The Devil And The Maid.

The morning sun was gentle, but the air was heavy in the Kai mansion.

Nora was coughing blood again. Her body was clearly weakening, but she still insisted on coming down for breakfast, despite Zayan telling her to rest. The house was quiet — Zayan was with delegates from several countries in a meeting room, and most of the others were scattered throughout the mansion.

She placed a hand on the wall for balance, her steps slow and uneven. Suddenly, her vision blurred. Her knees buckled.

She slipped.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Nora fell hard down the marble staircase — her head hitting the banister, her arm twisting under her weight. Blood smeared across the white steps.

It was James who saw her first. He had been heading upstairs when he spotted the red stains.

"Shaw!" he screamed. "Uhm… She's bleeding. A lot. Nora… Nora fell!"

Shaw bolted from the hallway, his heart dropping when he saw her unconscious form. Without wasting a second, he rushed to scoop her into his arms.

"Asher! Start the damn car! Now!" Shaw yelled.

Asher, who had just stepped out of a room, didn't ask questions. He grabbed the keys and peeled out of the driveway, with Shaw in the backseat holding Nora close, blood staining his shirt.

At Arion's Hospital

Arion and his medical team immediately launched into action. Scans. Tests. Monitors. Needles.

Zayan wasn't there yet — he was still in the meeting. The twins were with Meira and Melanin in the office. But something strange happened.

Baby Lysander wouldn't stop crying. His tiny fists flailed, and his screams were filled with distress.

Seraphina, too. Wailing, eyes searching — their little souls unsettled.

Melanin tried to calm them down, but they wouldn't have it. The cries were too intense, too desperate.

"Something's wrong," said Mrs. Camila, the Mexican delegate. "Twins have a deep, almost psychic connection with their mother. It's not just instinct — it's bond. If they're crying like this, their mother is hurting. Badly."

Then Melanin's phone rang.

"Hello…?" she answered.

A pause.

Then she froze. Her entire face drained of color.

"W-What happened?!" Zayan asked, already on his feet, sensing the worst.

Melanin's voice trembled. "It's your wife. Nora… she passed out. She fell down the stairs. There's blood, Zayan. A lot of it."

Zayan didn't hear anything else. He ran. Past the office, down the hall, jumped into his car — the engine screaming.

Hospital Arrival

By the time Zayan reached the hospital, the place was swarming.

Saskia, Yasia, James, Boris, Henry, and Salvius were all pacing.

"Where is she?!" Zayan demanded.

Asher pointed at the room where the doctors were working. Inside, Aaila, Imara, Kyomi, Royce, Kasir, and Arion hovered over Nora.

Ten minutes later, the girls arrived with the babies, still crying in their carriers.

"It's okay, loves… Mama's going to be fine," Creise whispered, rubbing their tiny backs.

Imara stepped out.

"Mr. Kai," she said softly, "She's still unconscious. We need blood immediately. Arion will explain the rest once the test results come in. But she's in critical condition."

Zayan nodded, his fists clenched.

"Her blood type is B-negative," Imara continued.

Everyone fell silent. No one matched.

Except one.

"I'm B-negative," Maverick stepped forward. "Take mine."

Without hesitation, they drew his blood and began the transfusion.

Nora was wheeled out. The moment the babies saw her, they both began crying again — reaching out, flailing, calling for her.

"Mama…" both twins cried out, clear and synchronized.

Everyone froze.

Zayan's eyes watered.

He knelt beside her bed. "Nora, love… They said their first words. They said Mama. Can you hear me? Please, open your eyes. Just a little."

The weight of the moment crushed him. His heart ached.

Later That Day

Zayan washed up and changed clothes. He gently cleaned the babies, changed their onesies, and carried them back to Nora's hospital room.

Lady Zofia and Lady Kasia were already there, standing quietly beside her bed.

Zayan noticed them. "Do you both need something?" he asked curtly, pushing the twins' carriers inside.

"No, Mr. Kai," Kasia replied gently. "We only came to see her. Please… what's happening to her?"

Zayan sighed and explained everything — from the Bora incident, the prior surgery, to her current condition.

"My deepest condolences," Kasia said softly. Zofia, however, simply raised a brow and stared silently at Nora.

In Arion's office, Zayan waited restlessly. Arion finally walked in.

"We have good news," he said. "We stabilized her. But for full recovery, she needs a bone marrow transplant and more B-negative blood. Thankfully, we found a match already."

Zayan stood. "When?"

"In two weeks," Arion replied. "She'll make it. Just hold on."

Nora Wakes Up

Two days later, Nora stirred awake. Her breathing was slow, her eyes fluttering open.

Shaw placed the twins in her arms.

"Mama…" they both said again, little voices pressing into her soul.

Nora burst into tears. "Z… They… They said Mama. I'm Mama," she whispered in awe.

Zayan entered the room just then, eyes wide with joy.

"I heard," he said, tears in his eyes. "I'm so proud of them. And you."

He hugged her gently.

She kissed him. "Zayan… I'm so happy."

Lady Zofia stepped forward, watching the scene. For a moment, her hard expression softened.

"They look perfect together," she murmured.

Kasia, standing beside her, whispered, "Sister… don't destroy this. This girl has suffered enough. I heard her story. I cried. Please… no more."

Even Maverick approached. "Grandma, at first, we didn't like Nora. We saw her as an illegitimate child… But she became more family to us than anyone. She's kind. She's strong. She's Zayan Kai's wife. And if you try anything…" He looked her in the eye. "Zayan will kill you himself."

He walked away, leaving the room heavy with silence.

A Mother's Moment

Nora laid in the hospital bed, smiling as baby Lysander tugged at her fingers and Seraphina played with her hair.

"Look at them," she whispered. "My babies…"

Zayan sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"You're the strongest woman I've ever known."

And for the first time in a long while, Nora smiled… not with pain, but peace.

Because no matter what happened next…

She was a mother.

She was loved.

And she was finally — finally — safe.