. The deep hickey on Soha's neck looked bluish in the moonlight. Under the influence of the drug and extreme physical exhaustion, Soha was sleeping like a stone.
At that moment, the sound of the six-month-old baby crying drifted in from the next room.
"Aaaa... uuuu... Mommy...!"
First came a soft whimper, which slowly escalated into a desperate wail. The baby was likely hungry again or couldn't find his mother's warmth in his sleep. In the silent penthouse, the small child's cry pierced through the air like an arrow.
Adrik's light green cat-eyes flickered slightly in his sleep. But Soha didn't move; she was so unconscious under the drug's effect that even her maternal instinct remained dormant. The baby's crying grew louder, as if he sensed his mother was a prisoner in this room.
Adrik's sleep was finally broken. He opened his eyes. Those slanted eyes of his were now bloodshot. He turned away from Soha in annoyance.
Adrik (muttering in a groggy, intoxicated voice):
"He's started again... is there no one to quiet that nuisance?"
Adrik tried to sit up on the bed. His sweat-drenched bare body shuddered in the cool dawn breeze. He looked at Soha lying beside him—she was still unresponsive. The baby's cries had become even more intense now, as if he were determined to wake the entire house.Adrik sat on the bed for a few moments. His temper was flaring. On one hand, his body was exhausted; on the other, this incessant crying was pounding against his brain like a hammer. He glanced at Soha—she was still in a deep slumber, lacking even the strength to move.
With a heavy sigh, Adrik got out of bed. Sliding into only a pair of trousers over his muscular bare body, he stepped out of the room. His slanted green eyes now bore signs of strange annoyance and fatigue.
Entering the next room, he saw the baby thrashing in the cradle, sobbing uncontrollably. The child's face had turned completely red from crying. The maid on guard scurried into a corner in fear upon seeing Adrik.
Adrik (in a very low, heavy voice):
"Get out of here. I'll handle it."
The maid hurried out. Adrik stood before the cradle. The six-month-old infant stopped for a second, seeing the shadow of his father's massive frame, and then, recognizing him, screamed even louder.
Adrik picked up the baby into his powerful arms with extreme caution, as if handling something precious made of glass. The baby's tiny, wet hands touched Adrik's six-pack. The scent of Adrik's strong perfume and sweat reached the infant's nose.
Adrik (pacing while pressing the baby against his chest):
"Hush... be quiet! Your Mommy can't come right now. She's very tired. I'm here... your 'bad' Dad is here."
A ruthless mafia don like Adrik, who just hours ago had wreaked havoc in a limousine and a warehouse, was now pacing the room to soothe his child. The baby began to calm down, resting his head against Adrik's firm chest. Perhaps he could hear the steady thud of his father's heartbeat, giving him a sense of security.
Adrik brushed his lips against the baby's forehead. His ferocious eyes softened for a brief moment.The baby had found comfort against Adrik's firm, stone-like chest. He wasn't crying anymore; instead of wailing, he was making soft, indistinct sounds with his tiny lips. Adrik hadn't put on a shirt yet, so the baby grew curious about his father's bare six-pack and muscular frame.
The baby began to touch the hair and muscles on Adrik's chest with his small hands. Adrik's expensive white shirt, which had been crumpled in the scuffle hours ago, was lying nearby; as soon as it came within reach, the baby grabbed it.
Adrik (looking at the baby with a faint smile):
"What now? Starting to play? No sleep in those eyes?"
The baby pulled the shirt collar and stuffed it into his tiny mouth, beginning to chew on it. For a man as angry as Adrik, this scene was incredibly surreal. There was no hatred left in those slanted green eyes now, only a strange tenderness. He began to pat the baby's soft back gently with his massive hand.
Adrik (in a very soft voice):
"Don't put that in your mouth... it's dirty. Let go!"
Adrik tried to gently pull the shirt away from the baby's mouth, but the infant gripped it even tighter. Drool from the baby's mouth was getting on Adrik's six-pack, yet he didn't get angry today. He felt that this small life was perhaps the only bridge between him and Soha. He held the baby more intimately against his chest and stood by the large window, looking out at the last hours of the night and the light mist.
On one hand, the demonic havoc he had wreaked on Soha, and on the other, this tender behavior with his child—Adrik felt like a different man even to himself today.The comfort of Adrik's strong arms and the steady thud of his heartbeat created a profound sense of security for the baby. Adrik paced the room with very slow, deliberate steps. In the light mist outside and the semi-darkness of the dawn, the room was submerged in a mystical silence.
The baby had stopped chewing on Adrik's shirt and was now lying peacefully with his head against his father's six-pack. His tiny, long breaths fanned against Adrik's warm skin. Adrik used his large hand to rhythmically and gently pat the baby's back, just as a mother would to lull her child to sleep.
Adrik's green cat-eyes were now lost in the distance beyond the window. He wondered—was the havoc he had wreaked a few hours ago truly necessary? But instantly, his jaw tightened again. However, the touch of the small body in his arms repeatedly calmed him down.
Slowly, the baby's eyelids grew heavy. The tiny fist that had been clutching Adrik's shirt loosened. The baby sank into a deep and peaceful sleep.
When Adrik felt that the baby was finally asleep, he very carefully laid him back into the cradle. Then, he walked toward Soha's room. There, Soha was still sleeping soundly, exhaustion etched on her face. Adrik sat by the bed and looked at Soha, letting out a heavy sigh.
Does he love Soha, or does he hate her? Even he might not have the answer to that question today. In the eerie light of dawn, as Adrik looked out the window, a sudden chill ran down his spine. His sharp green cat-eyes caught an ethereal shadow beyond the glass. It wasn't human—a strange, misty figure signaling a paranormal presence. Even a man as fearless as Adrik froze for a split second.
