Gemotions

"Oh, it's just a storage closet, probably," the previous owner had said, her voice thin and reedy. Chloe, however, had a feeling. The area behind the hall closet felt… different. She’d spent the last week running her fingers along the wainscoting, testing for irregularities.

She’d finally found it. A barely perceptible give in a panel near the floor. With a satisfying click, the panel popped open, revealing a hidden doorway. Chloe knelt, her heart pounding with a barely contained excitement.

The room was surprisingly large, bathed in the soft glow of a hidden skylight. It smelled of aged wood and something else… something floral, vaguely familiar. This space would be hers. Her retreat, her refuge, her secret.

She grinned as she walked into the space. She’d always known she was a bit of an adventurer, and now she had her very own hidden treasure. She’d make this the most beautiful room the house had ever seen.