His gaze softened, but his lips stayed sealed.
“I told you, you’ll know soon. Now, get back to work. And no staying late like yesterday—I mean it.”
She bit back her questions, sensing he wouldn’t budge, and gave him a mock salute before turning to leave. But just as she was about to shut the door, she glanced back and saw him dialing another number, his face growing serious once again. Whoever he’d been speaking to earlier, it clearly wasn’t over.
CHAPTER 49
Raheja Mansion
Shekhar and Anjali’s sudden decision to visit Jaipur caught Daadi completely off-guard.
“I don’t understand why you’re both so determined about this trip,” Daadi resisted, though it wasn’t that she didn’t want to see her grandson—she missed Rudra dearly.
“Daadi, I thought you’d be the first to agree!” Shekhar countered. “Rudra would be overjoyed to see you there.”
A faint smile touched Daadi’s lips.
“But our presence might disrupt his work.”
“Not at all! You know Rudra. He keeps his professional and personal life very separate,” Shekhar reassured.
Daadi glanced at Anjali, who nodded enthusiastically, echoing Shekhar’s plea.
“Fine,” Daadi sighed, “I’ll pack my bags too.”
Shekhar and Anjali exchanged triumphant glances.
“But this has to be a surprise,” Anjali chimed in. “Neither Rudra nor Kashish should know we’re coming.”
Daadi agreed, though she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this sudden trip than met the eye.
*******************
Jaipur
Kashish lounged on the couch, engrossed in a novel. It wasn’t something she usually indulged in, but after spotting a colleaguereading it at work, curiosity had piqued her interest. As she read, her cheeks flushed at one particularly romantic passage.
Rudra approached from behind, lightly tapping her shoulder before handing her a mug of coffee.
“Thanks,” she said, barely glancing up as she took the cup, still lost in her story.
“Novel?” Rudra asked, settling beside her.
“Hmm. It’s pretty intriguing,” she replied, sipping her coffee.
“And what exactly makes it so intriguing?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The hero,” she smiled, blushing again. “He’s so… perfect. Calm, focused, intelligent, and deeply passionate about the woman he loves.”
Rudra’s muscles tensed. “And what’s so special about this guy?”
“Everything,” she gushed, “He’s got this firm dedication to her. It’s just... mind-blowing.”
Rudra smirked before pulling her closer, his fingers threading through her hair.
“Why bother with fictional heroes when you’ve got a real one right here?”
His teasing words struck something deeper in her, though she knew he was just toying with her emotions.