Page 28 of One Hellish Love

Rage burned inside her, hotter than ever. She had been waiting for this moment for years—waiting to tear down the man who had destroyed her world. And yet, even after everything, he refused to break. He refused to let her win.

But Kashish vowed it wasn’t over. Not yet. She would keep going until Rudra Raheja was completely shattered. Until there was nothing left of the man who had taken everything from her.

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The next morning, Kashish made sure to leave for the office early, deliberately avoiding the morning puja. She had already caused enough tension in the household and didn’t want another confrontation with Daadi. The wounds were still fresh, and time was the only balm. She also avoided asking Shekhar for a ride to the office—she couldn’t bear to accept more favors from the same family whose grandson she was still plotting her revenge against.

Her routine was clear: half the day would be spent in training, and the other half working on design sketches as per Tanuja’s requirements. They had even assigned her a small cabin, where she could work independently—a space of her own.

But as Jay led her to the cabin, her heart sank. It was right next to Rudra Raheja’s, separated by just one glass wall.

“Is there... no other cabin I could use?” Kashish asked, her discomfort obvious.

Jay looked confused. “Why? What’s wrong with this one? It’s the best on this floor—spacious, great ventilation, and right next to the design team. Perfect for your work.”

Her mind screamed;I don’t want to see his face every second.But she bit her tongue, aware of her professional boundaries.

She hesitated before nodding. “It’s fine. I’ll manage. Thanks, Jay.”

Jay smiled. “No problem. If you need anything, just let me know.”

As soon as he left, Kashish immediately slid the curtains closed, shutting herself off from Rudra’s view. She settled into work, her mind consumed by the sketches, losing track of time.

By 6 p.m., she was still engrossed in her designs when Shekhar knocked on her door.

“Kashish, let’s wrap it up for today. We can head home together,” he suggested.

“No, Shekhar,” Kashish replied, not even looking up. “I still have work to finish. You go ahead.”

“Can’t you finish this at home?”

“I’ll lose my flow if I stop now,” she insisted. “You go on. I’ll come later.”

Shekhar frowned. “You avoided riding with me this morning too. What’s going on?”

“I don’t want to burden you with more favors,” she said, her voice quiet but firm. “I don’t need Daadi thinking—”

“What she thinks doesn’t matter,” Shekhar interrupted gently. “We’re not narrow-minded, Kashish. You should know that by now.”

Kashish smiled weakly. “I appreciate that, but I’ll finish up and come later.”

Shekhar sighed in resignation. “Fine, but at least let me send the car for you.”

“I’ll manage,” she insisted again. “I’m not a kid anymore. I can get home on my own.”

He hesitated but finally relented. “Alright, fine. Be safe.”

Shekhar locked her cabin door behind him and left. An hour later, Rudra was preparing to leave the office when he noticed the lights in Kashish’s cabin were still on. Curious, he called Jay to check.

“Boss, I’ve told her to leave twice already, and Shekhar Sir even asked her to come with him, but she’s still working. She said she’ll finish up and head home later,” Jay explained.

Rudra nodded. “Alright.”

Jay was about to leave, but Rudra stopped him. “Hold off on getting my car. I just remembered I have some things to finish up.”

Jay didn’t think much of it and said his goodbyes, leaving Rudra alone in the office.

By 8:15 p.m., Kashish had finally wrapped up her work. She noticed the rumbling thunder outside, signaling an imminent downpour. She needed to hurry. Gathering her belongings, she rushed out of the building, already trying to book a cab.

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