Rhea had always believed that darkness was simply the absence of light—nothing more, nothing less.
But that night, she learned darkness could watch.
Could wait.
Could whisper.
The wind outside Aarav's mansion howled violently, rattling the tall windows like an impatient beast. The storm clouds in the sky swallowed every trace of moonlight, casting the entire world into a damp, suffocating blackness. Rhea curled deeper into the blanket, staring at the empty side of the bed.
Aarav wasn't home yet.
And that wasn't unusual.
But tonight something felt different. Wrong.
The house was too quiet.
Too still.
Too cold.
Her eyes flicked to the hallway, where shadows stretched unnaturally long across the polished floor.
She took a shaky breath.
It's nothing, Rhea… just nerves.
But nerves didn't explain the prickling sensation crawling across her spine.
Or the heavy pressure in her chest.
Or the faint feeling that someone—someone who didn't belong—was watching her.
She reached for her phone, checking the time. 10:48 PM.
Still no message from Aarav.
Her fingers tightened around the device. He had promised to be home early. And Aarav never broke promises unless something forced him to.
Rhea pushed the blanket aside and stood up. The floor felt cold under her feet as she walked toward the window, pulling the curtain open.
Rain hammered the glass violently.
Lightning flashed—
And Rhea froze.
For a split second, illuminated by the harsh white light, she saw a figure standing across the garden.
A silhouette.
Tall.
Unmoving.
Facing the house.
Facing her.
Rhea stumbled back, her heart slamming into her ribs.
"No… no, I didn't just see that." She breathed hard, blinking rapidly. "It's the shadows. Just shadows."
She closed the curtain with shaking fingers and pressed her back against the wall.
The mansion suddenly felt too big.
Too empty.
Thunder boomed outside, and the lights flickered.
"Stop panicking," she whispered to herself. "Aarav will be home soon."
But when her phone buzzed moments later, instead of Aarav's name—
It was an unknown number.
Her stomach twisted.
With trembling fingers, she opened the message.
"HOW DOES IT FEEL LIVING IN HIS HOUSE?"
Rhea's entire body went cold.
Her throat tightened as she reread the words.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The message wasn't accidental.
It wasn't random.
Someone knew where she lived.
Someone knew who she was living with.
Her fingers hovered over the screen, unsure whether to reply or delete the message.
Before she could decide—
Another message appeared.
"HE COULDN'T SAVE THE FIRST WOMAN. HE WON'T SAVE YOU EITHER."
Rhea's breath vanished.
The phone slipped from her hands and clattered onto the floor.
The first woman?
The words dug into her like claws.
Was this related to the locked room?
The nightmares?
The photograph she had found?
Her knees grew weak, and she gripped the edge of the dresser to steady herself.
Think, Rhea. Think.
Her heartbeat thudded violently in her ears as she stepped toward the door.
She needed to call Aarav. Right now.
She picked up her phone with trembling hands and dialed his number.
It rang once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Then his deep voice answered, slightly breathless.
"Rhea?"
The moment she heard him, her eyes burned with tears she didn't know she was holding.
"Aarav," she whispered, barely able to speak. "Someone's outside the house."
Silence.
Then his tone turned sharp, lethal. "What did you see?"
"I—I think someone is in the garden. And I got messages. From an unknown number. They know about you. They know I'm here." Her voice cracked. "Aarav, I'm scared."
She heard him exhale harshly, as if trying to control the storm inside him.
"Listen to me," he said, voice dangerously calm, "lock the bedroom door. Right now."
Rhea rushed to the door and turned the lock. Her hands were shaking so fiercely she struggled with it.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
"I'll be home in ten minutes."
"That long?" Her panic spiked.
"Rhea, don't open the door for anyone. Even if they claim it's me. Do you understand?"
"Yes," she breathed.
"Good. And Rhea…"
"Y-yes?"
His voice dropped—soft, fierce, protective.
"Nothing will happen to you. Not while I'm alive."
The call disconnected.
Rhea clutched the phone to her chest, her breath trembling. She backed away from the door and slid down to the floor, curling her knees to her chest.
The storm outside roared louder.
The wind slammed into the windows.
Then…
A soft tap.
Rhea's heart stopped.
A tap on the bedroom window.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide with terror.
"No… no, please not now…"
Another tap.
This time louder.
She forced herself to stand and slowly moved the curtain aside, her pulse hammering painfully.
Nothing.
Just darkness and rain.
Her shoulders sagged in relief. She turned away—
BANG!
A loud knock at the bedroom door.
Rhea jumped, nearly screaming.
Her pulse skyrocketed.
"Rhea," a voice called from the other side.
She froze.
It wasn't Aarav.
The voice was low. Rough.
Wrong.
"Open the door."
Rhea backed away from the door, her throat dry and burning.
An icy fear crawled up her spine.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
No reply.
Just silence.
Then the doorknob twisted.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Rhea let out a broken cry and stumbled backward, knocking into the bedside table.
The lights flickered again, and for a moment the entire house plunged into darkness.
Her breath came in sharp gasps as she fell to her knees, shaking uncontrollably.
Where is Aarav?
Please… please come fast.
The doorknob twisted again—harder this time.
"Open the door," the voice repeated, deeper, menacing.
Rhea bit her lip to keep from screaming.
"No!"
A cold chuckle came from the other side. "You won't survive here. Not with him."
Her heart thudded painfully.
Tears streamed down her face.
Suddenly—
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Someone was trying to break the door.
Rhea screamed.
She crawled backward until her back hit the wall, her voice hoarse and desperate.
"Aarav! Aarav, please!"
The door shook violently again.
"Rhea!"
A new voice yelled—loud, furious, familiar.
Aarav.
Rhea sobbed with relief.
She heard shouting, a struggle, something heavy hitting the floor.
Then—
Silence.
Her breath stopped.
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Steady.
The doorknob turned—gently this time.
"Rhea," Aarav said softly, breathless. "It's me. Open the door."
Her legs barely held her as she rushed to the door and unlocked it. The moment it swung open, she collapsed into Aarav's arms.
He caught her instantly, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
"You're safe," he whispered, holding her tight. "I've got you."
Rhea buried her face in his shoulder, trembling uncontrollably.
"Aarav… who was that? Who… who wants to hurt us?"
Aarav's jaw clenched against her hair.
His voice was low, dark, deadly.
"The first threat," he said, "from the past I've been trying to protect you from."
He held her tighter.
"And this was only the beginning."