Ruhi’s pov
After talking with Bade Papa and Chachu, Rishabh bhai finally told me to go and sleep.
“We’ll deal with this together,” he said firmly, like a promise.
“Hm… goodnight,” I replied softly and went to my room.
I freshened up, changed into my nightclothes, and sat on the edge of my bed. The house was quiet now, but my mind wasn’t. Too many thoughts. Too many unanswered questions.
I picked up my phone, wanting to text Aayansh just to ask if he’d reached home safely. Somehow, that small reassurance felt necessary tonight.
But before I could type anything, my phone buzzed.
A notification.
For a split second, my heart softened.
Aayansh.
Then I looked properly.
Unknown Number.
My fingers froze above the screen.
I shouldn’t open it.
Every instinct screamed that.
Still… I did.
And my breath hitched.
UNKNOWN:
Hello, doll.
This is just the beginning.
The room suddenly felt colder.
My grip tightened around the phone as fear crept up my spine. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure someone could hear it. I reread the message again and again, hoping foolishly that the words would change.
They didn’t.This wasn’t random.This person knew me.
Anger flared through the fear, and before I could stop myself, I typed back.
Me:
Who are you?
What do you know about my father’s death?
The typing bubble appeared almost instantly.
My chest tightened.
Seconds passed.
Then
UNKNOWN:
Don’t worry, doll.
You’ll know who I am when the time is right.
As for your father…
Some truths are buried deep for a reason.
My hands started shaking.
I hit the call button.
The number you are trying to reach is switched off.
I tried again.Switched off.
I stared at the screen, my reflection faintly visible wide eyes, pale face, lips pressed tight to stop them from trembling.
He knew about Dad.
He knew about me.
And worst of all he was enjoying this.
A sudden chill ran down my spine.Slowly, I lifted my gaze to the window.
The curtains fluttered slightly with the night breeze.
I stood up and walked closer, peering outside.
Nothing.
Just darkness. The garden lights. Stillness.
But the feeling didn’t leave.
I closed the curtains shut and leaned my forehead against the glass, forcing myself to breathe.
You’re not alone, I reminded myself.
Rishabh bhai knows. Aayansh knows. Bade papa and cach everyone is there
My phone buzzed again.
This time, my heart leapt until I saw the name.
Aayansh.
Aayansh:
Reached home.
Are you okay, Ruuh?
My eyes burned.
I typed back with shaking fingers.
Me:
I’m fine.
Just tired.
Lets Talk tomorrow?
The reply came immediately.
Aayansh:
Always.
Goodnight, Ruuh. I’m here. Don’t forget that.
I pressed the phone to my chest.
He didn’t know what had just happened.
And for the first time, I wasn’t sure whether keeping him in the dark was protecting him or putting him in danger.
I lay down, pulling the blanket up to my chin, staring at the ceiling.Sleep didn’t come.
Because somewhere out there, someone was watching.Waiting.
And I knew this was no longer just about the past.
It was about what he planned to do next.
Thinking about this I didn't know when the exhaustion dragged me into sleep.
The Dream
A ten year old girl was locked inside a dark basement.
She sat curled up in a corner, her small body trembling as sobs shook her.
“Dad… please,” she cried softly.
“Dad, where are you? I’m scared…”
Suddenly, the door creaked open.
A man and a woman stepped inside, their faces cold and expressionless.
“What are you screaming for?” the woman snapped harshly.
“Your father isn’t coming back. Go wash your face. Guests are arriving and if you do anything wrong, you know what will happen.”
The girl hiccupped but nodded. She was weak, pale, and looked like she hadn’t eaten properly in days.
After washing up, she came downstairs where guests filled the house. She quietly sat beside the woman while the adults talked, her eyes fixed on the floor.
After a while, the woman ordered her to go outside and play with her brother.
Her brother held her hand and led her out. Two other boys around his age were already there.
The moment they were alone, her brother shoved her to the ground and burst out laughing.
His friends picked up stones from the ground and started throwing them at her.
