Page 24 of One Hellish Love

Shekhar shook his head. “No, you’ll be late. It’s your second day at work. It won’t look good.”

“I can’t... I can’t travel with him,” Kashish insisted.

“It’s just 30 minutes,” Shekhar reasoned, but she shook her head again, about to protest further.

Suddenly, Rudra ordered the driver to honk the horn—a signal for them to hurry up. Kashish tensed. She couldn’t bring herself to sit next to him. But Rudra, sensing her hesitation, made the decision for her. He opened the front passenger door and slid in beside the driver, leaving the entire backseat empty.

Shekhar smiled, appreciating the gesture. “Still have a problem?” he asked Kashish, his eyes pleading for her to agree.

Kashish swallowed her frustration. She couldn’t delay their departure any longer. Without a word, she climbed into the backseat, and Shekhar followed. The car pulled away from Raheja Mansion, Rudra quietly taking calls from the front, but Kashish could feel his gaze on her through the rearview mirror.

She kept her focus on Shekhar although who talked about their upcoming meeting.

“Tanuja wants to see you today. We’ve got an hour after training for you to meet with her and discuss the designs. Is that manageable?”

Kashish nodded. “Yes, of course. I’m excited to meet her.”

But even as she spoke, she felt a burning awareness of Rudra’s eyes on her. Could he really be watching her? She shook off the feeling, convincing herself it was just her imagination. Why would he even care to look?

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

The evening had finally arrived, and Rudra was reluctantly attending the welcome party. His Daadi had gone all out—lavish decorations, gourmet catering, fine costumes, and top-tier drinks. Everything was perfect, except for the fact that Rudra didn’t want to be there. As Daadi introduced him to relatives one by one, he could feel their eyes on him, their silent questions lingering in the air like ghosts. Each glance seemed to ask the same unspoken questions:What really happened that night?Why were you driving alone? How did it feel to hit a man with your car? Were you drunk? Was it truly an accident, or something more?

Their curiosity bore down on him. His mind spun, struggling to silence the flood of memories. He quickly excused himself, distancing himself from the crowd, trying to regain control. Shutting his eyes, he whispered to himself, “No one cares about your past anymore, Rudra. Calm down.” But it was easier said than done. He had never been good at showing people what was going on inside him. No one knew the turmoil he was fighting, not even his family.

When he opened his eyes, he saw her. Kashish. Standing in the lobby of her room, speaking on the phone, her gaze flickering restlessly down toward the party, as if searching for someone. His heart clenched. Was it him she was looking for? But before he could draw any conclusions, a hand rested on his shoulder.

It was Shekhar.

“Rudra, what are you doing here? Come on, you need to pop the champagne.”

Reluctantly, Rudra followed Shekhar back into the throng of guests. Lavina handed him the bottle. He popped the cork with a loud cheer from the crowd, the sound echoing through the room. For a brief moment, it felt real—like no one cared about the past anymore. Maybe, just maybe, he didn’t need to run from these people. Taking a deep breath, he downed the champagne and began mingling with the guests, trying to lose himself in the shallow conversations.

The dance floor was filled with couples, and before long, Lavina pulled him into a dance. He couldn’t refuse her. The partners began to rotate, and soon Rudra found himself holding a stranger in his arms. She was clearly drunk, a sheepish smile plastered on her face as she leaned in too close.

“Hi, handsome,” the woman slurred.

Rudra remained composed, though he could feel the irritation building inside him. He had encountered women like this before—ones who threw themselves at him because of his status. This one was no different.

“Hi,” he replied coldly.

“I can’t believe it,” she giggled, her hands roaming over his arms. “I’m intheRudra Raheja’s arms. Wow. How cool.”

He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to shove her away. She leaned even closer, her fingers tracing his lips lazily.

“You haunt my nights, sexy,” she whispered.

That was enough. Rudra pushed her away, his disgust clear. He loathed women who touched him so freely, without permission. Not even Lavina, his closest friend, ever dared to do that.

“Stay away,” he growled.

She only chuckled, taking it as a challenge, and moved forward again, her hands about to press over his chest. “I can’t,” she whispered, a wicked grin on her face.

Rage ignited in Rudra. He shoved her harder this time, and she stumbled to the ground, drawing the attention of the entire party. The music stopped, all eyes on them. Rudra stood there, glaring at her, his body radiating fury.

The woman picked herself up, humiliated but defiant.

“Chill man,” she spat loud enough for everyone to hear. “I thought after that accident, you’d become tougher. But you’re just a coward, Rudra Raheja. You’re not worth any woman’s time. You’re the most insensitive man I’ve ever met. Or maybe... maybe you were always this heartless. Isn’t that why you crashed your car into that innocent man? Poor you.”

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