Page 197 of One Hellish Love

“You really need some sleep, Kashish. You’re overthinking everything.”

Maybe he was right. Maybe she just needed to rest, to ease her mind. After all, they had already decided—nothing and no one would come between them. She trusted him completely. Why let the world’s opinions get in the way? She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

“Wake me up when we get there.”

As she relaxed against him, Kashish knew one thing for sure—Rudra was her home. No other place could bring her the peace and comfort she found in his arms.

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

“We’ve arrived,” Rudra whispered softly, waking her from the light sleep she had drifted into while resting on his shoulder.

Kashish blinked her eyes open, disoriented at first, trying to recall when she had fallen asleep.

“How long did I sleep?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“About 40 minutes,”

He unlocked the door of the car. “Come on.”

As she stepped onto the pavement, her gaze fell upon a beautiful, modern bungalow. The architecture was sleek, with clean lines and wide windows that allowed the moonlight to pour over the white walls, giving the entire house an ethereal glow.

“Where are we?” she asked, scanning the exterior of the house.

There was something so serene about the place, away from the city’s usual hustle and chaos.

“Close to the southside of Delhi, and far from the city noise. It’s still a developing area,” Rudra explained casually, though there was a quiet excitement in his tone.

Her curiosity deepened as they approached the entrance. Rudra pulled out a key and handed it to her.

“I want you to open the door.”

Kashish was confused. Whose house was this? Why had they come here? And why did he have the key to this place? She looked at him with questions in her eyes, but his reassuring smile urged her to trust him.

“Go on,” he nudged.

Hesitating for only a moment, she inserted the key into the lock, feeling a strange rush of anticipation as the door clicked open. Hand in hand, they stepped inside. The interior was modern, sophisticated, and luxurious, yet it had a warmth that made it feel like a home. Rudra watched her carefully as she took it all in—the polished floors, the tasteful furniture, the soft lighting.

“Do you like it?”

Her opinion meant everything to him.

“Yes, it’s beautiful,” she murmured, still overwhelmed and unsure of what this meant.

“This...” he whispered, stepping closer, “is going to be our home. After we marry.”

Our home?She turned to face him, her eyes wide with surprise.

“And Raheja Mansion?

“You know we can’t live there, not until Daadi accepts you willingly.”

“So you mean... we’ll stay apart from your family?” Her voice wavered, and she pulled back from his touch. “How long will that be, Rudra? Can you even guess how long this will last?”

“Kashish, I don’t want to be apart from you, and I can’t keep spending more time convincing Daadi to accept us. This is the only way, at least for now. I will divide my time between you and her, making sure she doesn’t feel neglected. But this is the only solution for us right now.”

She wanted to argue, to push back, but the truth was, she couldn’t come up with a better plan either. Rudra cupped her face, his thumb gently wiping away the tear that escaped.

“I can’t risk keeping you both under the same roof,” he continued. “Nor can I delay our life together any longer. I want you. Ineedyou. We’ll make this work, even if it’s hard.”

---