Today I got the time so I updated the story.

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Sleepless Night, Lingering Fear.

Shehnaaz couldn't sleep. The scary things she saw in the basement kept coming back in her mind. She kept seeing Sidharth's angry face and the hurt man.

Her room felt like a prison now, even the pretty things didn't make her feel safe. She stayed awake for a long time, listening to the quiet sounds of the big house. Every creak made her jump.

She thought about trying to leave, but she was too scared of what Sidharth might do. Rohan's warning to forget what she saw also made her worried.

Finally, when the sun started to come up, she was still awake and tired. The memory of the basement was still fresh and scary. The house didn't feel safe anymore. Sidharth's anger and the hidden darkness felt like a heavy cloud over everything. She felt more alone and scared than ever before.

The pale morning light that filtered through Shehnaaz's window did little to dispel the darkness that clung to her after the sleepless night. Her body ached with tension, and her eyes felt gritty from unshed tears. The horrifying images from the basement were still vivid, and the echo of Sidharth's furious words rang in her ears.

Shehnaaz forced herself out of bed, the simple act feeling like a monumental effort. She moved through her morning routine like a ghost, her mind numb with fear and disbelief. The familiar comforts of her room offered no solace; they were just window dressing in a house that held such terrifying secrets.

When Riya came to check on her, she found Shehnaaz pale and withdrawn. "Mrs. Shukla, are you alright? You look... unwell," Riya said, her brow furrowed with concern.

Shehnaaz managed a weak smile, trying to appear normal. "I didn't sleep well, that's all." She couldn't bring herself to speak of what she had witnessed, remembering Rohan's warning and the sheer terror Sidharth had unleashed.

Riya looked at her with a hint of suspicion, perhaps sensing that something more was wrong, but she didn't press. "Mr. Shukla has requested your presence for breakfast." Her tone was neutral, offering no clue to Sidharth's mood.

A fresh wave of anxiety washed over Shehnaaz. The thought of facing Sidharth after what she had seen filled her with dread. How could she sit across from him, knowing the cruelty he was capable of? How could she pretend that everything was normal?

With a deep breath, Shehnaaz forced herself to appear composed. She couldn't let Sidharth see how deeply his actions had shaken her. She had to survive in this terrifying world, and that meant learning to mask her fear, to navigate the shadows without betraying the horror she now carried within her. The forced normalcy of breakfast felt like walking a tightrope over a dark abyss.

The breakfast room felt vast and cold as Shehnaaz entered. Sidharth was already seated at the head of the long table, calmly reading a newspaper as if nothing had happened the night before. The contrast between his composed demeanor and the terrifying rage she had witnessed sent a fresh wave of chills down her spine.

Shehnaaz moved to her usual seat, her movements stiff and unnatural. She kept her gaze lowered, avoiding any direct eye contact with him. The silence in the room was heavy, thick with unspoken terror and the forced normalcy she was trying to project.

A servant quietly placed a plate of food before her, but Shehnaaz had no appetite. The memory of the tortured man and Sidharth's brutal face was a suffocating weight in her chest.

Sidharth finally lowered his newspaper, his dark eyes sweeping over her. His expression was unreadable, giving no hint of the fury he had unleashed the night before.

"Did you sleep well, Shehnaaz?" His tone was casual, almost conversational, a stark contrast to his menacing words.

Shehnaaz forced herself to meet his gaze, trying to keep her expression neutral, betraying none of the fear that churned within her. "Yes, thank you," she managed, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears.

Sidharth studied her for a long moment, his eyes piercing, as if trying to see through her carefully constructed facade. She held her breath, terrified that he would see the fear in her eyes, the knowledge of his dark secret.

He finally nodded slowly, a hint of something unreadable flickering in his gaze. "Good." He picked up his newspaper again, dismissing her as if the terrifying events of the previous night had never occurred.

The rest of the breakfast passed in strained silence. Shehnaaz picked at her food, her mind racing. How could he act so normal? Was this his way of asserting his dominance, of showing her that he was in control and that she was powerless?

After the strained breakfast, Shehnaaz retreated quickly to her room, the taste of fear still bitter in her mouth.

The sheer normalcy Sidharth displayed was more terrifying than his anger. It showed a chilling ability to compartmentalize, to be one kind of monster and then instantly switch back to a composed, powerful man.

She closed her door, leaning against it, feeling the cold wood against her trembling back. The vastness of her room, which once felt grand, now felt suffocating. The silence was heavy, filled only with the frantic beating of her own heart and the echoes of Sidharth's threats.

She walked to the window, looking out at the meticulously kept grounds. It was a beautiful day, full of sunshine, but it felt irrelevant, a cruel mockery of the storm raging within her.

She was a prisoner, not just of the mansion, but of the terrifying knowledge she now carried.

Shehnaaz sat on the edge of her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She had no one to talk to, no one to confide in. The staff were loyal to Sidharth, and Rohan, though he showed subtle concern, had warned her to remain silent. The weight of her secret, the horror of the basement, felt crushing.

She tried to distract herself by thinking about her family, her simple life before all this. But the images were blurry, distant, replaced by the vivid nightmares of chains and dark basements.

Her innocence, once her shield, now felt like a vulnerability, making her more susceptible to the chilling darkness she had uncovered.

The day stretched long and lonely. Every shadow, every distant sound, made her jump. She felt an overwhelming sense of isolation. She was living in a gilded cage, surrounded by luxury, yet utterly alone with her terror.

The silence of the mansion was no longer peaceful; it was a constant reminder of the secrets it held and the terrifying man who held them.

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So, how was the chapter.

How do you think Shehnaaz is coping with the terrifying secret she's now carrying? (Focuses on her mental state).

VOTE/COMMENT/FOLLOW

TAKE CARE.