The transition from the sterile, high-tension environment of the safe house to their new, permanent residence was not instantaneous, but carefully orchestrated. It took three weeks of concentrated effort by Demetri and Nora to consolidate the Volkov assets, neutralize the last vestiges of Artem's influence, and officially introduce Nora to the extended network of key political and business allies. Yet, those weeks were punctuated by moments of stolen, profound intimacy, confirming that the foundation they had built under duress was now strong enough to bear the weight of their future.
Demetri had chosen a private, expansive estate—a contemporary masterpiece of glass, wood, and stone, nestled on a sprawling, secluded piece of land outside the city. It wasn't a palace, but a sanctuary desig
