Page 143 of One Hellish Love

“I’ve been wondering the same thing, Anju. Something’s not adding up. I asked Kashish about it once, and while she seemed calm, I could tell she was upset. I’m not sure what happened between her and Daadi, but something changed. And whatever it was, Daadi hasn’t said a word to Rudra about it. She hasn’t even talked to him about fixing a wedding date, which is strange given how eager she always was to see him married.”

Anjali nodded, agreeing with her husband’s suspicion.

“It’s odd. She’s always been so vocal about wanting Rudra to settle down. What happened?”

“Something’s off,” Shekhar muttered. “And before it gets worse, we need to figure out what’s going on.”

Anjali nodded in agreement. Whatever it was, both Kashish and Daadi were hiding something. And Shekhar was determined to uncover the truth before it was too late.

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

Mehta Office

Kashish tossed the finalized sketches for the Mehtas on her desk. They looked elegant, but they lacked the spark she wanted. The collection was meant for summer, and while she’d avoided bright shades and focused on light, breathable fabrics, something still felt off. It wasn’t glamorous enough. Tomorrow, she’d have to present these to the client, and though her team had been working on the designs, she wanted to have backup options. She couldn’t afford for any of her designs to be rejected.

Sipping her fourth coffee of the day, she barely registered its taste anymore. Her focus remained on the sketches, eyes scanning for any way to elevate them. She needed a breakthrough.

“Time’s up,” Rudra’s voice broke through her thoughts.

Startled, she glanced toward the door. He stood there, arms crossed, his expression firm.

“What?” she asked, confused.

He stepped further into the room.

“Everyone’s left, except us. It’s time to go.”

She shook her head, resisting.

“Not today, Rudra. I need to finish this. There’s no time. You go ahead, I’ll meet you later tonight.”

Without warning, Rudra stepped forward and snatched the designs from her hand, placing them out of reach.

“That’s not happening,” he said firmly.

Kashish frowned, irritation flaring.

“Don’t mix them up. I’ve organized everything for tomorrow.”

Quickly, she retrieved the sketches, rearranging them back into their rightful piles.

“I’m stressed, I know. But I can’t leave. I need to finish this here. I have everything I need.”

Rudra sighed, watching her.

“You need a break, Kashish. Take a breather. You can finish this at home after dinner.”

“I can’t focus at home,” she countered. “Here, I’ve got everything set up.”

His frustration softened into concern.

“I can have the entire desk shipped to our guest house if that’s what it takes.”

Kashish blinked, momentarily thrown by his seriousness. She knew he meant it—he would do anything to help her.

“Thanks, but I’ll manage here.”

He shrugged, knowing she wouldn’t budge.

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