Page 229 of One Hellish Love

Kashish swallowed hard, unsure if Daadi would even accept her after everything.

“We need her blessings,” Rudra continued. “Whether she gives them or not, she’s still elder to us. We should try.”

Kashish gave him a weak smile, her heart swelling with love.

“That’s why I love you so much,” she whispered. “You always think of others before yourself. You put their pain above your own. There aren’t many people like that in the world.”

Rudra didn’t reply. He simply pulled her closer, relaxing into her warmth. Slowly, the tension melted away, and they both drifted into a peaceful sleep, their hearts finally at rest.

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

The next morning, when Rudra came downstairs searching for his wife, he found her in the garden, plucking flowers for the morning Puja. She wore a simple salwar kameez, and to anyone else, she might not even appear as a newlywed, except for the dozens of bangles adorning her wrists, the dark Sindoor marking her forehead, and his personal favorite—the Mangalsutra resting on her neck.

Rudra approached her and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“I thought you’d wake me up with tea in bed,” he muttered into her ear.

Kashish chuckled softly. “Like a typical wife?” she teased, still focused on the plants.

“Hmm.” He nuzzled his nose against her shoulder, breathing her in.

She smiled, her eyes gleaming with playful mischief.

“When our love is so untypical, how can we act like a typical married couple?”

Rudra rolled his eyes, amused by her quick wit.

“You’ve got quite the sharp brain.”

“Thank you, I’m honored.”

“Are you hungry?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Starving. What about you?”

“Famished,” he replied, stepping back, his gaze lingering on her. “You finish up, and I’ll make something for us.”

Kashish blinked in surprise.

“You’re going to make breakfast? On our first morning as husband and wife?”

Rudra kept stepping backward, eyes locked on hers, a grin tugging at his lips. “Didn’t you just say we’reuntypical?”

She giggled blowing him a playful kiss. He caught it in the air, placing it over his heart with a flourish before heading inside.

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

An hour later Kashish stepped out of the shower, her skin still glistening with droplets of water, wrapped in nothing but a plush Turkish robe that barely grazed her knees. The soft fabric clung to her damp skin, accentuating her curves as she walked toward the dressing mirror. She hummed softly to herself, her hands working the lotion into her arms and legs, oblivious—or so it seemed—to the effect she was having on her husband.

Rudra, on the phone with Jay, was trying his best to focus on the conversation, but the sight of Kashish fresh out of the shower stole his attention. His voice trailed off mid-sentence as his eyes roamed over her form—her hair still damp, the curve of her legs peeking out from beneath the robe. Her movements were slow, deliberate, and when their eyes met in the mirror, Kashish couldn’t help but hide a mischievous smile. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.

Rudra’s grip tightened on his phone as he watched her rub the lotion into her skin, her robe inching higher, exposing the smooth expanse of her thigh. That was all it took to break his concentration. Without even a word to Jay, he dropped the call, tossing the phone onto the bed, his full attention now on his wife.

“You really know how to make sure I’m focused only on you, don’t you?” he said, his voice deep and rough with desire.

Kashish, not even bothering to turn around, feigned innocence, still working the lotion into her skin.

“I’m just doing my routine,” she said casually, her tone teasing. “If you can’t concentrate, that’s not my problem.”

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