Page 85 of One Hellish Love

Kashish rolled her eyes. “Not yet. I’ll pick something up tomorrow before I get to the office.”

“Sounds good. Alright, take care. Bye for now.”

As the call ended, Kashish put her phone down, an idea forming in her mind. She knew exactly what to buy for Rudra. But to pull it off, she’d need his measurements. How was she going to get those?

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

The next morning, Kashish confided in Anjali about the office’s secret Valentine game and how fate had landed Rudra’s name in her chit. She shared her struggle to find him a gift and how, now at the eleventh hour, she was left with only one option.

“Measurements? But how will you know his shirt size?” Anjali asked, whisking eggs for omelets.

“Shekhar might know. Can you ask him?” Kashish suggested, desperation creeping into her voice.

“I doubt Shekhar’s ever paid that much attention to Rudra’s shirt size,” Anjali replied, glancing thoughtfully. “But I’ll check with him anyway.”

“Please, I need to buy him a shirt and get it wrapped up. Today’s the deadline to submit gifts,” Kashish pleaded.

“Alright, I’ll ask him.”

Anjali left the kitchen, disappearing upstairs. When she returned a few minutes later, her face was apologetic.

“Sorry, Kashish. Shekhar has no idea. You’ll either have to change your gift or, well... get the measurements yourself.”

“No way,” Kashish muttered, frustrated. “He’s already in his bedroom—what excuse do I have to barge in and check the size of his shirt?”

Anjali thought for a moment but came up short. Then she brightened. “By now, he’s probably in the shower. You could give it a try.”

Kashish sighed in disbelief. She wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but with no other options, she reluctantly agreed.

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do.”

She rushed upstairs, cautiously pushing open the door to Rudra’s bedroom, which, to her relief, wasn’t locked. A quick glance around told her he wasn’t there. Moving quickly, she spotted a shirt neatly folded on the bed—probably the one he planned to wear for work today. She grabbed it, noting the sizeand brand. Just as she was about to leave, the bathroom door clicked open.

Rudra stepped out, wrapped in a bathrobe, his wet hair still dripping. He froze for a second, surprised to see Kashish in his room who immediately placed the shirt back on the bed, but her heart raced, knowing she’d been caught. However, Rudra didn’t seem to care. Instead of questioning her, he walked right past, ignoring her entirely as he made his way to the mirror to dry his hair.

Kashish blinked in disbelief.What just happened?Was he not going to ask why she was in his room? His indifference annoyed her. It was as if her presence meant nothing, like she belonged here. How dare he!

“Am I invisible to you?” she snapped, glaring at his reflection in the mirror. “You just walked past as if I don’t exist.”

Rudra glanced at her once, meeting her gaze through the mirror. “I don’t waste my attention on irrelevant things,” he mocked coldly.

Kashish clenched her jaw and took a step forward. “I don’t need your attention either,” she shot back, her voice sharp.

“Then why are you in my room?” he replied, turning to face her fully. “This is the last place you should be.”

Her frustration flared, but she held her ground. “You’re the last person I should care about, and yet here I am, trying to show some consideration for this family. I’m doing them a favor before I leave for good.”

Something in her words pierced Rudra’s heart.Leave?Would she really leave this house forever? Could he let that happen? And most importantly how could Kashish, who thrived on the company of others, live all alone? She wasn’t the type to live in isolation—she needed people, laughter, and warmth.

“You don’t have to leave you know,” he said quietly. “You can stay here, with everyone.”

Kashish’s anger deepened, but Rudra continued before she could respond.

“I know it hasn’t been easy for you, living in this family—especially with me around. But I’ll be gone in two months. You won’t have to see my face again. No one’s doing you a favor by letting you stay here. In fact, if you choose to stay, you’ll be giving this family something priceless, something they’ll miss if you leave.”

His words hit her harder than she expected. She could see the unexpected similarity in their thinking. Just as she had taken it upon herself to heal his hidden wounds, Rudra, in his own way, was trying to offer her a future without demands, without expectations.

“Think about it,” he urged.

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