“What…?” But at that very moment, the call was disconnected.
“Hello?
Hamza?” There was no response.
Areeba tried calling him again.
His phone was switched off.
She placed her phone on the seat and stared silently ahead for a few moments.
Only one question kept circling through her mind.
Why had Grandma written that?
A little while later, the car came to a stop in front of an old iron gate.
Above the gate, on a rust-covered metal plate, there was only one word written— HAVELI Areeba stared out of the car window.
Behind the gate, hidden among dense trees, stood a huge, ancient mansion.
The walls bore the marks of time.
The windowpanes were covered in layers of dust.
And one window on the upper floor…
was darker than all the others.
Areeba opened the car door.
As she took her first step toward the gate, a cold gust of wind struck her face.
And at that very moment…
the same dark window on the upper floor slowly closed.
Areeba stopped.
For a few seconds, she stared at the window.
Then she whispered to herself, “Maybe it was just the wind…” But she had no idea…
that someone inside the mansion was waiting for her arrival.
Areeba pushed the gate.
The old iron gate opened with a strange, eerie creak.
“Chrrrr…” Areeba immediately covered her ears.
“What a place…” she whispered.
A long pathway stretched from the gate to the mansion, covered with wild grass and dry leaves.
Old trees stood on both sides.
Their branches were so thick and tangled that even the daylight barely reached the ground.
Areeba picked up her bag and slowly began walking forward.
With every step, her heartbeat grew faster.
She glanced back once.
The gate was still open.
But suddenly, she felt as if someone was standing behind her.
Areeba stopped.
Slowly, she turned her head.
There was no one there.
Only the wind…
and the faint rustling of the trees.
She tried to reassure herself.
“I’m just getting scared for no reason.” Then she continued walking.