Maya's POV
I didn't speak a word or glance backward as I headed directly for the staircase, completely ignoring the bewildered and concerned looks I felt burning into me from every corner of the dining room. My pulse hammered so violently and erratically that I was sure everyone could hear it reverberating through the entire space.
From behind me came Sebastian's steady, controlled voice as he provided some courteous but vague diplomatic explanation about my needing to retrieve something crucial from upstairs and that we would rejoin everyone momentarily. His delivery remained perfectly polished for our guests, yet I could still detect the underlying strain, the authentic concern woven through his carefully maintained composure.
The moment we entered our bedroom and he shut the door, cutting us off from everyone else, tears had already begun cascading down my cheeks before I could even begin to organize my thoughts into coherent sentences.
