The estate rose above the treeline like something from an old story. Stone walls, iron gates, and ivy climbing high enough to swallow the upper windows made it look grand from a distance.
Up close, it felt lonely.
It was a beautiful cage that had held my family prisoner for generations.
I adjusted the bag on my shoulder and approached the gates. They swung open before I reached them, silent and well-oiled, as though someone had been watching for me.
A butler stood just inside, his expression unreadable.
“Miss Voss. This way, please.”
He led me through long hallways lined with portraits. Stern faces and unsmiling eyes followed me as I passed, generations of Voss ancestors staring down as if judging whether I deserved to carry their name.
For a moment, I felt small. This place was bui