“If you scream,” her brother warned cruelly, “I’ll tell Mom and she’ll lock you in the basement again.”
The girl whimpered as stones struck her skin. Blood trickled from small cuts on her arms.
“Stop!”
A boy slightly older than them ran toward the scene.
“What the hell are you doing?” he shouted.
He rushed to the girl, knelt beside her, and gently checked her injuries. Without another word, he lifted her into his arms and carried her inside.
Everyone gathered around them.
“What happened?” the elders asked urgently.
The boy told them everything.
The other boys were scolded, but the girl remained silent. Her gaze never left the woman standing at a distance.
The woman stared back cold, unreadable.
After the guests left, the woman grabbed the girl’s arm and dragged her away.
The girl screamed and cried, begging her to stop but the woman didn’t slow down.
She threw the girl into the basement.
Then she picked up a stick.and started beating her
She hit her again and again and said“I warned you,” the woman hissed.
“I told you not to do anything. But you embarrassed me in front of everyone. My son got scolded because of you.”
“You deserve this.”
The girl screamed through her tears.
“Stop… please stop…”
“Dad… Dad, where are you?”
“Mom… please stop…”
But the woman didn’t stop beating her.
Her screams echoed in the darkness.
Dream ends
“Aaaa… Dad!”
Ruhi screamed, jolting awake, her body drenched in sweat.
The scream tore through the silence of the Raichand house.
Lights flicked on one by one.
Some were asleep, some half awake but everyone heard it.
Rishabh was in his room, phone pressed to his ear, speaking to Aayansh about the file and the investigation.
Parth and Rahul were in the living room, lost in a video game.
The moment Ruhi’s scream echoed, everything stopped.
Controllers dropped.
Voices died.
Even on the phone, Aayansh heard it.“What was that?” he asked sharply.
Rishabh froze.
“…Ruhi,” he said.
The call disconnected.
Rishabh didn’t waste another second. He ran.
Another scream followed, raw, broken, terrified.
The entire house rushed toward Ruhi’s room. They had heard these screams before.
Years ago.And it had taken them a long time to erase those memories.
Now, they are back.
Rishabh reached her door first and tried the handle.
Locked.
The screams were louder now clearer.
“Aditya!” Rishabh shouted. “Get the spare key!”
Aditya ran downstairs and was back within seconds. The moment the door opened, everyone froze.
It was a horrifying sight.
One they had seen once before. One they had prayed never to see again.
Ruhi was thrashing on the bed, screaming, crying, fighting something only she could see.
Rishabh rushed to her side, trying to hold her.
“Ruhi! Ruhi,look at me!”
She didn’t.
She kept screaming.
Everyone tried calling her name, shaking her gently but nothing worked.
Riya, her voice trembling, said, “I’ll call the doctor. Ask him to come immediately.”
Badi Ma and Chachi stood frozen, tears streaming down their faces. They didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know how to stop this.
And then
Aayansh arrived.
He ran straight to Ruhi’s room.
What he saw made his breath stop.
But he didn’t hesitate.He rushed to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her against his chest.
“Ruhi,” he said desperately. “It’s me.Ruhh look at me.”
She didn't she just moved back from him for everyone just repeating again and again dont hurt her she wants her Dad .. Dad
It was like she wasn’t really awake she was trapped .
She screamed again.
“Stop… stop! Please don’t hit me!”
“I won’t do anything, I swear!”
“I want my dad… please… Dad… Dada…”
She tried to push everyone away, hitting whoever came close.
But Aayansh didn’t back away.
Even when she hit him.
Even when she begged him not to come near her.
He held her face gently but firmly.
“Ruhi,” he said, his voice breaking, “look at me. Please… look at me.”
Her eyes finally focused.She stared at him.Really looked at him.
Her screams stopped.The crying didn’t.
Her hand slowly rose, trembling, and she traced his face as if making sure he was real.
“…Ansh,” she whispered.
And then
Her body went limp.She fainted in his arms.
The room fell silent.But the fear stayed.
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