Mr. Stegen: A Man with a Hidden Identity

In The Wardrobe

After tidying things up as before, Lilia rushed out of the study. It just so happened that Gunther was leaving right away. He usually never leaves the room without locking it.

“Hopefully this is the correct key,” Lilia said as she pocketed the item into the pocket of the dress she was wearing. He walked quickly to the kitchen. As promised, Lilia had to make a cake for her father and guests, if they came home from the farm.

The day passed without feeling. Ludwig returned home a little later than Gunther. There was some work he did on the farm, including watching the barn from a distance. However, the place was still guarded by two of Gunther's men. As a result, Ludwig could not go in and out freely again.

“Is this the right key?” Lilia thrust the object of her discovery earlier, to Ludwig who had finished dressing.

“You managed to get it?” Ludwig turned his head, then raised his eyebrows. He smiled slightly as he touched the wife's cheek. “We will try tonight,” he said later while receiving the key that Lilia thrust.

“I searched for that thing with great difficulty and almost despair. Dad kept it in a special box embedded in the floor,” Lilia explained. The young lady thought for a moment. “If this is really the lock of the cottage, why should I keep it so hidden? As if, no one should ever find it.”

“We will know the answer tonight. Prepare.” Ludwig held onto Lilia's chin, then slightly raised it. He kissed the beautiful woman, although it was not a hot kiss.

“Then, let's have dinner first,” invite Lilia. She grabbed her husband's wrist, then led him out of the room. Before entering the dining room, a couple had crossed paths with Gunther who was also going to go there.

“Goodnight, Dad,” greet Lilia gently.

“Goodnight, Son,” reply Gunther. “Did you tell the waiter to clean my workspace?” tanyanya while sitting in one of the chairs, which has always been the place as the head of the family.

“What's the matter, Dad?” ask Lilia. The woman's face turned tense. The tail of Lilia's female eyes repeatedly pointed at Ludwig.

“It's okay. I just feel like there's something weird. Perhaps, the waiter did not put the cleaned items in the original place,” thought Gunther. “Ah, stop.” The middle-aged man shook his head slowly. Moreover, because Ludwig immediately switched the conversation on another topic. It's not usually that the guy goes ahead of the mince-talk.

After dinner, Ludwig and Lilia returned to the room. They waited until the night was late enough, then the two went out of the house to the farm. Ludwig hinted for Lilia to walk carefully and always be on alert, as there were several officers touring the farm to ensure safety.

Ludwig led Lilia through a path near a large cattle pen, before they arrived at the log cabin. The atmosphere there was much darker, when compared to the farm section. In the area of the hut, there was only one lamp hung on the front.

“Do you know why I put two guards in the barn?” lilia asked half a whisper.

“Entahlah. Only your father knows,” Ludwig replied. He tried to avoid talking about the barn. The man directed Lilia to immediately climb onto the terrace of the cottage, which was made several inches higher than the ground.

“Quickly insert the key, Heinz,” tell Lilia impatiently, when Ludwig just pulled out the key obtained from Gunther's workspace into the padlock.

“Tenace.” Ludwig slowly turned the key, until it opened. “Successful.” The man turned to Lilia with a meaningful look. He took the young woman's hand. Ludwig led him in vigilantly.

After the door closed tightly, the atmosphere inside became increasingly dark. Lilia closed her body to Ludwig. He's feeling scared.

“As I recall not. We only come here during the day. Father never brought me here at night,” said Lilia while continuing to stick to Ludwig's arm, while walking through the spacious room in the cottage.

Ludwig pointed the flashlight he was holding in all directions, until he caught a door that was also fitted with a padlock. “What room is it?” asked Ludwig while walking there.

“As I recall, it was a room. Dad did make it on purpose, because he used to rest during the day here,” replied Lilia. “The door is padlocked. I only found one key in the box in dad's workspace.”

“Do not worry. Looks like, I have the key to unlock this lock,” Ludwig said. He pulled out the key he got last night. Ludwig started to open the lock. “This is too easy,” muttered as he opened the door of the room earlier.

Inside the room with a size not too wide, the atmosphere was as dark as the other room. There, there is a wooden cabinet without glass. I don't know what the closet is for.

“What is the contents of that wooden cabinet?” asked Ludwig as he had.

“I don't know if there's a closet here. Why don't you check?” Lilia inched behind Ludwig's sturdy body, as the husband walked closer to the wooden cabinet.

“Hopefully unlocked,” said Ludwig quietly. He grabbed the handle of the closet, then pulled it carefully. Instantly, a musty smell came out from inside there. So too with the dust. Ludwig and Lilia had to shake their hands in front of their faces.

There were no clothes in the closet at all. There, there were only piles of worn books and broken papers from being inedible with age. Everything was left in disarray, stacking on top of each other irregularly.

Ludwig took a book, then opened it. However, he had no interest in checking the book any longer. Ludwig kept the book back in its place. He then turned to another book, until finally the man found a small photo album. There, contains photos of Lilia's childhood.

“Jeez, it's me.” Lilia laughed softly.

“The cup, you have been beautiful since childhood,” flattered Ludwig unknowingly. A moment later, the man seemed to want to retract his words.

“Thank you,” reply Lilia. If at that time they were in a bright place, then Ludwig could definitely see the face of his wife who was blushing.

Ludwig continued to open sheet by sheet the photo album, until he arrived at the very end. At that moment, the handsome man immediately squinted his eyes. In a photograph, he saw two identical twin boys posing together. “Who is this?” tanyanya.

“That's my father with his twin brother named Dominik. He told me that he was born a twin. However, my grandfather and grandmother separated, so they also separated. I don't know what the full story is. That's all I can remember,” explained Lilia. “Try to find another one. Who knows there's something interesting.’

“Sebentar.” Ludwig put the photo album he held back to where it had been. He then pointed the flashlight at the second step of the closet. There are also only irregular piles of paper, most of which have been damaged eaten by termites.

Feeling nothing of interest, Ludwig shifted the flashlight to the very bottom. Instantly, he and Lilia were startled, finding a human skeleton there.