Lyanna chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Yes, Mom, I made it safely."
Her mother's of relief came through the phone. "Thank goodness. I guess I'm just a little nervous with you moving out for the first time."
Lyanna smiled. "I completely understand. But this is a unique opportunity, and I don't want to back out just because I'm scared. You know what I mean?"
Her mother sounded reassured. "It makes total sense, sweetheart."
Just then, Lyanna noticed a man approaching. "Hey, Mom, I have to go. My new boss is here. I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie. Good luck on your first day."
"Thanks, Mom. Talk soon. Bye!"
"Bye, sweetheart."
She ended the call and turned to face the approaching man.
"Are you Lyanna?" he asked with a curious look.
"Yes, I am," she replied warmly.
He extended his hand. "I'm Alexander Vanderbilt, your new boss here at the Biltmore Estate."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Vanderbilt. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Not many people can give me a chance like this."
Alexander smiled. "Everyone deserves a chance to succeed, Lyanna—even those with challenges. You're here for a reason."
Her eyes lit up. "Thank you. That means a lot."
"If you'll follow me, I'll show you where you'll be staying."
Lyanna nodded. "Thank you."
They walked together toward her new accommodations. As they approached a charming building, Lyanna glanced around in awe. "Wow, this place is stunning."
Alexander chuckled. "We want our employees to feel at home—especially with how expensive it is to live these days."
"Exactly. That's why I lived with my parents after graduating high school."
"Understandable," he said, opening the door to her apartment. "This is your new space."
Her eyes widened. "Oh wow, it's beautiful!"
Alexander smiled. "It's one of our assistant manager apartments. We like to treat our staff well."
She looked around with amazement, then glanced at him nervously. "It's so nice, I feel like I don't deserve it."
"You do, Lyanna. You've earned this. Life hasn't been easy for you, but you kept going. That takes strength."
Her smile returned. "Thank you. I truly appreciate that."
He nodded. "I'll let you settle in. We'll meet later for a tour and go over your responsibilities."
"Sounds perfect. What time should I meet you?"
"How about half an hour from now in the main lobby?"
"That works great. Thank you again."
"See you soon," Alexander said with a grin.
As he left, Lyanna's phone rang. She glanced at her phone and realised it was Margaret.
"Hi, Margaret! How are you?" she answered brightly.
Margaret chuckled on the other end. "I'm doing well, Lyanna. How about you? How was your flight?"
"It was great! Smooth and peaceful. I made it to Biltmore safe and sound," she replied with a relaxed tone.
"I'm glad to hear that. I still can't believe you're going to be working at the Biltmore Estate," Margaret said with genuine excitement.
Lyanna smiled. "Same here. It still feels surreal. I'm just so grateful for the opportunity. There were so many more qualified candidates, but Mr. Alexander said he saw potential in me, and for that, I'm truly thankful."
Margaret nodded, even though Lyanna couldn't see her. "I get it. It's amazing that you'll wake up every day surrounded by that kind of beauty."
"I know, right? I'm definitely looking forward to it." Lyanna paused, then asked curiously, "How's everything going at your job?"
Margaret let out a sigh. "It's going alright. I'm not a huge fan of dealing with the kids' parents every single day, though."
"I bet. But I'm sure there are some perks too, right?"
"Yeah," she said with a small laugh. "On most days."
Lyanna nodded. "I can relate. That's exactly how I felt when I worked in retail—some days were rewarding, others... not so much."
"I can imagine," Margaret replied, her voice softening with empathy.
Just then, Lyanna glanced at the time. "Hey, Margaret, I have to go. I'm meeting my new boss for a private tour of the estate. Can I call you later?"
"Of course! Call me when you're free. Love you, girl."
"Love you too, Margaret. Bye!"
"Bye, Lyanna."
She ended the call and stepped out of her apartment.
"Hey, Alexander! Over here!" she called out, waving.
Alexander walked toward her with a warm smile. "Hey, Lyanna. Ready for your private tour?"
"Absolutely. I'm so excited to get started," she said, practically glowing.
"Then let's get going," he replied sincerely.
"Sounds perfect to me," she said with enthusiasm.
Together, they left the dorm building.
---
Meanwhile – In the Catacombs
Angela studied the ancient stone door and turned to the nearby workers. "Any luck getting this chamber open?"
"Not yet," one of them replied, wiping sweat from his brow. "But we're close. Hopefully just a few more minutes."
Angela's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I hope so. I'm dying to know what's inside."
"What do you think it might be?" one of the workers asked, curiosity evident in his tone.
"I'm not sure… but I hope it's something valuable—maybe something tied to the Vanderbilt family."
The worker gave her a knowing smile. "Well, we're about to find out."
"What do you mean?" she asked, brow raised.
He gestured to a small device. "I'm going to use a controlled charge. If it works, it should weaken the stone just enough for us to create a handle and pry the door open."
"Will it really work?" Angela asked, intrigued.
"There's only one way to find out. Stand back, everyone!" he called out.
Seconds later, a sharp pop echoed through the chamber.
Angela leaned forward. "Did it work?"
The worker grinned. "It did. Ready to see what's inside?"
"I'm ready—but let me call my boss first. You guys keep working on widening the opening."
"Will do, ma'am. Alright, boys—let's get to it!"
"Yes, sir!" the crew echoed, getting to work.
While they focused on the chamber, Angela stepped aside and dialed Alexander's number.