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Rain battered the windows in relentless sheets, and the wind howled through the trees like a beast clawing at the house.

Adhira stood in her kitchen, the faint glow of the overhead light casting long shadows over the tiled floor. The chill of the storm seemed to seep through the walls, prickling her skin.

She opened the fridge and took out a loaf of bread, the cold air rushing out like a silent warning.

The storm outside intensified, a sudden gust rattling the windows and causing the lights to flicker for a moment.

She frowned and wiped her damp hands on the back of her jeans, brushing off the cold.

Her fingers trembled slightly, though she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the growing unease curling inside her.

Then, the sharp, shrill ring of her phone sliced through the quiet kitchen. Her heart jumped.

She glanced at the screen - an unknown number. Hesitating only for a second, she moved to wash her hands quickly under the sink, scrubbing away the cold and the sudden, creeping fear.

As she dried her hands on her jeans - awkwardly, almost brushing her hip - she picked up the phone, holding it close to her ear.

"Hello?" Her voice was steady, but just barely.

A slow, husky voice whispered back, dripping with a chilling tone that made her blood run cold.

"Helllloooo..."

Her breath caught. "Neel? Is this you?" She forced a laugh, trying to convince herself it was a prank, some sick joke.

"No, babydoll," the voice replied, low and rough, like gravel scraping against glass.

Adhira blinked, her hand pausing mid-air as she opened the fridge again.

She leaned in, searching for the sauce she wanted, and with one hand, she scooped some onto her finger.

The cold tomato sauce slid over her skin, and almost instinctively, she licked it off - a little nervous tick - then closed the fridge door carefully with the inside of her thigh.

Her heart pounded loud enough she was sure he could hear it through the phone.

"Then who are you?" Her voice was quieter now, uncertain.

"Your love." The voice was a cruel whisper, the words crawling over her skin like icy fingers.

"Love?" She laughed, a hollow sound. "I don't know any 'love' who calls like this."

"I stalk you. Every day. Every minute. Every second." The voice was relentless, a predator circling.

She straightened up and grabbed a knife to chop vegetables, trying to sound indifferent. "Lots of people stalk me. Doesn't mean anything." Her hands moved faster, trying to focus on the mundane task.

"I'm not like them, babydoll." The voice was soft, but venomous.

"Right. And I'm supposed to believe this isn't a prank?" She forced a grin, though her hands betrayed her - trembling as the knife cut through the carrot.

"Fine." The voice drawled dangerously, "But if you chop vegetables like that, you're going to chop your fingers off."

A cold shiver raced down her spine. The words weren't a joke. They were a warning.

"Let me help you..." The voice taunted.

Adhira froze. The knife slipped slightly in her hand. For a moment, she thought she might drop it. Panic surged through her veins like ice water.

Suddenly, she cut the call, the screen going black. She stood in the eerie silence, breathing hard, her back pressed against the cold countertop. Her fingers clenched into fists.

All the windows and doors in the house suddenly felt too vulnerable. She moved quickly, locking each one - the deadbolts clicking with finality. The storm outside screamed louder, the house seeming smaller, closing in.

She sank to the floor, hugging her knees, and let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her chest heaved, the adrenaline rushing in waves. The house was too quiet again - too empty.

Adhira's chest tightened. The ringing phone broke through the thick silence again, the shrill sound cutting into her nerves like a blade. Almost, her heartbeat skipped a beat - a small pause in the rhythm of her terror.

Swallowing hard, she forced herself to pick up the call again.

"Who the hell are you, motherf***er?" she screamed into the phone, voice sharp, trembling with both fury and fear.

There was a brief silence on the other end - then the voice came, smooth and cruel, like velvet dipped in poison.

"Babydoll... are you scared?"

Her eyes narrowed, fists clenched so tightly the nails bit into her palms. "I asked you. Who are you?"

The line went dead for a moment - as if he was savoring the silence - before he spoke again, slower this time.

"Wanna listen to your favourite song?"

Adhira blinked, frustration flooding her veins. She closed her eyes tightly for a second, as if shutting out the nightmare might make it disappear.

But then, a faint sound drifted from the drawing room - the first haunting notes of a song she knew well, playing softly but unmistakably.

Her heart jumped into her throat.

She placed the phone down carefully on the kitchen counter - the surface cold beneath her fingertips - and grabbed a knife from the block.

The blade gleamed in the dim kitchen light, reflecting her wild, panicked eyes.

Her breath was shallow and fast as she moved quietly toward the drawing room. Every step was measured, the knife gripped tightly in her right hand like a lifeline.

The storm outside hammered against the windows, thunder crashing in tandem with her pounding heartbeat.

She flipped the light switch - and the room flooded with harsh white light.

She grabbed the remote from the sofa and pressed the power button, silencing the TV. The sudden quiet was suffocating.

Then - a new sound. Soft, deliberate tapping.

Heavy boots hitting the floor, approaching slowly but steadily.

Her body froze. Her eyes darted frantically across the room.

Footsteps.

Somebody was coming closer.

Her breath hitched, her chest tightening as panic bubbled up in her throat. She could feel it crawling up her spine - cold, unrelenting.

The tapping grew louder, echoing through the empty house.

She backed toward the hallway, knife trembling in her hand.

Her mind screamed at her to run, but her legs felt rooted to the spot.

Then - click.

The power in the entire house cut out.

Darkness swallowed everything.

The only light was from the flashes of lightning outside, throwing long, twisted shadows across the walls.

Adhira's eyes darted left and right, straining to see in the blackness.

Her breath was ragged. Her hands shook.

Then, she heard it - a whisper of movement, something brushing against the floorboards just a few feet away.

She could feel the presence close, too close.

Her body tensed like a coiled spring.

