Page 16 of One Hellish Love

The mere mention of his name brought a chill into the room.

Anjali glanced toward the entrance.

“Here she comes.”

Kashish turned, watching as Rudra gave Lavina a formal hug. Lavina looked effortlessly stylish in a red palazzo and a longcream top, her dimpled smile radiant enough to turn heads. She could easily pass for a model.

“Hi,” Lavina said to Rudra with a teasing grin. “Am I looking okay?”

“You look great,” he replied, his smile warm as he led her inside.

Anjali leaned in toward Kashish.

“Lavina and Rudra have known each other for six years.”

Something about that grated on Kashish’s nerves. A friend of her enemy was no less than an enemy in her eyes. But was it fair to treat Lavina as such? She wasn’t sure. As Rudra and Lavina entered the room, both he and Kashish pretended the other didn’t exist. They exchanged no glances, as though they were ghosts to one another.

Lavina greeted Daadi first.

“Namaste, Daadi. Thank you for inviting me. If you hadn’t, it would’ve taken months for Rudra to bring me here,” she joked.

“Or maybe years,” Rudra added, his attempt at humor earning laughter from everyone—except Kashish, who remained indifferent, her focus clearly not on him or his words.

Lavina made her rounds, meeting Shekhar and Anjali, before finally standing face to face with Kashish. Lavina knew little about her, aside from what Shekhar had shared during a late-night call. The story weighed on her mind, keeping her awake that night, haunted by what Rudra must have gone through because of one grave mistake. Now, Lavina was eager to meet the woman at the center of it all.

“And you must be Kashish,” Lavina said, extending her hand with a smile.

Kashish shook her hand, but Lavina, always disarming, pulled her into a quick hug.

“I’ve been dying to meet you. Your designs? They’re incredible. They could set the fashion world on fire.”

Rudra tensed at Lavina’s words, fearing that too much praise might make Kashish retreat, might drive her away. It had become nearly impossible to see her, even though they lived under the same roof. And while he did his best to avoid her, there was a part of him that craved even a fleeting glimpse of her. Why? He couldn’t explain it. As he watched Kashish and Lavina talk, her smile illuminated by the soft morning light, his heart clenched. For the first time, he could admire her up close—the depths of her kohl-lined eyes, the way her smile softened her features. He ached to be the reason for that smile, just once.

Kashish felt Rudra’s gaze on her, and it unnerved her. There was something unsettling about being scrutinized by the very man who had destroyed her life. Did he think he could earn forgiveness through his silent stares? If so, he was mistaken. It would never happen.

Daadi’s voice broke the moment.

“Breakfast is ready, Lavina. Come.”

Lavina led the way to the dining room, followed by Kashish, Anjali, and Shekhar. Rudra trailed behind; his presence ignored by Kashish as usual. But at least she was joining them for breakfast this time instead of isolating herself in her room. It was a small victory.

As they sat at the table, Daadi started a conversation. “Lavina, how is work going in Paris?”

Lavina smiled. “Everything Rudra touches turns to gold, Daadi. Business is thriving.”

Kashish remained expressionless, biting back a reaction. In her eyes, everything Rudra touched turned to poison, not gold.

Rudra added, “Not everyone has the support Lavina gives me.”

Lavina’s smile brightened. “Thank you. I’m honored. You know, Daadi, the girls in Paris are crazy about your grandson. But he never shows interest in anyone.”

Shekhar and Daadi laughed, but Rudra stole a glance at Kashish, who remained focused on her plate. He wondered if she was listening to this banter—whether it made any impact on her at all.

Daadi teased him. “Why, Rudra? I thought being abroad would pull you out of your shell.”

Rudra didn’t answer. The truth was, no woman had ever held his interest—except for the one sitting across from him, quietly eating her parathas. The only person who haunted his thoughts, day and night, was Kashish. Slowly, he found himself growing bolder, willing to admire her openly, even as she continued to shut him out.

After breakfast, Lavina turned to Kashish with excitement. “Would you mind showing me more of your designs?”

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