Chapter 25: 23. Secret room

English is not my first language. This chapter may contain many grammatical errors. Please ignore them and enjoy the chapter. Don't forget to give your beautiful comments.

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Without any further bak bak lets proceed with the twenty third chapter of " Will I ever find my true love

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"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice steadier than she felt. "You think I'll just forget what happened?"

Sashwat stopped and looked at her which made her breath hitched in her throat. Ruhani immediately lowered her eyes. She was just looking at her hand , which was feeling good after the application of the ointments. Sashwat continuously looked at her without blinking . She said suddenly " I have to go ..., ,  I will talk to you later" , she quickly raised , from the sofa. But suddenly Sashwat reached her wrist and pulled her , she lost her balance and she fell on his lap.

The time almost stopped for them , they both looked into each other's eyes intensely. Ruhani was holding his shoulders for support and he was balancing her by holding her waist firmly. Unintentionally also for once Ruhani got lost in his emerald coloured orbs . Sashwat  understood her condition so he intentionally came a little closer to her face . Suddenly Ruhani realized what she was doing , so she quickly started looking some where else. Sashwat said while settling her on the sofa " Remember just one thing , don't dare to enter the last room of this corridor ! Don't even dare . Because if you did that the outcome will be much dangerous than you can ever think! " . By such a sudden change in his behaviour , Ruhani got very nervous . She bit her lips out of nervousness and lowered her face and nodded . Sashwat forced her to look at him and said " Words Rose! "

Ruhani gulped at his words and she gathered all her courage and said in a low voice " O..Ok"

Sashwat : " Good girl" .

Sashwat moved a strand of her hair and said by moving towards her ears : " Don't disobey me Rose because you are my rose . I can blossom you as well as pull you out from the soil . Ok? "

Ruhani felt like an electric wave passed through her body. She shivered slightly but tried to maintain her stern expression . Sashwat smirked and leaned over her and said " My rose , only mine ". He kissed her on her forehead and left from there. Ruhani was still in shock. She cannot comprehend the abrupt change in his behaviour. At first he was so angry at her and now he was speaking calmly with her.

Ruhani moved out of the room and came down the stairs. She was roaming out the corridor when her eyes went to that room , which was located at the last corner. She was about to move ahead when the words of Sashwat clicked on her head. She withdrew her steps and moved towards  her room once again .

Ruhani was thinking that what would be there in that room? Were there people locked? Or there will be money ? Or something scary? Or ... Ughhhhh..

Ruhani was getting irritated now she cannot stay now without knowing the truth of the room so she decided  to open the room when it will be in the night time .

The day passed like this , she was getting so bored that she slept at 7 pm in the evening. Suddenly she felt someone's gaze on her so she started moving in her sleep. She opened her eyes and saw Sashwat looking at her .

Why are you watching me?” she mumbled, a mix of curiosity and annoyance lacing her voice.

“Just making sure you’re okay,” he replied, his tone low and serious. The warmth in his voice was a stark contrast to the warning he had issued earlier. Ruhani felt a swirl of emotions—confusion mingled with a budding intrigue about the man beside her.

“I feel fine,” she said defensively, dismissing the distress that something dangerous lurked just beneath the surface of their interactions. Yet, a small part of her was undeniably drawn to him, captivated by his mysterious nature.

“Good. I was worried you might have changed your mind about exploring that room,” Sashwat said, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were testing her resolve.

Ruhani hesitated, the memory of his warning flooding back. “Why do you care so much?”

“Because, Rose,” he said, leaning closer, “I know things you don’t, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” His voice dropped an octave, sending shivers down her spine.

“Then tell me what’s in that room!” she blurted out, desperation creeping into her tone. She needed to understand the mystery that shrouded Sashwat's words, the hidden truth he had alluded to.

But he shook his head slowly, a smirk creeping onto his face. “Some secrets are best kept that way, don’t you think?”

Ruhani felt a mix of frustration and fascination. Part of her wanted to challenge him, to push the boundaries he was setting, but a more rational part urged her to heed his warnings. Yet, that urge only intensified her curiosity further.

Sashwat picked up on her internal struggle. “You can’t go there, Ruhani.” His voice had shifted now, softer yet urgent. “If you do, you might open a door you wish you hadn’t.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re being dramatic.”

“Am I?” he countered, leaning back a little as he let the weight of his words settle in the air between them. “You saw how easily things between us shifted. Emotions can be as dangerous as the secrets behind that door.”

“Why do I feel like your words are both a warning and an invitation?” she asked, her frustration boiling over into equal parts intrigue and defiance.

“Because you’re my rose, and with every rose comes thorns.” He stood up, smoothing out his shirt as he prepared to leave. “Just remember, curiosity can lead to beautiful things… or to pain.” He paused at the door, glancing back at her with a look that left her breathless. “Choose wisely, Rose.”

And then he was gone, leaving her alone in the dim light of her room, her heart racing, mind spinning with questions and possibilities.

