Chapter 12: 12. Hidden Door Meanwhile, Maria had just arrived home from college. The moment she stepped inside, she glanced around cautiously, making sure the house was empty.
After a thorough check confirmed she was alone, she wasted no time. She had work to do.
She slipped into Bernard’s room, careful not to leave a trace.
Her hands moved swiftly, searching every possible hiding place, her heart pounding in anticipation. Yet, after what felt like forever, she found nothing.
Frowning, she paused, her mind racing. ’If the documents aren’t here, then they must be somewhere more secure...’ Her gaze flickered toward the hallway. ’Beta Gilbert’s room.’ Steeling herself, Maria shut Bernard’s door and moved toward Gilbert’s room. Doubt gnawed at her as she approached. Would the door be locked? It had to be.
But to her shock, it wasn’t. The door stood wide open.
She hesitated, listening carefully. When no sound came from within, she knocked a few times just to be sure. Silence.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside and began her search.
She combed through the room meticulously, scanning every drawer, every shelf. But just when she was about to give up, something caught her eye.
The wardrobe.
Curious, she moved closer and pulled it open... only to freeze in shock. Behind the neatly arranged clothes, there was another door.
’Why would he have a hidden door inside his room?’ Her breath hitched. She reached out instinctively but stopped short. This wasn’t something she could break into without leaving traces. She needed to be smart.
As she debated her next move, a sudden sound sent her heart slamming against her ribs. Footsteps.
Her blood ran cold.
’Beta Gilbert?’ His voice drifted in from the hallway, engaged in a phone conversation.
Panic surged through Maria. Her palms grew damp, her forehead slick with sweat. She had only seconds to act.
Her handbag sat by the bed, too far to grab in time.
Thinking fast, she darted into the wardrobe, pushing herself between the thick hanging clothes. They concealed her well, but her handbag remained out in the open.
She held her breath as Beta Gilbert entered the room.
There was a pause. Then, he muttered, "Why was my door open?"
Her pulse roared in her ears as he moved around, inspecting the space. He was thorough, his gaze sweeping across the room.
Then, just as he turned toward her handbag, his phone rang. Maria exhaled shakily as he answered and, without hesitation, he strode into the bathroom.
She wasted no time. Slipping off her shoes, she tiptoed forward, snatched her bag, and bolted silently from the room.
The moment she reached her own room, she shut the door gently behind her and collapsed onto the mattress, heaving for air.
"That was too close," she whispered, pressing a hand to her racing heart.
But the near-discovery wasn’t what unsettled her the most... It was the hidden door.
’What’s inside that room?’ she wondered. ’Are the documents in there?’ A fire lit within her. She had uncovered a secret within the house, and there was no turning back now.