Maya's POV
The ballroom buzzed with energy when I stepped back inside. The orchestra wove a delicate waltz through the air while couples swept across the marble floor in perfect synchronization. My gaze immediately sought Sebastian among the crowd, as though some invisible force always guided me to him. There he was, surrounded by a cluster of distinguished gentlemen, maintaining his trademark composure while his attention wandered restlessly through the room.
The moment our eyes met, his entire demeanor shifted. That carefully controlled expression dissolved into a smile so radiant it sent my pulse stuttering.
He abandoned his conversation mid-sentence and strode toward me with purposeful elegance.
"I was beginning to wonder if Grandfather had spirited you away permanently," he said, his fingers finding mine with effortless precision. Our hands locked together as if they belonged that way. "Did he break out the legendary vintage?"
