Page 22 of One Hellish Love

Anjali sighed again. These two were impossible.

“Fine, I’ll try to get your anklet from him when he returns,” Anjali said. She then added mockingly, “Should I wash it in boiled water to rid it of his touch too?”

Kashish glared at her, not amused. “No, thanks. I’ll handle that myself,” she replied before pausing. “And it’s not funny, Anju.”

Anjali’s smile faded. “I know. I’ll get it for you, don’t worry.”

Kashish gave a weak smile and left for her room, determined to distance herself from everything related to tomorrow’s party.

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

Later that night, Rudra was back in his room, about to lie down, when Anjali knocked and walked in. Her unexpected visit caught him off guard; their conversations had always been minimal, at best.

“Bhabhi,” he said, surprised. “What brings you here?”

Anjali hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Not at all,” Rudra replied, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “What is it?”

Anjali fidgeted slightly. “It’s about the anklet... Kashish’s anklet. She needs it back, and she sent me to ask you. Can I have it?”

Rudra’s expression hardened as the memory of Kashish’s cutting words came rushing back:“Anything that you have touched can never be mine.”His fingers tightened into a fist, recalling how deeply her words had stung. He walked to the closet, retrieving the anklet from the drawer. Holding it in his hand, the sting of her rejection returned.

Turning to face Anjali, his voice low but firm, he said, “Tell her to come and take it herself.”

Anjali blinked in disbelief. Had she heard that correctly? Rudra had always been indifferent to Kashish’s presence, just as she was to his. What had changed now? Shekhar had already told her about Kashish’s outburst earlier. Clearly, Kashish had wounded his pride deeper than anyone realized.

“Alright,” Anjali muttered, sensing the tension in the room as she left to find Kashish.

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

“What?” Kashish nearly exploded when she heard the news.

“Yes, you heard me right,” Anjali replied, trying to calm her down. “He wants you to come get it yourself.”

Kashish’s blood boiled. How dare he?

“Kashish, I understand you’re angry, but he’s right in a way. Why would he give it to me? You humiliated him in public. If you really want the anklet back, you’ll have to ask for it yourself.”

Kashish didn’t wait for another word. She marched straight to Rudra’s room, her fury driving her every step. Did he really have the nerve to demand a conversation with her? She knew he was trying to build some sort of formal connection, but she wasn’t having any of it. He had already ruined too much of her life. If he thought she would fall into any kind of civil relationship with him, he was sorely mistaken.

She stormed into Rudra’s room without hesitation. He was calmly sitting in his recliner, typing on his laptop. The anklet was laid out on the table in front of him, clearly displayed.

That was it. Without a word, she strode forward and reached for the anklet, but the moment her fingers touched it, Rudra’s hand gripped her wrist.

Time seemed to stop.

For the first time in years, he had touched her, and the intensity of that moment sent a ripple of pain through him. He had imagined this—what it would feel like to finally reach out and hold her, to feel the fury in her gaze, to know he was the source of her rage. Her eyes burned into him, black and furious, as if he had committed yet another crime. But Rudra remained seated, his hand still gripping her wrist, his eyes never leaving hers.

“You don’t seem to grasp office etiquettes,” Rudra said, his voice dark and commanding. “Whatever statement you made today in the office premises hit me right here.” He tapped his forehead with his free hand. “You can throw insults at me all you want, but not where my respect and reputation are at stake—my office.That’s non-negotiable.”

Kashish’s breath caught at his tone. She hadn’t expected him to assert such authority, to speak to her like this. She had every right to be furious with him for what he had done to her father, but this—this wasn’t about the past anymore. She had chosen to enter his world, to work in his office, and now she had to face the consequences of her own decisions.

Rudra stood, still holding her wrist.

“There, you’re my employee, and no matter how much you despise me, you need to control it. I won’t allow you to disrespect me in front of others. If you ever raise your voice at me in public again, consider yourself fired.”

He released her wrist slowly, his fingers pointing at his chest.

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