Chapter 13 - Cleaning House in NevadaOver the next two months, the landscape of Nevada’s gaming and political sectors underwent a complete, historic transformation.
With Harold Sterling convicted of federal racketeering and sentenced to forty years at ADX Florence, and Victoria Sterling sentenced to life imprisonment without parole at a federal women’s facility in California, their family’s vast assets were completely liquidated by court order.
Under Nikolai’s direction, the seized capital was used to establish the Vera Volkov Pediatric Health Trust—a sixty-million-dollar charitable foundation dedicated to funding state-of-the-art emergency pediatric units and neonatal intensive care centers across Nevada.
Nina was appointed Chief Executive Director of the Trust.
She resigned from her junior floor position at Valley Hospital, but she didn't leave medicine behind. Instead, she oversaw the design and construction of the new Children’s Hospital of Las Vegas—a cutting-edge facility where no child was ever turned away due to lack of insurance, and where the central blood banks were maintained with federal reserves that could never be locked by corrupt administrators.
Valley Hospital’s pediatric wing was officially renamed the Nina Belova Pediatric Center in honor of her heroic actions.
One warm spring afternoon in April, Nina stood on the construction balcony of the new hospital wing, overlooking the sun-drenched valley.
She wore a crisp white doctor’s coat over tailored navy trousers, holding a leather clipboard with staffing approvals.
Footsteps echoed softly along the concrete corridor.
Nikolai walked out onto the balcony. His shoulder had completely healed, and he wore an open-collared charcoal linen shirt and dark trousers, looking relaxed, powerful, and breathtakingly handsome.
In his right hand, he carried a small paper cup containing an iced caramel macchiato from her favorite bakery.
“Working late, Madame Director?” Nikolai teased, a wide, dazzling smile curving his lips.
Nina laughed, setting her clipboard down on the railing, taking the coffee from his hand.
“Just reviewing the pediatric oncology fellowship applications, Don Volkov,” she smiled, leaning up on her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.
Nikolai wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest, looking out over the expanding medical center below.
“The construction is three weeks ahead of schedule,” Nikolai noted, pride radiating from his deep voice.
“Because your union contractors work twelve-hour shifts when they know the hospital is for children,” Nina replied softly, resting her hand over his heart. “You’ve done an amazing thing here, Nikolai. You’ve given this city a future that isn't built on blood.”
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Nikolai turned his head, his gray eyes looking down into hers with profound, unyielding love.
“I didn't give this city a future, Nina,” he murmured, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. “You did. The night you gave my daughter your blood.”
