Page 9 of One Hellish Desire

“You're not fine. Take off your shirt.”

“Daadi, I said I'm fine,” I snap.

Daadi seems amused by my tone, and she steps back. Instantly regretting my harshness, I grasp her arms.

“I didn't mean to shout at you.”

She looks down, pain etched on her face. “Your father never raised his voice at me,” she murmurs.

“Neither would I. It's just that I'm not in the mood for anything right now. I'll apply the ice pack in a bit. I need to be alone for a while. Please.”

She sets the ice pack on the table and leaves. This is how I've lived all these years—not needing anyone around me during my weak moments. Once I'm alone, I sit on the recliner and remove my shirt. The burns look severe, but something else hurts more. Cub is getting engaged?

MAAHI

An hour has passed since the incident, and none of us have seen him. After Shyam leaves, I make my way to Prince Pompous's room, tasked by Daadi to call him for dinner. I suspect Daadi is intentionally ignoring the fact that I'm the one who hurt her grandson because he damaged my phone. She wants us to be on speaking terms, a desire she's expressed since our childhood. She loves us both equally and wishes for us to be cordial with each other.

I knock on the door, but it's ajar. I find him standing before the mirror, shirtless, applying the ice pack to his burns. He spots me in the mirror and his frown deepens.

“Daadi wants you to come down for dinner,” I inform him.

He turns to face me. “You have no sense of other people's belongings,” he scowls. “I don't know who made you a fashion designer. You only know how to ruin expensive clothes. First the wine, and now hot coffee. Open a laundry service instead of a boutique, Maahi.”

I clench my teeth, refusing to let his mockery slide. “I'll open a laundry business when you open a mobile showroom. You seem to have a fondness for tampering with people's phones, don't you?”

“I told you, when someone messes with me, I mess with them too.”

“I believe the same,” I retort. “That makes us even now.”

I don't know why I'm arguing when I had intended to apologize. But seeing his attitude, I decide to save my apology for later.

“Daadi is waiting for us at dinner,” I say before leaving his room.

He doesn't keep us waiting long, gracing us with his presence. Daadi starts serving his plate the moment she sees him, a habit from his childhood visits when she would even feed him. He eyes me before taking his seat.

“Just us? I thought we had guests,” he taunts, glancing my way.

“Guest?” Daadi asks, confused. “Oh, you mean Shyam?” She smiles. “He left a while ago.”

I take my seat and begin eating, not wanting to interrupt his conversation with Daadi. But her next question catches us both off guard.

“You didn't mention you visited the Devaki Estate today.”

Devaki Estate? Vikram visited Devaki Estate today? He chokes on his water, quickly gulping it down to ease his throat.

“Yes,” he admits. “I went to the Devaki Estate. It's a beautiful piece of land.”

Daadi smiles.

“It's so vast and economically valuable. We could benefit from putting it to better use,” he adds.

Daadi looks puzzled, and I jump in. “We already have plans for it,” I say.

“We?” he glares at me.

“Maahi has some wonderful ideas for that land. You should hear her out sometime,” Daadi says.

“Sometime?” he taunts. “I thought she's getting engaged in a few days.”

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