Page 86 of One Hellish Love

Kashish stood there, speechless. She knew she could never stay in this house, not even if the heavens themselves demanded it. But something in his tone, in the sincerity of his offer, made her hesitate. Before she could respond, a knock at the door startled them both.

Daadi entered, her eyes immediately narrowing as she saw Kashish standing in Rudra’s room, with her grandson half-dressed. Kashish’s breath caught, and without a word, she bolted out of the room, brushing past Daadi as she went. Daadi glared at her retreating figure before turning her attention to Rudra.

“What was she doing here?” Daadi asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.

“Just talking, Daadi. Why? What’s up?” Rudra replied, clearly unfazed.

“I’m going to Haridwar with my friends. They’ve asked me to join them for a pilgrimage, and I couldn’t say no.”

Rudra frowned. “Daadi, you’re not well enough to travel. How can you go?”

“It’s only for four days,” Daadi insisted.

Rudra sighed. He knew there was no stopping her when it came to these spiritual trips.

“Alright,” he relented. “I’ll ask Jay to arrange the jet for you. You won’t be traveling by road.”

Without waiting for an answer, Rudra grabbed his phone and called Jay, giving instructions to prepare for Daadi’s journey.

CHAPTER 30

The next morning, Daadi departed for Haridwar. But before she left, she made sure to remind Kashish to take action on the marriage proposal for Rudra. Kashish had agreed, but deep down, she knew it wouldn’t be possible until Rudra confronted and began healing from his phobias. After Daadi was gone, Kashish set out to buy a formal shirt for Rudra—the only gift she could think of for him. She handed the measurements to the store assistant, her mind elsewhere.

“Which color, ma’am?” the assistant asked.

Kashish didn’t hesitate. Rudra was a man devoid of color, always hiding behind his favored whites.

“White,” she replied.

The assistant presented a variety of shades and patterns in white, and Kashish momentarily found herself overwhelmed with choices. But eventually, she picked one. Lately, hadn’t she been thinking far too much about him, almost subconsciously? It gnawed at her, a subtle warning in her mind—this can’t be normal. But she dismissed it. All of this would pass soon. After Valentine’s Day, after Rudra began his sessions with the psychiatrist, and once she arranged his marriage to the woman of Daadi’s choice, her role would be complete. That would repay the kindness the Raheja family had shown her.

She paid for the shirt, had it gift-wrapped, and then headed to work. At the office, Jay was already collecting gifts from the staff, and the excitement was palpable. Valentine’s Day wastomorrow, with a grand celebration planned at a seven-star hotel after work hours. Kashish had no intention of attending the party, but she couldn’t skip the event where the secret Valentine gifts would be exchanged. Like it or not, she had to be there.

As she sat at her desk, a sudden thought struck her—she had booked an appointment for Rudra with Dr. Akash Dixit. She quickly opened the company messenger and informed Lavina, sharing the details of the clinic and the appointment time. Lavina assured her she’d take him there. Satisfied, Kashish closed the chat and returned to work.

An hour later, Lavina knocked on her door, looking anxious.

“Kashish, I’m so sorry. I can’t take Rudra today,” Lavina said, her voice filled with regret.

Kashish immediately stood up. “What? Why not? You said you were free at that time.”

“I was, but Rudra just assigned me a task to meet with reporters about the next event. It was supposed to be next week, but somehow it got pushed up.”

Kashish felt her stomach sink. “But... can’t you reschedule the meeting? The appointment took so much effort to arrange.”

Lavina shook her head. “I can’t, Kashish. I’m really sorry. Can you reschedule the appointment?”

“No, I can’t,” Kashish said, her frustration mounting. “I had to pull strings to get it for today.”

Lavina sighed, looking at the clock. “Then you’ll have to take him yourself. I’ll definitely join him for the next sessions.”

Kashish’s eyes widened in shock. “No! That’s impossible. I can’t take him there.”

“Why not?” Lavina asked, exasperated. “You’ve been the one pushing for this. No one’s better suited to lead him there than you.”

Kashish turned away, avoiding Lavina’s gaze. “I don’t understand why everyone thinks he’ll listen to me. He barely acknowledges me.”

Lavina sighed again. “I wish I could stay and convince you, but I have to run or I’ll be late. If you don’t take him today, we’ll have to reschedule. I’m sorry, Kashish.”

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