Suddenly - a shadow loomed in the flashes of lightning, moving with slow, deliberate steps.

Adhira gripped the knife tighter, every muscle trembling with adrenaline.

The footsteps paused - just a breath away.

She raised the knife, heart hammering in her chest.

And then, without thinking, without hesitation - she lunged forward, driving the blade into the darkness.

A harsh grunt echoed.

She heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a heavy thud.

The figure crumpled at her feet.

She stepped back, panting, eyes wild in the blackness.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Who- who are you?" she demanded into the void, voice cracking.

Silence answered.

The storm raged on outside, but inside, the house was dead still.

Then, slowly, the lights flickered back on.

Standing before her - breathing heavily, shirt stained - was a man.

His face was shrouded in shadows, but the glint in his eyes was unmistakable.

"You're mine, babydoll," he said softly, almost lovingly.

Adhira's stomach twisted in fear and disgust.

She raised the knife again, trembling but resolute.

"Get away from me," she whispered fiercely.

He smiled - a slow, chilling smile.

"Not until you listen... and please me."

Her world spun.

She realized the nightmare was just beginning

Adhira's breath hitched as she lifted the knife, muscles coiled tight, ready to strike. Her mind screamed at her to end this nightmare right now - to fight back, to survive.

But before she could move, a sudden, iron-strong grip closed around her wrist.

Her knife hand was caught.

Shock flared through her veins. The man's other hand slid smoothly around her waist, pulling her abruptly into his body.

She gasped, struggling fiercely, twisting to break free, but his hold was relentless, like iron bands tightening around her.

She couldn't see his face - it was swallowed by shadows, but the scent of him was sharp, cold, invading.

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs, panic exploding in her chest.

"Let me go!" she hissed, voice trembling with a mixture of fear and rage.

But he didn't say a word.

Instead, his face moved closer, impossibly close - and then his lips crashed onto hers.

The kiss was fierce, desperate, cruel - a possession.

Her body froze, shock rooting her in place as the world tilted sideways.

One of his hands remained locked firmly around her waist, holding her tight against him.

The other hand - the same one that had captured her knife - squeezed it, controlling it.

She felt the cold metal press against her own skin, a silent warning.

She tried to wrench away, pushing at his chest, her fingers clawing, but his grip didn't loosen.

His kiss deepened, like he was claiming her - forcing her into his darkness.

Her breath hitched, mingling with his, the storm raging louder outside as if echoing the chaos inside.

Her mind screamed, Fight. Run. Survive.

But her body betrayed her, trembling against his hold.

And in that terrifying, suffocating moment, Adhira realized: this was no longer just a nightmare she could wake from.

"Babydoll..." the man whispered against her trembling lips, the cold pressure of the knife still resting between them.

"Did you like it? Or should we continue to the next process?"

Adhira's entire body jerked.

Her breath hitched sharply - and everything went black.

---

She gasped.

Her eyes flew open with a strangled breath, heart slamming against her chest like a trapped bird. Sweat clung to her skin, soaking her collarbone. She sat up abruptly, body shaking, only to find herself staring into the familiar eyes of Neel.

He was sitting in front of her, his brows furrowed with concern. "Adhira? Hey. Hey... you're okay."

Her vision was hazy, her limbs trembling. She glanced around - she was in her bedroom. The soft sheets tangled around her legs. The gentle hum of the fan above. No storm. No knife. No shadow man.

Just Neel.

She blinked. Once. Twice.

Her bottom lip trembled.

"It was... it was just a dream?" Her voice cracked like glass.

Neel reached for her gently, wrapping his arms around her as she fell forward into him. She clung to him like a lifeline, burying her face in his chest, still unsure if this moment was real or just another layer of the nightmare.

"I'm here, Adhira," he whispered, stroking her hair gently. "Relax, honey. You're safe."

"I-I was in the kitchen... someone came here. He touched me-he kissed me-I couldn't see his face-" She spoke in rushed fragments, her breathing shallow and fast.

"No one's here," Neel said calmly, pulling back just enough to look at her tear-stained face. "When I came home, I found you fainted on the floor. Right outside the kitchen."

"What... what happened to me?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"You've been working nonstop. You're exhausted. You probably just collapsed from stress. That's all, baby. You need rest."

His voice was soft. Warm. Reassuring.

His hand gently patted her head, and for a moment, she let herself believe it.

Let herself breathe.

She closed her eyes again and slowly drifted back into sleep.

---

The Next Morning

The sunlight filtered through the curtains, warm and golden. Birds chirped outside, and the world looked... normal again.

Adhira sat up in bed, running a hand through her messy hair. The heaviness of the nightmare had faded just a little, replaced by a strange calm.

She moved through her morning routine. Brushed her teeth. Took a hot shower. Slipped into her work clothes - a deep green blouse tucked into black pants - and even applied a little lipstick.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

You're okay. You're fine. It was just a dream.

She smiled softly to herself.

But then - she realized something was missing.

Her phone.

She glanced around the room. Checked under the pillows. On the side table. Near the bathroom sink.

Nowhere.

With a small frown, she made her way to the drawing room, barefoot, her steps soft against the floor.

"Maybe I left it on the couch," she murmured to herself.

She knelt down beside the coffee table, moving some papers, peering between the cushions.

And then she saw it.

A small, dried stain on the floor.

Dark.

Red.

She froze.

Her heart stilled.

It looked like... blood.

Right where she had stabbed him in the dream.

No. Her mind screamed. No, no, no. It was a dream. It was just a dream.

But her eyes remained locked on the stain.

She stepped back slowly, hands trembling. Her throat tightened, breath quickening again.

She looked around the room.

Everything felt different now - the sunlight suddenly too harsh, the silence too loud.

Her dream hadn't been just a dream.

Something had happened here....

__________________________________

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