Page 144 of One Hellish Love

“Fine. I’ll wait until you’re done.”

“No,” she protested, softening her tone. “I don’t need a babysitter, Rudra. If you stay, I’ll just feel rushed. I promise I won’t push myself too hard. Let me finish this, and I’ll come home when I’m done.”

Rudra studied her for a moment before reluctantly nodding. He grasped her hands in his, before leaning over and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“Alright. I’ll send the driver back after dropping me off. Come home soon.”

“I will.”

Though uneasy about leaving her alone, Rudra respected her space. After all, Kashish wasn’t just his girlfriend—she was a dedicated professional with commitments to fulfill.

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

Jaipur residence

When Rudra arrived back at the guest house, he was greeted by Jay, waiting with a box in hand.

“I wasn’t expecting you so soon, Jay.”

“Shekhar Sir insisted I deliver this to you as quickly as possible. So, I took the next available flight.”

He handed Rudra the box—inside were his mother’s bangles. His heart warmed at the thought of gifting them to Kashish and made a mental note to thank his brother for making it happen so quickly.

“Stay and have dinner with me,” Rudra offered.

“No, Boss, that’s alright. I’ve got a flight to catch early tomorrow.”

“You won’t be late if you have dinner here. I hate eating alone,” Rudra insisted.

Jay hesitated but eventually agreed. After freshening up, Rudra joined Jay at the table as the maids served their food. The conversation shifted to work, and Rudra took the opportunity to catch up on the latest updates from the Delhi office.

Midway through the meal, Jay paused to share something he recalled.

“Boss, this reminds me. While booking my flight using the company system, I noticed another return flight had been booked yesterday. A return flight from Delhi to Jaipur.”

Rudra raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“I don’t recall anyone from the Delhi office coming here for work,” Rudra replied, now curious. “Did you check the name of the passenger?”

“I didn’t, but I can fetch the details and let you know once I’m back there tomorrow morning.”

Rudra initially dismissed the idea but then remembered how Kashish had taken an unexpected day off yesterday—right before she confessed her feelings for him. Could this flight be connected to the sudden shift in their relationship?

“Yes,” Rudra said, his tone sharpening. “Find out the name, Jay. I want to know.”

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

Kashish returned home at 11:30 p.m., utterly drained. All she wanted was to collapse into bed and let sleep take over. It had been an exhausting day at work, and she barely had the energy to walk inside the house. The silence downstairs suggested Rudra was already asleep, but she knew better. He never slept soundly until she was home safe. She stepped into her room, only to be met with a surprising sight—a beautifully pressed red saree laid neatly on the bed. Beside it was a handwritten note. She set her purse down and picked up the note to read it.

“Wear this and come to the poolside.”

Her brow arched. Rudra was planning something. Despite the exhaustion weighing her down, something deep inside stirred, urging her not to refuse his request. She quickly freshened up and slipped into the saree, though not being a pro at wearing it, she managed to drape it decently. With a final glance in the mirror, she headed toward the poolside, following the trail of dimmed lights that guided her through the lobby.

The sight that awaited her stunned her—a candlelit dinner, elegantly arranged by the pool. Anger bubbled up inside her as she thought Rudra had skipped his dinner to have with her. Before she could even process the effort behind the setup, she spotted Rudra approaching from the other end.

“You didn’t eat? Rudra, you need to take your medicines on time. Why did you wait for me?” she scolded.

Rudra’s eyes never left her. He was too mesmerized by how breathtaking she looked in that red saree, too captivated to answer. His silence irked her even more. Just as she was about to snap at him again, he reached her, gently took her hand, and guided her to a chair. She didn’t resist.

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