Page 135 of One Hellish Love

“Oh God. Rudra must have been devastated.”

“He was,” Kashish sobbed. “But despite everything, he put me first. He always puts me first, even over his own pain.”

Shekhar fell silent for a moment, sensing the deep emotions she was harboring for Rudra. He had never seen her so vulnerable before.

“Thank you for warning me about Daadi,” she said after a pause. “I’ll handle it from here.”

“Are you sure? Me and Anju can come if you need us,” Shekhar offered.

“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “Daadi will only feel more betrayed if she thinks I’ve turned the whole family against her. You two stay there. I’ll face her on my own.”

Shekhar hesitated, but then sighed. “Alright. But I know one thing for sure—Rudra won’t let anything happen to you. He’ll protect you, more than anyone else could.”

Kashish nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “I know.”

After hanging up, she sank onto the bed. She couldn’t keep relying on Rudra to fight her battles. He had done enough for her. It was time for her to take charge of her own life, to show him that she could stand strong on her own. A storm was coming, but Kashish was ready. She had a purpose now—to protect the man who had given everything for her, to finally give him the peace he deserved. She would face this challenge, and nothing could break her now.

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

The next morning, when Rudra came downstairs, he found Kashish rushing around the breakfast table. She looked anxious, moving with a sense of urgency. As he approached, she immediately handed him a plate of pancakes and a glass of juice.

“Thank God you’re here. These are your pancakes and juice,” she said, pushing them toward him. “Eat quickly, the car is already waiting outside.”

Rudra frowned, sensing something unusual in her behavior.

“Why are you in such a rush? We still have an hour before we need to leave.”

“The Mehtas have scheduled a meeting for 9:00 a.m. You can’t miss it,” she replied hastily.

“What meeting? Why wasn’t I informed about this earlier?” he asked, suspicious now.

“Last-minute changes,” she sighed. “They’re our clients. We don’t have control over these things.”

Rudra’s instincts flared. Something wasn’t right. “I’ll call Jay and check,” he said, reaching for his phone.

Kashish quickly stopped him, her hand darting out. “Jay doesn’t know either. I told you, it’s a last-minute change. You’ll be late if you don’t hurry.”

He studied her for a moment before deciding to trust her. There was no obvious reason for her to lie. Reluctantly, he began eating quickly.

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked, noticing her empty plate.

“I’ve taken the day off,” she responded casually. “I’ll eat later.”

Rudra’s concern deepened. “Why are you suddenly on leave? Is something wrong?”

Kashish huffed in frustration. “Rudra, stop interrogating me. I’m human. I get stressed too.”

His worry only intensified. “You’re not feeling well? Let me call the doctor—”

Before he could finish, she snatched his phone and placed it firmly on the table.

“Stop worrying so much. I’m fine. I just need a day to myself. As per company policy, I’m allowed at least one day off a month.”

Reluctantly, Rudra backed off.

“Alright, fine. Take some rest. But if you need anything—”

“I’ll handle it,” she interrupted, not wanting him to fuss over her any further.

---