At night Ruhani was not being able to sleep . So she decided to move to the room she wanted to discover from morning.

Ruhani's heart was beating  at a very High rate. In  her chest as she found herself standing before the door at the end of the corridor. The moonlight filtered through the gaps, casting eerie shadows that danced across the floor. The thrill of her decision pushed her forward, but as she reached for the door handle, she felt a sharp pang of disappointment.

It was locked....

She sighed heavily, her earlier excitement deflating like a balloon losing air. She turned to leave, feeling foolish for letting her curiosity override her better judgment. But even as she took a step back, her heart sank further.

“Thought you’d be brave enough to try?” The voice came from behind her, low and edged with anger.

Ruhani turned around to find Sashwat standing just a few feet away, his expression dark and ferocious like a storm brewing on the horizon. The anger in his eyes was palpable, making her breath catch in her throat.

“I—” she stammered, but the words stuck in her mouth. She had been reckless, and now she was caught.

“I told you to stay away from this room!” he growled, moving towards her with a predatory gaze “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Ruhani held her ground, defiance flashing in her eyes. “I was just curious! You can’t keep secrets from me forever, Sashwat! I need to know why you’re acting this way!”

“Curiosity can lead to danger,” he responded, his voice thick with warning. Before she could react, he took a powerful step forward, grabbing her wrist with a firm grip.

He pulled her and brought her towards q dark room and locked her inside the room . Ruhani kept pushing the door and pleading to him but it had no effect on him . He said in a deep voice " I told you rose , i will punish you. So here is your punishment you will be allowed to go outside after tomorrow night. Okk!!!! "

Ruhani was crying very badly. She said in middle of her hiccups " Pleasee....., please... Don't l.. leavee... Meeee "

But Sashwat remained unaffected by her words and he left from there.

Ruhani huddled in the far corner of the dim room, her back pressed against the wall as she struggled to suppress the rising tide of panic that washed over her. Nyctophobia had always plagued her, a relentless fear of the dark that made even the shadows feel threatening.

With every creak of the room and every fleeting whisper of the wind outside, her heart raced faster, making it harder to breathe as the dark pressed in around her. She was struggling to get breaths now.

She tried to focus on something—anything—to ground herself. But the silence was deafening, and with the low light fading quickly, her mind warped the shadows into monstrous shapes, amplifying her fears.

Thoughts of Sashwat’s anger and the unknown dangers lurking outside the door flooded her mind. The urgency of moments before seemed like a distant memory, overshadowed by the engulfing dread of being alone in that dark room.

As she sat surrounded by the heavy darkness, it felt like the walls were closing in on her. The air seemed thick, making it hard for her to breathe. Her heart raced loudly in her chest, echoing in the silence around her.

Panic started to creep in, making it difficult to think clearly. No matter how hard she tried to stay calm, the shadows around her appeared to come alive, twisting and moving in a way that made her feel more afraid.

Eventually, her eyes began to close, a sign that she was giving up to the overwhelming darkness around her. Reality blurred, and she couldn’t tell what was real anymore. She felt exhausted, with no strength left to fight against the fear. Just as everything started to fade away, her heart was still racing, but soon that sound faded too. In the end, she slipped into unconsciousness, surrounded by the darkness that had become too much for her to handle.

After hours , Sashwat who was busy with his work but still still feeling a wave of restlessness in his mind , so he decided to look at her condition from the security camera which was set up in that room. The screen played the live footage and Shashwat's heart skipped a beat in when he saw her unconscious figure , utterly  still in the corner of the room.

“Sashwat!” Her voice echoed in his mind, the urgency of her earlier pleas coming back to haunt him. Fear propelled him into action as he sprinted down the corridor, his heart racing. He could immediately sense something was wrong; that look of fear in her eyes just moments before haunted him. He hadn’t intended to keep her locked away in a room filled with her worst fears.

He reached the door and found it still locked. Without hesitation, Sashwat forcefully turned the knob and stepped inside, his heart pounding in his ears when he saw her laid down on the floor. She was pale, and her chest barely rose and fell—a sight that sent a jolt of panic through him. “Rose!” he shouted, rushing to her side and kneeling on the cold floor.

Picking her up, he cradled her in his arms, brushing back the strands of hair that had fallen across her face. “Wake up,” he murmured urgently, his voice softer now, laced with concern. “Ruhani, come on, please.” The warmth of his body seemed to stir her, but she remained unresponsive, lost in the depths of her fear-induced slumber.

With a surge of determination, he began walking quickly but carefully toward the bedroom where he had first found her. As he entered, he laid her gently on the bed, making sure she was comfortable. Sashwat’s heart did a flip as he watched her in silence, his worry reached to the surface. He had never intended for things to escalate like this, and seeing her so vulnerable made him acutely aware of the consequences which she faced.

He hurried to find a glass of water and a damp cloth to cool her forehead, hoping to bring her in senses. The silence felt heavy, punctuated only by her gentle breathing. He took a seat on the edge of the bed, trying to keep calm and collected, but a storm of thoughts churned in his mind.

