𝑭𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺 - 𝑹.𝑵𝑰𝑲𝑶𝑳𝑨𝑰

chapter 44

FOURTY FOUR

Nine months. Nine long, unpredictable months filled with the flurry of baby kicks, cravings that shifted every day, and more baby presents than you could ever imagine, courtesy of an overly excited grandpa. There were endless discussions on potential names, but after much deliberation, you and Nikolai finally agreed on the perfect name for your daughter—*Liliana*—meaning "pure" and "elegant." The name felt like a promise, soft and feminine, yet strong and timeless, much like the daughter you were about to meet.

Now, as the moment of truth arrived, things were far from calm.

Fyodor, with his usual indifference, was behind the wheel, expertly navigating the streets with one hand, a vodka bottle in the other, as he sped through traffic like a man with no cares in the world.

"Fyodor!" Sigma's voice was panicked, his eyes darting between the road and the emergency bag in his lap. "Slow down! We're going to crash! You're supposed to be *driving* us to the hospital, not racing us to our doom!"

Nikolai, on the other hand, was glued to your side. His face was a mix of concern and anxiety as he gripped your hand, wincing every time you cried out in pain. You were trying your best to keep it together, but the contractions were relentless, and the pain was unbearable.

"Okay, dove... you'll be fine," Nikolai said, his voice soothing, but his own nervousness was obvious as he winced at the strength of your grip. "You'll be FINE! OH MY GOD Y/N, MY POOR *DISHEVELED* HAND!"

You could hardly concentrate through the pain, but his dramatic reaction made you snort despite yourself. "YOU'RE NOT THE ONE PUSHING YOUR CHILD OUT YOUR WOMB!" you snapped back, the words coming out sharper than you'd intended.

Fyodor, who was still sipping his vodka as though the whole situation was just another day for him, chuckled lightly at your outburst. "Match made in heaven," he said, as calm as ever, not even glancing at the road. The man was utterly unconcerned about the speed limits, clearly unbothered by anything that wasn't directly in front of him.

Meanwhile, Sigma was nearly hyperventilating in the backseat, clutching a plastic bag to his mouth as he struggled to breathe through the chaos. "Why is this happening to me?" he muttered, his voice muffled, more concerned about his own panic than the impending birth.

In the midst of the madness, Nikolai shot him a frantic glance, then turned back to you. "Stay with me, dove," he said gently, wiping the sweat off your forehead. "We're almost there. Just keep breathing."

The car lurched forward as Fyodor took another turn at an alarming speed, but you barely noticed. You were too focused on the storm of emotions and pain that raged inside you. The only thing that mattered now was the little life that was about to change everything.

The car screeched to a halt outside the hospital, and before the engine had even fully stopped, Fyodor was already throwing his vodka bottle onto the floor, the sound of it hitting the ground echoing like a warning bell.

Nikolai, still gripping your hand as though it was the only thing holding him together, practically shoved you out of the car, his voice rising in panic. "MY WIFE IS IN LABOR! GO HELP HER OR WE'RE BURNING THIS HOSPITAL TO THE GROUND!"

He wasn't yelling at anyone in particular, but his panic had him in full-on protective mode. His usually charming demeanor was nowhere to be found, replaced by a frantic desperation that would have been hard for anyone to ignore.

The nearest nurse, who had been calmly pushing a clipboard along the hallway, was caught off guard by the outburst. Her eyes widened, nearly dropping the clipboard in shock. "B-but we are all full right now!" she stammered, looking like she might bolt away in sheer fear of Nikolai's intense gaze.