The Devil And The Maid.

One week later…

Nora's transplant was scheduled for Monday.

Everyone in the mansion was asleep, but Nora was quietly awake, carefully moving around the living room with her oxygen tube and soft slippers. She wanted to surprise Asher and Aaila, who were finally coming back home.

The twins were asleep. Zayan was fast asleep beside them, exhausted from the long day. But Nora — as fragile as she was — stayed up, decorating the living room. She placed flowers by the window, hung ribbons across the shelves, and taped a big, unevenly cut paper that read:

"Welcome Back Home Ash & Aaila" in bold red crayon.

She even placed small notes near the doorway, one that said:

"Ash, I missed yelling at you."

"Aaila, your hair serum is in the cabinet — I stole some, sorry."

By morning, Nora had fallen asleep on the living room couch, slouched awkwardly with paper scraps still in her hands and glitter on her fingers.

Zayan was the first to find her.

He sighed deeply and walked over to her, brushing her hair gently off her face. "Why do you always push yourself, sweetheart?" he murmured. He picked up her hands and wiped them clean, then gently covered her with her favorite plush white blanket. As a final touch, he placed her childhood bunny plush beside her and kissed her forehead.

The house started to come alive as the sun rose. In the dining room, the twins were already up. Zayan fed them breakfast, bouncing between their chairs.

But Seraphina was fussy.

She kept pushing her milk bottle away, her face scrunching up.

"Lilly, come on, baby," Zayan said softly, but she only stared at her brother Lysander with teary eyes… and then began to scream.

Loud. Painful. Relentless.

Zayan tried calming her, but nothing worked. Even Neal and Damian joined to help, but she was inconsolable.

Then suddenly, from the couch — a voice.

"Lysander!"

Everyone froze.

It was Nora.

Still fast asleep.

And yet… her voice rang clearly, her real voice.

"Feed Lilly her pudding… she loves those ones, not milk… love, Nora," she mumbled in her sleep.

"What the f—" Neal started, wide-eyed. "What is happening?"

Even Damian paused, blinking in disbelief.

Lysander, small and alert, suddenly stood with his chubby legs wobbling. He tapped Damian on the leg.

"Up! Up!" he demanded.

Damian lifted him, confused. The little boy wriggled until he was placed beside his crying sister.

Zayan brought the pudding and handed it to Lysander, still stunned. He sat down beside his sister and gently patted her head like he'd seen their father do.

Then he dipped the baby spoon in the pudding, raised it, and said:

"Ba… ba… ba," he cooed.

Seraphina stopped crying.

She crawled closer to him, sniffling.

He fed her.

She smiled.

Zayan blinked back tears and instantly pulled out his phone, recording the moment. He sent the video to Asher.

Meanwhile, on a private jet landing in London…

Asher showed the video to Aaila.

They both watched in silence as Lysander fed his sister. Then they looked at each other and smiled — it was time to go home.

When they arrived at the mansion an hour later, the first thing Asher saw was the decorations.

His name. Aaila's name. Handwritten notes. The glitter.

And there, fast asleep on the couch, lay Nora.

Asher quietly walked over and kissed her cheek.

"You little witch… you waited for me, didn't you?" he whispered.

Then he walked into the kitchen. Everyone looked up.

"I'm back!!!" Asher called out.

The twins squealed, their little legs wobbling as they rushed to him.

He scooped both of them up at once. "I missed you both so much!" he said, laughing. "And you," he said to Lysander. "I'm proud of you, little man."

Back in the living room, Nora stirred.

She sat up groggily, only to find her cinnamon rolls missing.

She blinked.

She sniffed.

Her eyes went wide.

"Who… ate my cinnamon rolls?" she said — in a low, deadly voice.

The room went silent.

Henry and Boris froze in place.

Nora walked toward them with a dangerous calm. She stepped up to Henry, cupped his face gently… and whispered:

"You ate my cinnamon rolls without permission, hm?"

Henry turned pale. Boris began to stammer.

"S-s-sorry… w-we thought they were—"

Before he could finish, Nora grabbed both their necks — tight.

"P-please… let go… you're k-killing us!" Boris gasped, his eyes wide.

Then—

"NORA!!" Asher shouted, holding up a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls. "Look! I got new ones!"

Nora froze.

She turned her head slowly, saw the rolls — and her entire expression lit up.

"Ashhhhh!!!" she squealed.

She let go of the terrified men and rushed to hug Asher, laughing. "Z!!! ASH IS BACKKK!!!"

Zayan appeared in the doorway and just nodded, smirking.

Nora clapped excitedly, munched on her cinnamon rolls, and even fed pieces to the twins. She was glowing.

But then, suddenly, she coughed.

Blood.

It dripped from her mouth as she covered it, startled.

Asher quickly moved, wiping her mouth carefully with a napkin. Nora turned to Zayan and smiled faintly, despite the blood.

His sisters held onto his shoulders.

Zayan stared down, heart pounding.

But Nora — ever strong, ever surprising — wiped her mouth, walked toward him, and climbed up the table beside the window.

She opened her arms.

Zayan walked up to her, eyes glistening.

Nora hugged him tightly and whispered:

"I'm fine, Z. Nora is fine."

She kissed his forehead and then his cheek.

He held her tighter, arms wrapping around her small frame.

Together, they watched the sunset — golden light washing over them, the sky full of fire and peace.