What if she didn’t understand? What if he had pushed her too far too quickly? He cursed himself for not considering her fear of darkness, for not realizing the extent of what locking her away would do to her. Guilt gnawed at him as he gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, wishing he could chase away her fear with just a touch.

After what felt like an eternity, Ruhani began to move. Her eyelids fluttered open, and confusion washed over her features as she took in her surroundings. Panic flickered in her eyes as memories flooded back—the room, the lock, the darkness. She sat up abruptly, the sheets twisting around her as she looked wildly around. She started taking deep and long breaths.

“Ruhani, it’s okay,” Sashwat said softly, his tone soothing as he leaned closer and embraced her “You’re safe. You’re with me.”

She blinked, trying to piece everything together. “Sashwat?” she whispered, her voice shaky and filled with uncertainty. “What happened?”

“I found you in the room,” he explained, his gaze steady and reassuring. “You passed out from fear. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you there. I didn’t realize…” His voice trailed off, heavy with regret.

Ruhani moved a little more closer to him and said by sobbing " You locked me in that room.... I thought you would never..."

Sashwat kept hand on her mouth and said " It will never happen " .

Sashwat held her steadily with her shoulder and said " Look at my eyes !". Ruhani was very scared so she kept her eyes lowered. But Sashwat lifted her face and forced her to look at his eyes. He said after leaning over her " Tumhe mai Zindagi bhar ke liye laya hu. Kabhi bhi nahi Jane dunga khud se dur . Agar tum patal me bhi chali gyi na tab bhi m tumhe patal she bhi dhundh ke launga .

(I have brought you for life. I will never let you go far from myself. Even if you go to  hell, I will find you even from hell. )

“I’m calling the doctor,” he said firmly, releasing her wrist but not letting her out of his sight. He stepped away to make the call, leaving her in the dim room, still grappling with the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her.

A short while later, the door creaked open and walked a middle-aged man with a kind disposition, his white coat brushing against his knees. He offered a warm smile, but there was a seriousness in his eyes as he approached Ruhani.

“Mr Raichand mentioned you’ve been having some difficulties,” the doctor began, pulling out a small flashlight to inspect her pupils. “I need you to relax and tell me what you’re feeling.”

Ruhani’s heart raced as she found herself underwater, desperate to fight through the fog in her mind. She began, “It’s the dark… it frightens me. I thought I could overcome it, but…”

“It’s called nyctophobia,” the doctor interjected gently, his voice steady and reassuring. “It’s an intense fear of darkness that can stem from past trauma. People with this phobia can feel overwhelming anxiety, panic attacks, or a sense of dread when faced with dark environments.”

The weight of his words hung in the air like a heavy fog, and Ruhani felt her throat tighten as she realized the significance of what he was saying. “So, it’s not just me being irrational?” she whispered, almost ashamed.

“Exactly,” the doctor replied. “Your condition is valid. It’s a response your body has developed to protect you from what it perceives as danger. But it’s important to address it, to work through the anxiety and find ways to manage the fear.”

Sashwat listened intently, his initial anger replaced by a fierce determination to help her. He stepped closer, his expression softening. “We can get through this, Ruhani. I’ll be here every step of the way.”

The doctor continued to explain possible treatments, emphasizing that therapy,  “Medication may also be an option, but let’s start with counseling sessions to better understand your triggers,” he said.

Ruhani nodded slowly, processing the information while glancing between the doctor and Sashwat. “I just want to feel normal again,” she admitted, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye.

Sashwat moved to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “You don’t have to face this alone, Rose. We’ll figure this out together. You’re stronger than you think.”

The comforting warmth of his reassurance settled something deep within her. For the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of hope. With the support of the doctor and Sashwat, maybe she could reclaim her life from the shadows that haunted her.

As the doctor provided information about the next steps, Ruhani felt the fear begin to wane slightly. Perhaps in this partnership with Sashwat, she would find the courage to confront the darkness—both within and around her.

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𝕤ᴏ ᴄᴜᴛɪᴇ𝕤. ᴛʜɪ𝕤 ᴡᴀ𝕤 ᴛʜᴇ twenty third cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ. ᴅʀᴏᴘ 𝕤ᴏᴍᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ𝕤 ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍʏ 𝕤ᴛᴏʀʏ. ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪ𝕤 ᴘᴀʀᴛ. ᴘʟᴇᴀ𝕤ᴇ 𝕤ʜᴀʀᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ𝕤 ᴀɴᴅ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ. ᴀʟ𝕤ᴏ ᴀᴅᴅ ᴛʜɪ𝕤 𝕤ᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ. ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ 𝕤ᴏᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇ𝕩ᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ. ᴛɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ☺☺.

ʙʏᴇᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟɪᴇ𝕤 😘😘....

ᴅᴏ ʜɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏᴛᴇ ʙᴜᴛᴛᴏɴ.... ᴘʟᴇᴀ𝕤ᴇ..... 😭

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