Chapter 1: The First Night Truth
The clock struck midnight.
The room was filled with silence, heavy and suffocating, broken only by the faint ticking of the wall clock. The soft glow of dim lights reflected off the decorated walls, still carrying the fragrance of fresh roses and incense from the wedding rituals.
Afreen sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her hands resting nervously on her lap. Her bridal dress shimmered under the golden light, but her heart felt restless. This was supposed to be the happiest night of her life — the beginning of a new journey, a new relationship.
But something felt… off.
Her heart was beating faster than usual. She tried to calm herself down.
"Maybe I'm just nervous," she whispered to herself.
After all, it was her wedding night.
A moment she had dreamed of.
A moment every girl waits for.
Suddenly—
Click.
The sound of the door unlocking echoed in the silent room.
Afreen quickly lifted her eyes toward the door.
It slowly opened.
Her husband walked in.
Her breath caught in her throat.
This was the moment.
But something wasn't right.
He didn't look at her.
Not even once.
Without saying a word, he walked past her as if she didn't exist. His footsteps were steady, but there was something strange about his behavior — something cold, distant… almost unsettling.
Afreen frowned slightly.
"Is he nervous too?" she thought.
Trying to break the silence, she spoke softly,
"Are you… okay?"
No response.
He didn't even turn around.
Instead, he walked straight toward the wardrobe and opened it quickly, almost in a hurry. His movements were sharp, restless — like someone trying to hide something.
Afreen slowly stood up.
Her curiosity was turning into concern.
She took a step forward.
Then another.
"Did something happen?" she asked again, this time a little louder.
Still no answer.
Now she could clearly see his back. His shoulders were tense, and his hands were moving quickly inside the wardrobe, as if searching for something… or hiding something.
Afreen's heartbeat grew louder in her ears.
Something was definitely wrong.
She moved closer.
"Please… say something," she whispered.
At that exact moment—
He froze.
Completely still.
The room fell into a deeper silence.
Afreen stopped walking.
Her breath became uneven.
Slowly… very slowly… he began to turn around.
And that's when she saw it.
Her eyes widened in horror.
There was blood on his hand.
Fresh.
Dark red.
Dripping slightly from his fingers.
Afreen's body went cold.
Her voice trembled as she spoke,
"W-what is this…?"
He looked at her.
For the first time since entering the room.
His eyes were not soft… not warm… not loving.
They were dark.
Cold.
Almost emotionless.
Afreen felt a chill run down her spine.
"This… this is blood," she whispered, her lips shaking.
"Whose blood is it?"
Silence.
He stared at her for a few seconds.
Then he took a step toward her.
Afreen instinctively stepped back.
Her mind was racing.
Thousands of thoughts flooded her head at once.
"Was he hurt?"
"Did something happen outside?"
"Or… did he do something?"
Her heart pounded harder.
"Answer me!" she said, her voice now filled with fear.
He stopped just a few steps away from her.
The distance between them felt dangerously small.
Afreen could almost feel the tension in the air.
Then finally—
He spoke.
But his voice wasn't what she expected.
It wasn't gentle.
It wasn't reassuring.
It was cold.
Sharp.
And terrifyingly calm.
"You don't have the right to know the truth."
Afreen felt like the ground slipped beneath her feet.
"What…?" she whispered.
Her eyes filled with disbelief.
"I'm your wife," she said, her voice breaking. "If something is wrong, I deserve to know!"
He clenched his jaw slightly.
For a moment, it looked like he was about to say something more.
But instead—
He turned away.
As if the conversation was over.
As if she didn't matter.
Afreen stood frozen.
Tears gathered in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.
Not yet.
Her mind refused to accept what was happening.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
This wasn't the beginning she had imagined.
Her wedding night had turned into something dark… something frightening.
Something unknown.
She looked at his hand again.
The blood was still there.
Real.
Unmistakable.
And suddenly—
A terrifying thought crossed her mind.
"What if…"
"What if that blood belongs to someone… he hurt?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
She took a slow step back.
Then another.
Her breathing became heavier.
The man standing in front of her…
Was he really her husband?
Or was he a stranger hiding behind a mask?
The silence between them grew louder.
More dangerous.
More suffocating.
Afreen realized something in that moment.
She had entered a life she didn't understand.
A marriage filled with secrets.
And tonight—
She had just seen the first glimpse of the truth.
But deep inside…
She knew.
This was only the beginning.
And the real horror…
Was yet to come.