The Unseen Apprentice of Afton

𝐹𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑦

Camila’s POV

As I descended the stairs, a murmur of voices floated from the living room. My pulse quickened, recognizing Devoria’s calm tone, but the second voice—smooth, composed, and eerily familiar—belonged to the woman I had seen at Freddy’s. Why was she here?

I stepped into the room cautiously. Sara sat across from Devoria, her dark brown hair neatly pulled back, and her light brown eyes settled on me the moment I entered. A polite smile graced her lips, but something about her felt off, too controlled. She didn’t belong here, in my home.

"Hello?" I said, forcing calm into my voice, though the unease twisting in my gut was impossible to ignore.

Sara’s smile widened slightly, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "Camila, it’s good to meet you properly."

Devoria gestured for me to sit next to her. "Camila, this is Sara Cassandra Larkspur," she said, her voice casual. "My cousin."

Cousin? I blinked in surprise. Devoria had never mentioned a cousin, never hinted at anyone named Sara, and now this woman—this stranger from Freddy’s—was sitting here like she had always been part of Devoria’s life. It felt… wrong.

Sara’s eyes flickered with amusement, as if she could sense my discomfort. "It’s been a while since Devoria and I last spent time together," she said smoothly, crossing her legs. "I’ve been busy with work."

"And you work at Freddy’s, right?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light, but the memory of seeing her there, watching me, gnawed at my mind. There was something she wasn’t telling me.

Sara nodded, glancing briefly at Devoria before meeting my gaze again. "Yes. I work full-time at Freddy’s. As William Afton’s personal assistant."

William Afton. The name sent a jolt of unease through me. I had heard stories, whispers of things happening at Freddy’s—disappearances, accidents, and Afton always seemed to be at the center of the rumors. And now Sara, Devoria’s cousin, was working for him? I forced a tight smile, though my mind raced with questions.

"Personal assistant," I repeated, my voice tight. "That sounds like a… challenging job."

"It is," Sara replied, her smile unwavering. "But it has its rewards. I’ve learned a lot working closely with William." Her tone was smooth, professional, but there was something else beneath it—something that made my skin crawl.

I leaned forward slightly, trying to dig deeper. "How long have you been working for him?"

"A little over a year now," she said casually, then added with a soft, almost teasing smile, "and soon, our relationship will be more than just professional."

My heart skipped a beat. More than professional? I glanced at Devoria, but she didn’t react. Her face remained calm, almost disinterested, as if Sara’s words didn’t strike her the way they struck me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, unable to keep the edge out of my voice. There was something in Sara’s tone that set off alarm bells in my head.

Sara’s smile grew sharper, her eyes gleaming with a secret she was ready to reveal. "William and I… we’re getting engaged. Soon, I’ll be Mrs. Afton."

I froze. The room seemed to tilt slightly, her words sinking into my chest like stones. Engaged? To William Afton? The man whose name was synonymous with danger, whose reputation was filled with rumors of things no one dared to talk about openly?

"Sara…" I started, my voice faltering as I struggled to find the right words. "Engaged?"

"Yes," she confirmed, her tone almost casual. "Afton’s ex-wife… she was only after his money. But I’m different. William and I understand each other. We’ve built something real."

Real? Everything about this felt surreal. I glanced at Devoria, waiting for her reaction, but she looked as surprised as I felt. She hadn’t known. Her brow furrowed, and she finally turned to Sara, confusion crossing her face.

"Wait, what? Engaged?" Devoria asked, her voice quiet but firm. "Why didn’t you tell me any of this?"

Sara blinked, as if taken off guard by the question. "I… well, it’s recent. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you with everything at once. William and I have been keeping things low-key."

"Low-key?" Devoria’s voice was sharp now, her surprise giving way to frustration. "You’re about to marry William Afton, and you didn’t think to tell me?"

Sara’s composure faltered, just for a moment. "Devoria, I was going to tell you. I just… it’s complicated."

Complicated. Of course it was complicated. Everything about William Afton screamed trouble. And now Sara, Devoria’s cousin, was somehow entangled in his life—and worse, planning to marry him. My chest tightened as I tried to make sense of it all.

I turned to Sara, unable to hold back my questions any longer. "Are you sure about this, Sara? About him? William Afton isn’t exactly known for being… trustworthy."

Sara’s eyes flicked to mine, a glimmer of irritation flashing through them. "I know what people say about him, Camila. But they don’t know him like I do. William’s been through a lot. He’s not the monster everyone makes him out to be."

I exchanged a glance with Devoria, who still seemed stunned by the news. I wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand, Sara seemed confident, even defensive, about her relationship with Afton. But on the other hand, nothing about this felt right. Nothing about Afton was ever simple.

"Sara, I don’t know if you understand what you’re getting into," I said, my voice low, trying not to provoke her but needing to say something. "William Afton—he’s dangerous. People talk about him for a reason."

Sara’s gaze hardened. "People talk, Camila. They spread rumors. But that doesn’t make them true. William’s been good to me. He’s changed."

I swallowed hard. Changed? A man like William Afton didn’t just change. But Sara’s determination made it clear she wasn’t going to listen to anyone’s concerns, least of all mine. She was too far in, too convinced that whatever they had was real.

Devoria finally found her voice, her tone more measured but still sharp. "Sara, I get that you think you know him, but this is a big deal. You should’ve told me. I didn’t even know you were seeing him."

Sara’s face softened, a hint of regret creeping into her expression. "I’m sorry, Dev. I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I just… didn’t know how to explain it. William and I are private people. I didn’t want to make things more complicated than they already are."

"But you’re planning to marry him," Devoria said, her voice tight with disbelief. "That’s not something you just drop on people out of nowhere."

Sara sighed, standing up and smoothing out her clothes. "I didn’t mean for it to come out like this. I’ll tell you more, but right now, I need to get back to Freddy’s. William’s expecting me."

As Sara grabbed her coat and headed for the door, I felt the tension in the room thicken. "It was good meeting you, Camila," she said over her shoulder. "I’m sure we’ll see more of each other soon."

The door clicked shut, and the silence in the room was deafening. I turned to Devoria, who sat there, stunned.

"You didn’t know?" I asked softly, though the answer was obvious.

Devoria shook her head slowly. "No. I had no idea. I thought she was just working there. I didn’t think… I didn’t think she’d be involved with him."

"Do you trust her?" I asked, watching Devoria closely.

She looked down at her hands, silent for a moment. "She’s my cousin, Camila. I want to trust her. But… William Afton?" She shook her head again, a deep frown settling on her face. "I don’t know what she’s thinking."

Neither did I. But one thing was clear—Sara was walking into something dangerous, and she didn’t seem to see it. Or worse, she didn’t care.

Friend or enemy? Right now, Sara felt like both. And that terrified me.