Shadows of deceit : The Augustus secret

Chapter ten

Ashley

I found myself shifting in my seat in the presence of the man across from me. Martin had told me that Stefan had requested my presence, yet Stefan had remained silent for nearly five minutes, simply observing me. His intense gaze felt as if he was the one waiting for me to break the silence.

"Are you expecting me to say something?" I finally said, finding the silence too unsettling. "Or are we to simply stare at each other in silence?"

Stefan's answer was dull and uninviting, as he simply replied with, "You're the journalist. Ask away." His tone was flat and uninterested, as if he felt the whole interaction was a waste of time.

"I can't. not with your attitude." I replied as I felt my frustration begin to boil over.

His words irritated me even more as I saw his smile widen. "You're being unprofessional." Stefan said, clearly enjoying himself. "You're being difficult." I shot back, raising my voice slightly.

"How am I being difficult now?" he replied, gesturing towards me. His composure was starting to crack as a wide smile broke out across his face. I felt my blood boil as I watched his mischievous grin. "Stop smirking at me." I snapped, trying my best to keep myself in check.

His throaty chuckle sent a jolt of anticipation down my spine as I realized this was the first time I had heard him laugh. The rich, deep sound of his laughter was like music to my ears. The way his laughter echoed off the walls of the room, and the way he looked at me with his warm, amused grin made my heart race and my head spin. I could feel my face flush with embarrassment as I realized just how much his laugh had affected me.

"Tell me about your relationship with your father." I asked.

A slight frown crossed Stefan's face as I abruptly posed my question, and he leaned back in his chair while running his hands through his hair. His previous smile had completely vanished, and he appeared to be deep in thought as he considered how to react to my question.

After a moment of hesitation, he finally responded in a somewhat flat tone, "My relationship with my father was... complicated." I could already tell that this question had caught Stefan off-guard, and I was intrigued to hear more about his complicated relationship with his father.

"My father was distant," Stefan said in a bland tone. "He only cared about the future of the family business and my role in it. He never cared about my personal interests. I simply existed to carry on the family legacy."

Stefan's words were stoic and unemotional, as he simply described the facts of his childhood with minimal emotion. He came across as somewhat cold and detached.

"How would you describe your mother's relationship with your father?" I asked hoping he'll give me a full answer since he's in a chatty mood today.

My heart skipped a beat as I heard Stefan's cold response to my question. His unemotional tone and blank expression said it all, as he simply muttered, "Turbulent."

His response sent a chill down my spine, as it suggested that the relationship between his parents was anything but smooth and harmony. The word "turbulent" brought to mind images of a volatile, unstable, and unpredictable relationship, filled with conflict and disagreements. I could feel my curiosity piqued as I knew that there was more to the story than Stefan was letting on.

Stefan regarded me with a steady gaze, as if sensing my hesitation to dig deeper. After a moment, he began to speak again, his tone flat and expressionless. "They managed to present a perfect image to the public, but behind closed doors their situation was far from it."