The mountain residence stood high above the city, hidden among dense pine trees and winding roads that rarely appeared on public maps.
Evelyn had chosen it years ago as a private retreat for when life became too loud.
Now it had become something else.
A refuge.
By late afternoon, security vehicles had already established a perimeter around the property. Guards moved quietly between the gates and the house, checking cameras, scanning the surrounding forest, reinforcing what had once been a peaceful escape into a guarded sanctuary.
Inside the house, Silas had already claimed the large living room floor as his temporary art studio.
Sheets of paper covered the rug.
Colored pencils were scattered in every direction.
Evelyn watched him from the kitchen doorway while speaking quietly on t
