The Devil And The Maid.

The next phase of preparation had begun. Rose left early with the boys for Poland, along with members of the Lilith family to finalize security arrangements for Nora's return. Shaw and his brothers followed suit, while Lisa, Maia, Zira, Darba, and Nathaira remained in London, working tirelessly behind the scenes.

The day had arrived—the Castle Wedding.

Zayan had chosen the gown for Nora himself: an ethereal queen-style dress in emerald green and plum gold, embroidered with jeweled vines that shimmered like starlight. He wore a dark red suit, matching perfectly with Seraphina's dress, while Lysander matched Nora's colors.

As Nora held the twins close, she laughed.

"We're matching! Yayyy!"

It was a beautiful Friday, the 6th of March, the cool air kissed with spring's promise.

Zayan stood at the altar in an emerald green suit. When the grand doors opened, he took Nora's arm and walked her through the aisle as flower petals rained down. Nora gasped, her eyes wide with joy. The twins giggled, catching petals midair as the guests smiled and cheered.

After a warm ceremony, everyone gathered for the royal lunch. Zayan, ever watchful, didn't let his eyes drift from Nora for even a moment—talking, laughing, and smiling, all while mentally mapping every move in the room.

A message came from his aunt.

"It's ready. I'll deliver it as a wedding gift."

Zayan smiled and replied,

"Thank you, Aunt."

Annabella and her team were already en route for the cultural wedding to come.

Later, after the first dance with the twins, the guests presented their gifts. Amidst the crowd, a stranger approached Nora and handed her a folded letter. But before she could react, Vincenzo and Valencia rushed over.

"Nora, darling!" Valencia beamed. "The twins are babbling—they're hungry. Wouldn't you feed them?"

Nora glanced down at the letter. "There's… blood on it."

Vincenzo leaned in, voice calm but firm. "It's fine. Take care of the babies first, okay?"

Nora nodded slowly and moved to sit with the girls, nursing the twins in quiet peace.

Meanwhile, Vincenzo and Valencia made their way to Zayan.

"Zayan," they said separately. "Someone gave your wife this letter. It's bloody."

Zayan's smile dropped as he unfolded it. At that moment, Zofia arrived with another note in hand.

Together, they read the threat:

"This is your final warning.

Give me the empire, or I'll wipe your family from this earth.

I know some of you are already in Poland.

Be careful, Mrs. Nora…

— Don Jakub"

Zayan clenched the letter and immediately checked the CCTV. His suspicions were confirmed: a maid and an unknown man were spies—passing on information.

He signaled Sachi.

Without a word, Sachi and Xandria slipped away. Moments later, they knocked out the maid. Kian and Atreus cornered the man.

"Hey, mate," Atreus said smoothly. "We just wanna chat. Cooperate now, hm?"

Kian kicked the man in the shin, and they dragged him out, unseen.

Zayan was pacing in thought when an old voice rang out.

"Zayan, my brother!"

Zayan turned. "Donomie Corsi!" he said, beaming as the two embraced.

"It's been too long, man. And congratulations." Donomie looked around. "Your twins… that little girl looks just like you."

Zayan chuckled. "I get that a lot."

Donomie's eyes searched. "Where is she? My baby girl…"

"Creise!" Zayan called out.

Creise entered—and froze.

"Donomie Corsi?" she said, arms folding defensively.

Zayan stepped back with a smirk. "I'll leave you two."

As soon as he left, Donomie took her hand and pulled her into a private room.

"I'm not married, Creise. Never was. No one's ever replaced you. You are the only woman I've ever truly loved."

He cupped her face, his Italian accent softer now.

"I want you. All of you. Forever."

Tears brimmed in her eyes. Then she melted into his arms, kicked off her shoes, and kissed him deeply. Clothes fell away. Two hearts reunited, whole again after years of silence.

By 5:00 PM, everyone changed for the Polish traditional wedding. Zofia led the ceremony, declaring it was time for tradition.

Zayan and Nora wore midnight blue, copper, and smoke grey. They sat on thrones while Zofia whispered blessings over them.

