Marked By Darkness

Chapter 91- Beyond the Grave

Ruhan parked the car outside the iron gates of the bungalow, its shadowy structure looming like a silent sentinel in the dim moonlight. The chill in the air sent a shiver through Ruhi as they stepped out of the car and made their way to the front door.

"Where do you think the photographs might be?" Ruhi asked, her voice cutting through the eerie silence.

"In the study," Ruhan replied curtly. He pushed the creaking door open, and they stepped inside.

Ruhi followed him through the dim hallway, the air heavy with dust and secrets. As they entered the study, Ruhan moved toward a tall, dusty cabinet in the corner. The cabinet groaned in protest as he pulled it open, revealing stacks of old books, yellowed papers, and faded photographs.

"These must be it," Ruhan muttered as he sifted through the collection. He pulled out a small stack of photographs and handed them to Ruhi.

Ruhi's fingers trembled as she took the photographs. She began flipping through them, the faces staring back at her unfamiliar yet intriguing. But then, her breath hitched.

One photograph caught her attention-a family photo. She saw a man standing beside a young Ruhan, his presence commanding, his features strikingly familiar. Her heart raced as recognition struck her like a bolt of lightning.

"This... this photo," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Is this your family?"

Ruhan glanced at the photograph in her hands, his expression unreadable. "Yes," he said after a pause.

Ruhi stared at him, her voice rising slightly. "I saw this photo in the library. But your face was scratched out in that one."

Ruhan's gaze darkened, and he looked away briefly. Then, in a low voice, he admitted, "I scratched it out."

Ruhi's eyes widened in shock. "Why would you do that?"

Ruhan's jaw clenched, but he didn't answer. Before she could press him further, her attention was drawn back to the photograph. She flipped it again and froze.

Her fingers tightened around the picture as she recognized another face in the photo-the same man she had seen that night in the store and later at the cemetery. Her blood ran cold.

"Who is this?" Ruhi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ruhan leaned closer to the photograph, his expression unreadable as he studied the man's face. "That's my father," he said simply.

Ruhi's breath hitched again as she turned to him, her voice trembling. "Ruhan... I saw him. That night in the store. And at the cemetery."

"What?" Ruhan's voice was sharp, his eyes snapping to hers. For a moment, he seemed caught off guard, his brows knitting together in confusion. "What are you saying, Ruhi?"

"I saw him," she repeated, her voice urgent. "He was there, Ruhan. He was watching me. Twice."

Ruhan remained silent, his face pale, his eyes distant. He seemed to be grappling with her words, the weight of them pressing down on him.

Before either of them could say more, Ruhi flipped through the photographs again and stopped at one of an older woman. Her heart skipped a beat as recognition flickered in her mind.

"Who is this?" she asked, her voice barely steady.

Ruhan glanced at the photo and sighed. "That's my grandmother."

Ruhi stared at the image, her chest tightening. The woman's face was familiar, unnervingly so. "Do you have any photos of her when she was younger?"

Ruhan hesitated for a moment, then began flipping through the stack of photographs. "Let me see," he murmured. Finally, he pulled out a picture and handed it to her. "Here's one."