(CHRIS' POV)
The air was heavy with tension as we climbed the narrow staircase to the second floor, every step creaking beneath our feet. Mister Conrad led the way, flanked by three other men who kept close watch on Uncle William and me. The corridor was dimly lit, the flickering torches casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. My heart pounded in my chest, echoing loudly in my ears as we approached a large wooden door at the end of the hallway. Conrad pushed it open, revealing a spacious room filled with a sense of foreboding.