The hall erupted in dance and laughter.

Then, Boris, James, Henry, Salvius, Saskia, and Yasia approached Zayan.

"We're paying to dance with the bride," they said, placing bundles of cash in his hands.

"Huh?" Zayan blinked.

Resia laughed. "It's Polish tradition, Z. Guests pay you to dance with the bride."

Zayan chuckled, nodding. "Alright, then."

Lysander walked up to him babbling away. Zayan checked his old wounds—thankfully healing well—and gave him medicine. The little boy fell asleep peacefully in his arms.

Suddenly, a presence lit up the room.

"There's my dear nephew!" Annabella exclaimed.

Zayan rose and hugged her tightly. "Auntie!"

The gang greeted her enthusiastically. "Hi Mrs. Annabella!"

"Been too long, boys," she said with a wink.

"Hi Auntie Anna!" Nora chirped, running into her arms.

"Hello, Mama Nora," she said warmly. "Here's your wedding gift."

Nora opened the box—and gasped.

Every single weapon she drew was perfectly replicated.

The brass knuckles, the fans, the staff, and more.

She lifted the staff. "It's tiny…"

"Press the top, dear," Annabella smiled.

Nora aimed it toward Eryx and pressed. The staff expanded with a sudden "click"—whacking Eryx straight in the gut.

"Ouch!" he groaned, rolling dramatically on the floor. Everyone burst out laughing.

"Thank you, Auntie Anna!" Nora said, hugging her.

She turned to the gang. "Thank you all."

They smiled and nodded.

As night fell, the twins were escorted to Lady Kim's estate for safety. Zayan had deployed over six million loyal guards around her home and paid them generously for lifetime service.

Still, watching the twins leave, Nora fell to her knees in quiet sorrow.

"My babies…" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Sachi wiped her eyes. Even Eryx turned away to hide his tears.

Later that night, the mansion was silent. Zayan and Nora curled into each other's arms, holding onto peace—just for a little longer.

The storm would come.

But for now…

They rested.

The next phase of preparation had begun. Rose left early with the boys for Poland, along with members of the Lilith family to finalize security arrangements for Nora's return. Shaw and his brothers followed suit, while Lisa, Maia, Zira, Darba, and Nathaira remained in London, working tirelessly behind the scenes.

The day had arrived—the Castle Wedding.

Zayan had chosen the gown for Nora himself: an ethereal queen-style dress in emerald green and plum gold, embroidered with jeweled vines that shimmered like starlight. He wore a dark red suit, matching perfectly with Seraphina's dress, while Lysander matched Nora's colors.

As Nora held the twins close, she laughed.

"We're matching! Yayyy!"

It was a beautiful Friday, the 6th of March, the cool air kissed with spring's promise.

Zayan stood at the altar in an emerald green suit. When the grand doors opened, he took Nora's arm and walked her through the aisle as flower petals rained down. Nora gasped, her eyes wide with joy. The twins giggled, catching petals midair as the guests smiled and cheered.

After a warm ceremony, everyone gathered for the royal lunch. Zayan, ever watchful, didn't let his eyes drift from Nora for even a moment—talking, laughing, and smiling, all while mentally mapping every move in the room.

A message came from his aunt.

"It's ready. I'll deliver it as a wedding gift."

Zayan smiled and replied,

"Thank you, Aunt."

Annabella and her team were already en route for the cultural wedding to come.

Later, after the first dance with the twins, the guests presented their gifts. Amidst the crowd, a stranger approached Nora and handed her a folded letter. But before she could react, Vincenzo and Valencia rushed over.

"Nora, darling!" Valencia beamed. "The twins are babbling—they're hungry. Wouldn't you feed them?"

Nora glanced down at the letter. "There's… blood on it."

Vincenzo leaned in, voice calm but firm. "It's fine. Take care of the babies first, okay?"

Nora nodded slowly and moved to sit with the girls, nursing the twins in quiet peace.

Meanwhile, Vincenzo and Valencia made their way to Zayan.

