Page 107 of One Hellish Love

“Come back soon,” he warned. “Or I’ll come looking for you.”

Kashish brushed off his worry. She didn’t need his overbearing concern. With a last look, Rudra climbed back into the car, and Mohan drove off toward Raheja Mansion. Kashish turned her back to the road and began her walk toward the Bedi house, her heart thudding in anticipation of what she might uncover.

CHAPTER 36

It was dark outside, the streetlights casting a dim glow on the veranda. Kashish fumbled through her purse, her fingers trembling as they searched for the house keys. When she found them tucked in the back pocket, she exhaled sharply, trying to swallow the knot of nerves tightening in her throat. Steeling herself, she unlocked the door and stepped inside. She flicked the switch, and the house flooded with light, bringing back every memory that had once made this place a home.

The living room stood as a shrine to her past—her father’s hands gently oiling her hair as she sat on the sofa, his fingers weaving her braid with care. He’d wanted her hair to be strong and long like her mother’s. Every weekend, it had been their ritual. She took a few hesitant steps inside, her eyes sweeping across the spotless space. There wasn’t a speck of dust. Shekhar had seen to that, sending his servants to keep the place clean while she had avoided it, unable to confront the pain that lay in every corner of this house. It was pristine, but it felt empty—like her heart.

As she entered the small kitchen, more memories rushed back. Her father, always there, cooking her favorite meals—aloo poori and dal rice. She could still picture herself sitting on the kitchen counter, helping him cut vegetables. One time, she had hurt her finger with the knife, and he’d rushed her to the clinic, guilt clouding his face for days as the cut healed. That had been his love—unbreakable, infinite, the kind that never let go.Tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall. She swayed, dizziness overcoming her, but she forced herself to stay upright. She’d been through too much today. From coaxing Rudra into seeing the psychiatrist, to digesting the depth of his phobia, and now, stepping back into this house after years. She couldn’t afford to break down—not yet.

She made her way to the bedroom, feeling a sense of claustrophobia in what once felt like a vast space. Everything seemed smaller, suffocating. She dragged herself toward the bed, knowing that beneath it lay her secret place—the one only her father and she knew about. A small, inconspicuous tile had to be lifted, beneath which was the trunk. That trunk had held her most precious possession, her doll, hidden from the world, away from the clutches of her neighbourhood friends who had always wanted to take it from her. Her father had shown her the spot when she was just a child, promising her it was their secret. Now, as she crouched down, her fingers trembling, she pried the tile loose.

Kashish finally pulled up the ceramic tile, her hands shaking. There it was - a small trunk, hidden where no one would think to look. As she stared at the trunk, questions raced through her mind. Why had her father left a message like this? Had he known he was in danger? Had he been afraid? Sweat trickled down her face, but she didn’t even notice. Her whole focus was on the trunk and the key Veeru Kaaka had given her. Moving slowly, hardly daring to breathe, she put the key in the lock and turned it.

The trunk opened with a soft click.

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Rudra was halfway back to Raheja Mansion when his phone rang. It was Shekhar.

“I’m on my way, Bhai. I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” Rudra answered.

“Is Kashish with you?” Shekhar asked.

“No... I dropped her at Uttam Nagar,” Rudra replied, pausing as something unsettled gnawed at him.

“Uttam Nagar? Why?” Shekhar asked, surprised. “Did she go to her house? She was asking me for the keys earlier, but she hasn’t set foot there in over 11 years.”

A sinking feeling settled in Rudra’s chest. He clenched his jaw, a flood of worry rushing through him.

“I’ll check on her. Don’t worry,” Rudra reassured before hanging up. “Mohan, turn around. We’re going back to Uttam Nagar.”

Mohan nodded, making a swift U-turn. Rudra’s anxiety bubbled. He cursed himself for leaving her there alone. Something about the way she’d brushed him off didn’t sit right. She wasn’t supposed to be there—alone, confronting whatever demons that house held for her. He should have stayed with her.

“Mohan, hurry!” Rudra ordered, his voice sharp with urgency.

Mohan sped up, sensing the tension radiating from his boss. Rudra’s heart raced faster with each passing minute. Something was wrong—he could feel it in his bones. Kashish was in trouble, and every second wasted felt like a lifetime.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up outside Kashish’s house. Rudra stepped out of the car, his heart pounding in his chest. This was the place where it had all begun—the place where he had unwittingly shattered her life. But none of that mattered now. She was inside, and she needed him.

“Kashish!” he shouted as he rushed into the house, his voice echoing through the empty rooms. There was no response. Panic surged through him as he tore through the house, finally reaching the bedroom. The sight of her nearly brought him to his knees.

She sat on the floor, lost in her own world, tears streaming down her face, her body trembling. She was clutching a piece of paper, her eyes empty, as though the weight of the world had crashed down on her.

“Kashish?” he called softly, dropping to his knees beside her, his heart twisting painfully at the sight of her so broken.

She didn’t even acknowledge him. Her gaze remained distant, locked on something he couldn’t see. He reached out to touch her face.

“Kashish, speak to me,” he pleaded.

Still no response. Slowly, she lifted the paper toward him, her hand trembling as if the very act of passing it to him took everything she had left. He swallowed hard, taking the paper from her hands, and as he began to read, he realized why this was the source of her pain—the secret that had shattered her world all over again.

‘Kashish,

My little child, if you’re reading this, it means Veeru has fulfilled his promise of giving you the key. I instructed him to wait until you were grown enough to understand. It tears me apart to write this, but it’s the only way I can explain why I won’t be there with you anymore.

I’ve been diagnosed with a brain tumor. It’s in its last stage, and the doctors have given me only three months to live. They say I need immediate hospitalization, but the cost is too much, and there’s no certainty I’ll survive. After your mother left us, I made it my mission to raise you and carry both our burdens. But it seems God has other plans. He’s taking me from you, much sooner than I had hoped. I can’t bear to spend my last days waiting for death, watching you suffer as I slowly fade. So, I’ve made some difficult decisions.

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