Page 101 of Vendetta Crown

"My son, what sort of host abandons his guests this way?"

Ruslan's face brightens instantly. "Mamechka."

Liliya sweeps into the room, her silver-streaked hair pulled back neatly without a single strand out of place. Her expression grows warmer with each step.

To her credit, Liliya has never been anything but honest with me. Harsh at times, yes. But never cruel.

For that, I'm eternally grateful.

"Aurora," she greets me, smiling. "You look radiant."

"Thank you for coming," I say, accepting her kiss on both cheeks.

Stella's voice rings out from the hallway. "Babushka!"

All three nieces appear in the doorway, their faces lit with excitement. Stella and Sofia race toward Liliya, who opens her arms for them. Even Mikayla, usually so careful with her emotions, quickens her pace.

"My darlings," Liliya murmurs, embracing them all. "I've missed you all!"

After she's properly greeted each girl, she turns back to me, gesturing toward the nearest chair. "You should sit, Aurora. Baby showers are exhausting even when you're not carrying twins."

As Ruslan guides me to the seat, I catch Liliya watching us with approval in her eyes.

"I see that your nursery is nearly finished," Liliya comments. "I brought something for it. I had Artyom placing it in there already."

Ruslan's expression softens. "You didn't have to,Mamechka."

"Nonsense." She waves a hand dismissively. "What kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't spoil these babies?"

"The same kind of mother who never spoiled her sons?" Ruslan teases.

Liliya arches an eyebrow. "Is that how you choose to remember the motorcycle I gave you at sixteen?"

"I believe your words at the time were that it's something to outrun your father's temper,'" Ruslan counters with a grin.

"And did it not serve that purpose?"

"It did."

I watch this exchange between them, feeling a warmth spread through me that has nothing to do with pregnancy hormones. This is what family looks like. The teasing, the shared memories, the unconditional love beneath it all.

Yes, I might've lost my family seven years ago on that awful night.

But in their place, I have this cobbled-together family. Not the same, equally precious.

I settle into my chair as Daria shows the first guests into the sitting room.

"Aurora, darling!" Eleonora Voronin makes her way toward me, her diamonds catching the light.

She presents me with a package, wrapped in shimmering blue paper. "For the babies."

I unwrap it to find two identical gold rattles, each engraved with delicate Cyrillic letters.

"They say 'courage' and 'strength,'" she explains, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Things I wish I'd been given as a child."

"But you've found them now, and that's all that matters," I squeeze her hand, understanding the deeper meaning. "Thank you."

Anastasia Svarikov arrives next, head held high and walking with a confident stride that's so different from when I first met her. She places an ornate wooden box in my hands.

---