Marked By Darkness

Chapter 6- Hidden Secrets

Ruhi walked in, smiling as she introduced her friend.
"Hi, Yuvan. This is my friend Anshika."

Yuvan looked up and greeted Anshika. "Hello, Anshika."

"Hello!" Anshi replied, smiling back.

"So, how can I help you, Ruhi?" Yuvan asked, turning his attention to her.

Ruhi hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Actually, Yuvan, I... I want to ask you something."

"Sure, go ahead," Yuvan replied, giving her a welcoming look.

Ruhi took a deep breath. "First of all, I must say, your vlogs are truly fantastic. You put in so much effort every time."

Yuvan smiled, grateful for the compliment. "Hey, thank you for the kind words."

Ruhi continued, her voice softening. "However, I’d like to discuss your most recent vlog – the one about the bungalow near the famous cemetery. Do you remember it?"

Yuvan nodded, recalling the vlog. "Yes, of course."

Ruhi paused, her tone turning more serious. "Well, it’s been a month now, and there haven’t been any new uploads from you, especially about the bungalow. Can you tell me what happened?"

Yuvan seemed to think for a moment before responding. "These days, I’ve been swamped with work. My schedule has been packed, and that's why I haven’t been able to work on that vlog. That’s the simple explanation."

"But this has never happened before," Ruhi pointed out, still concerned.

Yuvan gave a small shrug. "Well, everyone’s circumstances aren’t always the same."

Ruhi opened her mouth to respond, but Yuvan cut her off. "I’m terribly sorry, Ruhi, but I have an urgent meeting to attend. I’ll catch you later, ladies..."

Anshi's eyes narrowed. "What on earth? How disrespectful. How could he just brush us off like that? Such an attitude..."

Ruhi gave a small, resigned sigh. "Anshi, listen. I have a feeling there’s more to this. It doesn’t sit right with me."

Anshi looked unconvinced. "Ruhi, not everything is a mystery. Let's just head back home now. Frankly, I didn’t like his demeanor either."

Ruhi nodded, still uneasy. "You’re right. Let’s go."

---

Hours later, Ruhi arrived home and walked into the kitchen, where her mother was busy.

"Did you bring everything I asked for?" her mom asked without looking up.

"Yeah, Mom. Take it," Ruhi replied, handing her the bags.

Her mother paused to check the items, then asked, "Where’s Anshi?"

"I dropped her at her home," Ruhi answered, already starting to walk away.

"Okay. What will you eat for dinner?" her mom asked.

"Anything," Ruhi replied absentmindedly as she moved toward her room.

"You don’t eat anything. So, what should I make?" her mom called after her.

"I don’t know," Ruhi muttered, already on her way to her room. "I’ve got a lot of work to do."

---

Two days later, Ruhi was sitting in her room, scrolling through her phone. Her mother’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Ruhi…" her mom called from the kitchen.