Maya's POV
The stone hallways seemed to stretch forever as Sebastian led me deeper into parts of the estate I'd never explored. Each footstep echoed against the ancient walls, and the air turned crisper with every turn we took. My breathing had finally steadied, though my cheeks still felt tight from the tears that had dried there.
"Where exactly are we heading?" I asked, my words bouncing softly off the corridor walls.
"To the one spot on this entire estate that actually means something to me," he answered, his grip on my hand never loosening.
We made our way down a winding stone staircase that seemed to go on forever. At the bottom waited a massive wooden door that looked like it belonged in a medieval castle. Sebastian punched numbers into a hidden keypad, and the door swung open with barely a whisper.
"Welcome to what the Sterlings call their crown jewel."