He noticed the invisible shadow seemingly gliding through the air toward the baby's room. His sixth sense warned him of an impending danger to his child. He felt the presence of some otherworldly entity or a Jinn.
Without a moment's delay, Adrik rushed to the baby's room. He found the air around the cradle had suddenly turned ice-cold. Disregarding everything else, he swiftly scooped the baby into his arms. He held his child with his powerful arms as if to shield him from any evil touch.
Adrik strode back to his bedroom where Soha was still unconscious in sleep. He climbed onto the bed, placing the baby between them, and lay close to Soha. He wrapped one arm around Soha and used the other to guard the child.
Adrik's bloodshot green eyes were now fixed on the door. His heart was pounding. He began to mutter:
"I won't let anything happen to you. I won't let any demon come near."
Even in her sleep, feeling the warmth of her child and the touch of Adrik's strong hand, Soha shifted slightly. The luxurious penthouse room was no longer just a den of lust; it had become a fortress against an invisible, supernatural force.As morning broke, the intense rays of the sun pierced through the curtains and hit Soha's eyes. The unbearable body ache and the numbness from the drugs hadn't fully faded, but she woke up with a strange sense of apprehension. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Adrik lying right beside her—not the familiar, violent Adrik, but a man with a strangely calm expression.
Soha was startled to see their six-month-old baby sleeping peacefully right between her and Adrik. One of Adrik's massive, powerful arms was protectively cradling both Soha and the baby with unexpected tenderness.
Soha tried to sit up abruptly, but every bone in her body seemed to scream in pain. The horrific memories of last night flashed through her mind like lightning. Yet, the scene before her now felt completely unbelievable.
Soha (surprised and trembling voice):
"Why is the baby here? Adrik... how did he get here?"
At the sound of Soha's voice, Adrik's light green cat-eyes slowly opened. He was still groggy, but the memory of last night's ominous shadow made him grip Soha's hand tighter. The bloodshot tint in his eyes hadn't entirely vanished.
Adrik (in a heavy voice):
"You're awake? Don't move. The night wasn't a good one. The baby needed to be with me today."
Soha noticed droplets of sweat still on Adrik's forehead. She couldn't understand if this change in him was a new ploy or if something had truly happened last night that made this cold-hearted man so concerned for his child. Soha placed her hand gently on her baby's forehead, tears welling in her eyes—split between the pain of last night's humiliation and the peace of having her child close.
The room was filled with morning light, but the 'paranormal' or ominous feeling from last night still seemed to be lurking somewhere in the corners.There was a suppressed fear and intense curiosity in Soha's voice. Looking into Adrik's eyes, she could tell that this man was not just exhausted; he was disturbed for some reason. Adrik wasn't usually the type to be afraid, but his clenched jaw and bloodshot eyes suggested something else entirely.
Soha stroked the baby and asked again with a bit more insistence.
Soha (anxiously):
"Adrik, why are you acting like this? Why did you bring the baby here instead of leaving him in his room? And why is there so much sweat on your forehead? Tell me what happened!"
Adrik remained silent for a few moments. He didn't know if it would be right to tell Soha about the paranormal experience. But seeing her restlessness, he couldn't hide it any longer. He glanced at the deep hickey on her neck and then looked steadily into her eyes.
Adrik (in a very low and serious voice):
"I saw something outside the window around 3 AM, Soha. It wasn't human. A strange shadow or some evil force... heading toward the baby's room. I didn't have the courage to leave him alone. This penthouse isn't as safe as I thought it was."
Soha's body went cold. Already weak, hearing such things from Adrik made her instinctively grip his muscular hand.
Soha (whispering):
"You... you really saw something? A Jinn or something demonic? My baby... is he okay?"
Adrik took her hand in his. The violence of last night had vanished somewhere. Now, he was like a warrior wanting to protect his family.
Adrik (firmly):
"He's fine. As long as I am here, no evil force will enter this room. But we have to move. I'll talk to my Russian sources; we're changing locations today."
For the first time, Soha found a sense of security in Adrik's eyes instead of rage. Though she hated him, at this moment, Adrik's broad chest and powerful arms were the only refuge for her and her child.Hearing Soha's words, Adrik's jaw tightened once again. He was usually a man of logic and physical strength, but last night's experience had defied all worldly reason. Hearing the word 'Jinn' from Soha's mouth, he didn't dismiss it; instead, he sighed and looked toward the window.
Adrik (in a grave voice):
"Maybe so. I never believed in these things, Soha. But the way that shadow was moving toward the cradle last night... it couldn't have been human. I saw a kind of demonic hunger in it."
Soha clutched her baby even tighter to her chest in fear. Her fair face had turned pale. The haze of the blue drug from last night had completely vanished, replaced by a visceral, realistic terror.
Soha (shuddering):
"Do they want to hurt my baby? Adrik, I'm so scared. Let's leave this penthouse right now."
Adrik placed his massive hand on Soha's shoulder. The red mark on her neck was still prominent, a testament to his frenzy last night. But now, his touch held only reassurance.
Adrik (staring at Soha with sharp green eyes):
"Don't be afraid. I've spoken to some of my Russian Orthodox Church contacts and have also summoned our old family cleric. Whether it's an evil spirit or a human—anyone who dares to lay a hand on my family, I will turn them to ash with my own hands."
Adrik got off the bed. His bare six-pack and well-built body looked like that of an invincible warrior in the morning light. He picked up his phone (the one he had smashed at night) from the floor, extracted the SIM card, and set up a backup phone.
Adrik (holding the phone to his ear, looking at Soha):
"Get ready. We're moving to our private secret island today. All security measures are in place there."
Looking into Adrik's eyes, Soha realized that as much of a terrifying devil as this man could be, he could be an equally powerful protector.