VANI

CHAPTER 14

As dusk approached, Rudra pulled into the driveway of a secluded farmhouse. The sprawling property was surrounded by dense trees, the silence almost deafening.

"We're stopping here for the night," he said, stepping out of the car.

Vani hesitated, her instincts screaming that this was a bad idea. "Why here? Can't we just drive through the night?"

"Relax," he said, grabbing her bag from the backseat. "You'll thank me in the morning."

The interior of the farmhouse was cozy but carried an unsettling stillness. A servant greeted them, bowing slightly before leading them to Rudra's room.

"I am not staying in the same room as you" Vani said.

"We are engaged already Jaan" he smirked

"Right. Engaged. Not Married" Vani snapped.

"Fine. I am too exhausted to argue with on this anyway" Vani was surprised when he said that. She was expecting him to throw a tantrum.

"Take her luggage to the next room" Rudra ordered the servant. The servant nodded and left but Vani was stilled as she stared at him lost.

"Are you giving second thoughts to your decision now hmm?" He teased as he took a step closer to her bringing her out of her trance.

Flustered and embarrassed she took a step back and walked after the servant.

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Soon it was dinner time. Both Rudra and Vani had freshened up. The dining table was laden with simple but delicious dishes. Rudra ate with ease, while Vani poked at her food, her frustration evident.

"You've been glaring at me for hours," Rudra said, breaking the silence. "Careful, sweetheart. Your face might get stuck like that."

"I can't stand you," she replied flatly.

He chuckled, taking another bite. "And yet, here you are, dining with me, sharing my company. Admit it—you'd be bored without me."

Vani slammed her fork down, standing abruptly. "I'm going to my room."

"Sure. By the way do you know hanuman chalisa?" Rudra asked.

Vani looked at him, confusion laced in her eyes because of such a random question.

"You don't I guess. Sweet dreams," he said, his tone dripping with amusement as he stood up and walked past her to his room smirking.

"This man, I swear to god. He and his random questions." Vani groaned and took a step towards her room when the lights turned off.

"Great" she took her phone and turned the flash light on.

The rain lashed against the windows as the storm raged outside, accompanied by a rumble of thunder that seemed to shake the very foundation of the secluded farmhouse. Vani, clutching her phone with the flashlight on, hesitated at the doorway of her dimly lit room. The shadows on the walls seemed to twist and dance, distorting reality into something unnerving.

She exhaled slowly, trying to convince herself it was nothing. "Just the wind... it's just the storm," she muttered, her voice trembling slightly. The muffled roll of thunder seemed to mock her reassurance.

As she stepped further into the room, the door creaked ominously behind her, shutting with a soft thud. Vani jumped, her pulse quickening. She spun around, pointing the flashlight toward the door. Nothing. Just the closed door and the empty space around it.

"Relax, Vani. You're just imagining things," she told herself, though the chill running down her spine said otherwise.

The sound of faint whispers reached her ears, so soft that she thought it could be the rain—except the whispers weren't rhythmic like raindrops. They were deliberate, low, and fleeting, like someone was speaking just beyond the range of understanding.