"Zayan," they said separately. "Someone gave your wife this letter. It's bloody."

Zayan's smile dropped as he unfolded it. At that moment, Zofia arrived with another note in hand.

Together, they read the threat:

"This is your final warning.

Give me the empire, or I'll wipe your family from this earth.

I know some of you are already in Poland.

Be careful, Mrs. Nora…

— Don Jakub"

Zayan clenched the letter and immediately checked the CCTV. His suspicions were confirmed: a maid and an unknown man were spies—passing on information.

He signaled Sachi.

Without a word, Sachi and Xandria slipped away. Moments later, they knocked out the maid. Kian and Atreus cornered the man.

"Hey, mate," Atreus said smoothly. "We just wanna chat. Cooperate now, hm?"

Kian kicked the man in the shin, and they dragged him out, unseen.

Zayan was pacing in thought when an old voice rang out.

"Zayan, my brother!"

Zayan turned. "Donomie Corsi!" he said, beaming as the two embraced.

"It's been too long, man. And congratulations." Donomie looked around. "Your twins… that little girl looks just like you."

Zayan chuckled. "I get that a lot."

Donomie's eyes searched. "Where is she? My baby girl…"

"Creise!" Zayan called out.

Creise entered—and froze.

"Donomie Corsi?" she said, arms folding defensively.

Zayan stepped back with a smirk. "I'll leave you two."

As soon as he left, Donomie took her hand and pulled her into a private room.

"I'm not married, Creise. Never was. No one's ever replaced you. You are the only woman I've ever truly loved."

He cupped her face, his Italian accent softer now.

"I want you. All of you. Forever."

Tears brimmed in her eyes. Then she melted into his arms, kicked off her shoes, and kissed him deeply. Clothes fell away. Two hearts reunited, whole again after years of silence.

By 5:00 PM, everyone changed for the Polish traditional wedding. Zofia led the ceremony, declaring it was time for tradition.

Zayan and Nora wore midnight blue, copper, and smoke grey. They sat on thrones while Zofia whispered blessings over them.

The hall erupted in dance and laughter.

Then, Boris, James, Henry, Salvius, Saskia, and Yasia approached Zayan.

"We're paying to dance with the bride," they said, placing bundles of cash in his hands.

"Huh?" Zayan blinked.

Resia laughed. "It's Polish tradition, Z. Guests pay you to dance with the bride."

Zayan chuckled, nodding. "Alright, then."

Lysander walked up to him babbling away. Zayan checked his old wounds—thankfully healing well—and gave him medicine. The little boy fell asleep peacefully in his arms.

Suddenly, a presence lit up the room.

"There's my dear nephew!" Annabella exclaimed.

Zayan rose and hugged her tightly. "Auntie!"

The gang greeted her enthusiastically. "Hi Mrs. Annabella!"

"Been too long, boys," she said with a wink.

"Hi Auntie Anna!" Nora chirped, running into her arms.

"Hello, Mama Nora," she said warmly. "Here's your wedding gift."

Nora opened the box—and gasped.

Every single weapon she drew was perfectly replicated.

The brass knuckles, the fans, the staff, and more.

She lifted the staff. "It's tiny…"

"Press the top, dear," Annabella smiled.

Nora aimed it toward Eryx and pressed. The staff expanded with a sudden "click"—whacking Eryx straight in the gut.

"Ouch!" he groaned, rolling dramatically on the floor. Everyone burst out laughing.

"Thank you, Auntie Anna!" Nora said, hugging her.

She turned to the gang. "Thank you all."

They smiled and nodded.

As night fell, the twins were escorted to Lady Kim's estate for safety. Zayan had deployed over six million loyal guards around her home and paid them generously for lifetime service.

Still, watching the twins leave, Nora fell to her knees in quiet sorrow.

"My babies…" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Sachi wiped her eyes. Even Eryx turned away to hide his tears.

Later that night, the mansion was silent. Zayan and Nora curled into each other's arms, holding onto peace—just for a little longer.

The storm would come.

But for now…

They rested.