Page 187 of One Hellish Love

Uttam Nagar

Shekhar honked the car horn, signalling Kashish to hurry. From the window, she waved back, gesturing for two more minutes. She still needed to turn off the lights and lock the door. Before leaving, she glanced at herself one last time in the mirror. She had chosen a simple yet striking knee-length red dress—no other colours, just pure, deep red. Exactly how Rudra liked it. Her hair, usually straight, had soft curls cascading down her shoulders. She wondered briefly if he would prefer her natural straight hair instead. What if he wasn’t a fan of curls? The thought sent a jolt of nervousness through her. Tonight had to be perfect. She couldn’t bear to ruin their long-awaited dinner date.

The car horn blared again, pulling her out of her thoughts. She quickly grabbed her keys and hurried outside, locking the door behind her. Anjali stepped out of the car, smiling, and the two women embraced.

“Red, huh? Me too,” Anjali teased, showing off her elegant red gown.

Kashish laughed.

“You look stunning, Anju. I bet Shekhar hasn’t stopped showering you with compliments—and maybe even kisses?” she teased back, raising an eyebrow.

Anjali blushed. “Yeah, sort of.”

“That explains why you two are late to pick me up,” Kashish added and the two giggled again.

Shekhar honked the horn a third time, his voice carrying an impatient edge.

“Ladies, we’re running late. Get in.”

Kashish slid into the backseat while Anjali took the front next to her husband.

“Has Rudra already reached the venue?” Kashish asked, her nerves creeping back as they pulled away.

“He should be there by now,” Shekhar replied. “He had to drop Daadi at her Satsang first. She doesn’t know about tonight’s plans, though.”

“I hope she won’t be upset if she finds out later,” Kashish said, her concern evident. “I feel bad… we’re sort of leaving her out.”

“Kashish, spending time with your family isn’t wrong,” Shekhar reassured her. “Don’t worry so much. Relax.”

Feeling a bit more at ease, Kashish pulled out her phone and sent Rudra a quick message:

Started.

Anjali caught Kashish’s reflection in the rearview mirror, her curiosity piqued.

“Shekhar,” she began playfully, “don’t you think we should’ve let these two go on their date alone?”

Kashish frowned.

“Anju, stop teasing me. I’m already nervous enough.”

“Nervous?” both Shekhar and Anjali echoed, turning their attention to her.

Kashish bit her lip. There was no way she could tell them aboutPlan B—that was something only she and Rudra shared, their private secret. She quickly shifted the topic.

“I mean, this dress... I hope Rudra likes it.”

Anjali grinned knowingly.

“Why wouldn’t he? Rudra adores everything about you.”

That’s true. She couldn’t wait for this evening—for the intimacy of the night, and for the memories they’d create. Tonight, would be etched into her heart forever.

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Restaurant

Rudra stood by the reserved table, deep in conversation with the manager, when he felt a sudden shift in the air, a gust of wind brushing past him. Something pulled his attention, and when he turned, his heart skipped a beat. There she was—Kashish—in a red dress that set his pulse racing. She had kept her word. The colour alone was enough to ignite the heat between them, but the way she wore it—the confidence, the grace—left him breathless. Shekhar and Anjali took their seats, but Rudra only had eyes for Kashish. He mouthed a softhi, and she responded with a shy smile as he pulled out a chair for her, sitting close but deliberately refraining from touching her. He could feel the tension between them already, the subtle charge that Plan A was in motion.

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