The night had fallen softly over the house, casting long shadows across the corridors. The once vibrant sounds of laughter and music from the evening now faded into a quiet stillness, almost deceptive in its calm. Katha moved slowly down the dimly lit hallway, her footsteps whispering against the cool marble floor. Her mind felt heavy, weighed down by emotions she had tried so hard to suppress all evening. Every sound, every flicker of light seemed magnified in the quiet night, mirroring the turmoil churning within her.

“Katha!”