Shadows of deceit : The Augustus secret

Chapter seven

Ashley

I tried to open the door as quietly as possible, my nerves and excitement building as I prepared to do something that I knew I shouldn't. I took a deep breath and opened the office door, a click echoing through the halls as I slipped inside and closed the door behind me.

Stefan was out of the house and Martin busy with the lunch preparations, and it was my perfect opportunity to learn something about this man...

I crept inside, slowly, and deliberately, trying not to make a sound. I had to be careful...but I was determined to find something, anything.

I felt a rush of excitement as I took in the office, sensing the lingering traces of Stefan's presence. The smell of his perfume hung in the air, mingled with the scent of his personal space.

I breathed in deeply, taking in the delicious scent and the fresh smell of cleanliness that wafted through the room. The space was neat and organized, everything felt precise and ordered, as if Stefan was a person who was very particular about his personal space.

I made my way to the desk, eager to see if I could find anything that might give me a better idea of who Stefan actually was. I opened first one drawer, and then another, but to no avail. All I found were work papers and bills, none of which seemed to reveal anything personal about him.

I turned on his laptop, finding It -of course- password protected. I tried a few guesses but was soon locked out altogether. I panicked, pulling out the plug-in in hopes of hiding my tracks and making it look like he was the one who had shut it down. Before putting it back, I took a moment to try to catch my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as the adrenaline rush continued.

I was on edge as I searched his library, the books that lined the shelves providing little insight into Stefan's life. A collection of history books, old French literature, and nothing else...no pictures, no personal items, nothing to give me even the slightest sense of who this man is.

Yet, I kept searching, hoping to uncover that one small detail that would give me some semblance of an understanding of the person I had been living with for the past three days.

But the more I read, the more frustrated I felt as each book offered nothing.

Defeated, I left his office, having learned very little about this man despite my best efforts.

My anxiety and nervousness had built up throughout the ordeal, and now I was left with a growing sense of disappointment.

All I knew was that Stefan was neat, secretive, and into French literature...which didn't feel like nearly enough information for all the trouble I had gone through. I exited the office quietly, a feeling of failure weighing me down with every step.

I wandered the halls, determined to give my search one last shot. I had already scoured his office, but to no avail. Now, I turned my attention to Stefan's most private space of all...his bedroom.

This was the last place I could look, and the thought of entering this room without permission gave me a feeling of trepidation. But I had come this far, and I was determined to see it through to the end.

I searched for what felt like ages to find his room, my search growing more and more desperate as I went. I had assumed it would be near his office, as it made sense to have it close by.

But instead, I found myself at the top of the mansion, the only room on the floor. It was secluded, which told me that Stefan valued his privacy above all else. I felt a wave of excitement as I knew that this room might hold the secrets I was looking for.

I opened the door slowly, hoping to minimize the noise as I stepped into the room. The familiar scent wafted around me, as if welcoming me into his personal space.