Marked By Darkness

Chapter 90- The Call of the Bungalow

Ruhi's POV...

Two days had passed since that haunting dream, but the images wouldn't leave my mind. The blood-stained floor, faceless bodies, and Ruhan as the groom-it all felt like a dark omen I couldn't escape. The uneasiness clung to me like a second skin.

I sat cross-legged on the bed, staring blankly at the sunlight filtering through the curtains. My thoughts churned in endless loops, circling back to one thing-the cursed bungalow.

What was it about that place? Why did it call to me in my dreams? And why was Ruhan always at the center of it?

As my mind raced, I glanced over at Ruhan. He was seated at his desk, immersed in his work, the soft clatter of his laptop keys breaking the silence. He was on a call, his deep voice carrying a sense of calm authority.

I watched him for a moment, a small part of me tempted to ask him about the nightmares, to share my fears. But something held me back. Would he dismiss it as stress? Or worse, would he blame himself again?

A thought sparked in my mind, reckless and wild. I need answers. And I won't find them here.

I stood up quietly, careful not to draw his attention. Grabbing a scarf and my purse, I slipped out of the room. My heart pounded as I descended the stairs, each step feeling like a rebellion against his unspoken rules of safety.

In the garage, I grabbed my car keys from the hook. The metal felt cold and heavy in my hand, much like the dread sitting in my chest.

Without a second thought, I slid into the driver's seat, started the engine, and pulled out of the driveway.

---

Ruhan's POV...

"...That's the deadline," I said firmly, ending the call and closing my laptop. I stretched, leaning back in my chair, and let out a sigh of relief.

It had been a long morning, but the work had helped keep my mind off the tension between Ruhi and me. I glanced toward the bed, half-expecting to see her there, but my chest tightened when I realized the room was empty.

"Ruhi?" I called out, standing up and scanning the room. There was no response.

I walked downstairs, checking the kitchen and the living room, but she was nowhere to be found. A sense of unease crept over me. Then, I noticed the empty hook where the car keys usually hung.

My heart sank. No. She wouldn't...

Grabbing my phone, I dialed her number. It rang twice before going straight to voicemail. I clenched the phone in my hand, a storm of worry and anger brewing inside me. There was only one place she would go-one place that had haunted her thoughts for days.

The bungalow.

I didn't waste a second. Grabbing my own keys, I bolted out of the house, my mind racing with the possibilities. What was she thinking? Didn't she understand the danger?

---

Ruhi parked her car outside the bungalow, her heart pounding in her chest. The air around the mansion was as oppressive as ever, thick with an eerie silence that seemed to seep into her very soul. The towering structure loomed before her, its dark windows like empty eyes staring down, judging her.

She stepped out hesitantly, her breath hitching as she approached the creaking wooden door. The moment she entered, a cold gust of wind rushed past her, sending shivers down her spine. The air inside was damp, suffused with an unsettling quiet that made her want to turn and run-but she couldn't.

She had to know.

The memories, the nightmares, the whispers-they all led her back here, time and again. Something about this bungalow refused to let her go, refused to leave her in peace. Standing in the dimly lit hallway, she let her frustration boil over.