*ADELINE*
The air thickened with tension, every heartbeat echoing in my ears. I pressed myself against the wall, heart racing, breath shallow. The office door loomed ahead, its sturdy frame separating me from the chaos within—a chaos I was inexplicably drawn to unravel. My instincts battled between fear and exhilaration, each moment stretching like an elastic band ready to snap.
And then it happened—another sharp bang, loud enough to jolt me out of my thoughts. The sound reverberated through the hall, immediately followed by a hiss of frustration. "Damn it, Claudia!" I strained to hear her voice, feeling like a voyeur in a world where I didn't quite belong. With each second feeling like an eternity, I leaned in closer, the door creaking slightly as I nudged it just enough to catch a glim
