Page 175 of One Hellish Love

‘That was your punishment. And I could ask you the same—you had my Paris number. Why didn’t YOU message me?’

Kashish frowned at his response. She quickly typed back.

‘I was just respecting your punishment.’

Rudra chuckled.

‘Smart woman. Now, go to sleep and meet me in our dreams.’

Kashish blushed as she placed her phone down, knowing that if she replied, their conversation would continue, and none of them would sleep tonight. He wanted her to rest, and for once, she would obey.

******************

As Kashish prepared for work, an unusual spark of excitement coursed through her. After enduring two long months without him, she finally had the chance to see Rudra again—every single day. It felt like an unexpected blessing, a chance to be near him once more. But she still grappled with the question that haunted her: was Rudra content with her love, or did he still harbor complaints?

The doorbell rang, pulling her out of her thoughts. Confused, she wondered if it could be Rudra, even though she had told him not to pick her up. Why couldn’t he respect her boundaries? The bell rang again, more insistent this time. She hurried to the door, only to freeze when she saw who was standing there.

“Daadi?”

Kashish instinctively stepped back as Savitri Raheja entered the house, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings with an air of judgment.

“You seem to have settled in,” Daadi remarked with a scrutinizing gaze.

“Yes... Would you like to sit? I’ll make some tea,” she offered, trying to remain polite despite the tension in the air.

“No need. I didn’t come here for tea,” Daadi’s voice cut like ice.

Kashish knew this wasn’t going to be a pleasant visit. Daadi had always been determined to keep her away from Rudra, and she could feel the weight of that disapproval pressing on her now.

“You’ve played your trick again, haven’t you?” Daadi’s words were sharp, accusatory.

“What trick?” she frowned

“I thought, maybe, just maybe, when you left Raheja Mansion, you finally realized that Rudra wasn’t meant for you—that you were stepping back for the greater good. But I was wrong. You left knowing full well that he’d come running back to you the moment he found out. Clever, Kashish. If it weren’t about my grandson, I’d almost admire your tactics,” Daadi sneered.

Kashish didn’t flinch. She had grown accustomed to Daadi’s bitterness, but this accusation felt particularly cruel.

“You’ve always misunderstood me, Daadi. That’s not your fault or mine—it’s the circumstances we’ve all been caught in for years. But I assure you, I don’t play tricks. If I wanted Rudra back so desperately, I wouldn’t have let him leave for Paris in the first place.”

Daadi blinked, momentarily stunned by her calm and direct response.

“Your explanations won’t change my mind. This is your last warning—don’t cross the line. Rudra is far beyond your reach. Let him go.”

The harshness of Daadi’s words stung, but Kashish refused to let her see the hurt.

“I’ll tell you this for the last time, Daadi—don’t try to pull Rudra away from me. He won’t survive it. I’ve considered your words before, knowing the pain my father caused your family. I’ve even thought about leaving him for his own good. But I can’t. Even if I die, he’ll never stop loving me. And I refuse to push him back into the darkness after I’ve given him a reason to hope again.”

Daadi’s eyes flared with anger, but Kashish remained calm, unshaken.

“I’m getting late for work,” Kashish added, her tone polite but firm. “If there’s nothing else, can we leave this here?”

Daadi’s pride prickled at Kashish’s composed defiance. She couldn’t understand where this girl drew her strength from—perhaps it was Rudra’s love that fortified her resolve. It infuriated her.

“I’ll still give you time,” Daadi said, one last attempt to assert control.

Kashish didn’t miss a beat.

“Two months. That’s all the time you have to accept me for your grandson. We agreed yesterday. I convinced Rudra to give you that much. If you accept us by then, we’ll marry sooner. If you don’t, we’ll still marry after two months. The choice is yours—decide when the wedding happens.”

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