Chapter 4: Whispers at the Cliffside

The cold night air bit at Aarav’s skin as he made his way toward the Ravenshore Cliffs. The town was eerily silent, the dim streetlights casting long shadows on the deserted roads.

The path leading to the cliffs was not well maintained. The cobblestone pavement turned into dirt, and thorny bushes lined the trail. The wind howled through the trees, carrying whispers that sent chills down his spine.

Aarav checked his watch—4:55 AM.

The note had said “before sunrise.” Whoever had sent it wanted secrecy.

His mind raced as he walked. Who was helping him? Could he trust them? Or was this another trap?

The town already felt like it was swallowing him whole.

A Shadow at the Edge

As he reached the cliffside, he spotted a lone figure standing near the edge. The person was wrapped in a dark shawl, their face obscured by the hood. Their posture was tense, as if they were afraid of being seen.

Aarav slowed his steps. His journalist instincts screamed at him to be cautious.

“You actually came,” the person said.

The voice was female, low and rough as if unused for too long.

Aarav stepped closer, making sure to keep a safe distance. “Who are you?”

She hesitated, then pulled down her hood.

Aarav’s breath hitched. The dim moonlight revealed a woman in her late forties, her sharp features lined with worry. Her eyes, though tired, held the same intensity he had seen in Aisha’s photograph.

“My name is Mira Verma.”

The surname hit Aarav like a punch. “Verma?”

She nodded. “Aisha was my sister.”

His heart pounded. This was Aisha’s family. Someone who might finally give him answers.

But before he could speak, Mira took a sharp step forward, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

“You need to leave Ravenshore, Mr. Mehta.” Her voice was firm, urgent. “This town doesn’t forget, and it doesn’t forgive.”

Aarav’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t come here to leave. I came for the truth.”

Mira’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Truth?” She let out a bitter chuckle. “This town buries the truth, Mr. Mehta. And the people who go looking for it…”

She trailed off, but Aarav didn’t need her to finish the sentence.

He had already figured out how Ravenshore dealt with people like Aisha.

The Journal That Could Kill

Mira exhaled, as if debating whether she should continue. Then, with a deep breath, she reached into her coat and pulled out a small, leather-bound notebook.

“This belonged to her,” she whispered, extending it toward him. “It holds the truth. But be careful. People have killed for what’s inside.”

Aarav took the notebook, his fingers brushing against the worn leather. He could feel the weight of its secrets.

“What’s in here?” he asked.

Mira’s eyes darkened. “Everything Aisha was investigating before she vanished. Names, dates, evidence—including what she found on Raghav Malhotra.”

The name made Aarav’s blood run cold.

Raghav Malhotra.

The same man whose name was redacted from the old newspaper article.

A powerful businessman with rumored criminal ties. A name that someone had tried to erase from the official reports.

Aarav’s grip on the journal tightened. “Aisha was investigating him?”

Mira nodded. “She had evidence that could destroy him.”

Aarav hesitated. “If she had enough proof, why didn’t she publish the story?”

Mira’s gaze was unreadable. “She tried.”

Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.

Aarav didn’t need to ask what happened next. The town had made sure Aisha disappeared before the truth came out.

But then why…

“Why send me the letter?” he asked. “Why lead me here?”

Mira took a step back. “I didn’t send you the letter, Mr. Mehta.”

Aarav’s breath caught. “What?”

Mira shook her head. “I’ve been in hiding for years. I wouldn’t dare risk exposing myself.”

Aarav’s mind spun. If Mira hadn’t sent the letter… then who had?

And more importantly—where were they now?

The Warning

Mira glanced around again, her body tense. “I have to go. If they find out I gave this to you…” She didn’t finish the sentence.

Aarav nodded, slipping the notebook into his coat. “I understand.”

But before she could turn away, he grabbed her wrist.

“Mira,” he said, his voice low. “Is Aisha alive?”

Mira didn’t speak for a long time. The wind roared around them, waves crashing against the rocks below.

Then—a whisper.

“I don’t know.”

Aarav felt the weight of those three words settle in his chest.

“I searched for her,” Mira continued. “For years. But I never found a body. I never found proof that she… that she was really gone.”

Aarav nodded slowly. That meant there was still a chance. Aisha could be alive.

Mira gave him one last look. “Be careful, Mr. Mehta. You’re not the only one looking for her.”

Then she disappeared into the shadows, leaving Aarav alone on the cliffside.

The sky was lightening with the first hints of dawn, but the cold in his bones refused to fade.

He had Aisha’s journal.

And with it—the key to uncovering what happened to her.

But if someone had tried to erase her existence before, they wouldn’t stop now.

And Aarav had just painted a target on his back.

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