Page 239 of One Hellish Love

(It’s easy to show the scars that mark the skin,

But how do I express the pain within?

She was woven into every part of my story,

How do I summarize her in just a few words?)

Kashish’s heart clenched as memories flooded back—of the day he was sentenced for his crime, of the stone she threw at him, leaving a permanent mark on his forehead. This was his way of coping, of giving voice to the pain that had haunted him all these years. She flipped through the pages, skimming someof the older pieces until one caught her eye—one from after they had met again, after 11 long years of silence and distance.

Paas hoke bhi dur hoon uske bina,

Woh hai meri taqdeer ya khuda se maangi hui ik dua.

Koi aake yeh samjha de mujhe zara,

Kya kehte hai isse hi mohabbat bepanaah

(I find myself, yet feel distant without her,

Sometimes you seem like my destiny, other times just a prayer to God.

Can someone come and explain this puzzle to me,

Just tell me—if this is what it means to be in love?)

Kashish’s breath hitched. Just as she was about to read further, Rudra appeared out of nowhere, snatching the diary from her hands.

“What the—” she gasped. “Rudra! You write so beautifully!”

“You weren’t supposed to read that,” he snapped, though his eyes softened almost instantly.

“Why not?” she challenged, crossing her arms.

He quickly locked the diary back in the closet, his jaw tightening. “Because it’s personal. My pain… my thoughts. They’re not meant to be shared.”

Kashish stood her ground.

“Everything that’s yours is mine now, Rudra. Your name, your pain—everything. I don’t want you to hide from me.”

Rudra sighed, stepping closer.

“Since you’ve accepted my love, there’s no more pain left to hide. Everything in that diary was from before. Before you came back into my life.”

Kashish cupped his face.

“But it’s still beautiful. I’m so proud of you, baby.” She kissed the tip of his nose, making him close his eyes for a moment.

She poked him playfully.

“Are you sure you didn’t write anything after we got back together?”

He smirked, his eyes twinkling.

“Once. After I came back to Paris.”

“What did you write?” she asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Rudra hesitated for a second but then gave in with a sigh. “Fine… here it goes.”

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