Page 228 of One Hellish Love

Kashish’s heart raced at the thought of how close he had come to another tragedy. Her skin prickled with fear.

“Then how did you make it to the temple?”

“Suman,” he revealed. “She was following me. I didn’t realize it until I saw her after the crash. That’s when I figured out she was behind Daadi’s note. I made her bring me to the temple.”

Kashish sighed in relief, but her mind raced with the possibilities of what could have happened.

“Enough about her,” Rudra murmured, his voice suddenly huskier. “This is our night. Our wedding night. Let’s not waste any more time on things that don’t matter.”

He pulled her into his embrace, and Kashish melted against him. She had never wanted to be away from him, and tonight, she wouldn’t be. Their journey together had just begun.

CHAPTER 69

Sleep was the last thing on her mind. It was already 3 a.m., but Kashish couldn’t take her eyes off her husband—herRudra. After making love, they had spent hours talking about their future together, and somewhere in the midst of it, he had dozed off. She didn’t mind. He had been through so much that day, both physically and emotionally. The fake note, the unexpected driving in a panicked state—it had drained him. She could only imagine the terror he must have felt when the brakes failed and he crashed the car into a construction site, memories of that tragic night likely haunting him all over again.

The only good thing that had come out of this day was their marriage, despite all of Suman and Daadi’s attempts to prevent it. But love always wins. It may take time, it may exhaust your heart and soul, but when love triumphs, nothing feels more powerful or pure. Kashish Bedi...no,Kashish Rudra Raheja...was overwhelmed with that very feeling right now. She traced her finger delicately along Rudra’s face, careful not to wake him. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but the sheer joy of knowing he was hers, forever, outweighed everything.

She had faced her own set of challenges that day. She had sensed something terrible was about to happen. Every second of Rudra’s delay in arriving at the temple had felt like a dagger to her heart. And Daadi’s smug taunts only deepened her dread. But when Rudra finally arrived—bloodied, injured—the terror she had felt was indescribable. Everything that had happenedtoday had been a test, not just of their love but of their endurance. And they had passed.

Kashish hadn’t noticed that her fingers, which had been gently tracing Rudra’s face, had drifted down to his chest. Suddenly, Rudra’s eyes flew open, his reflexes snapping into action as he grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her back. A sharp cry of pain escaped her lips, and Rudra froze. Realization hit him like a wave, and he immediately let go, his expression filled with guilt as he cupped her face.

“Kashish...I...I’m so sorry,” he pleaded with remorse. “I wasn’t prepared. I thought...someone was trying to touch me again.”

Despite the pain, Kashish understood. She knew that while Rudra had given himself fully to her, his trauma still lurked beneath the surface, waiting to resurface if he was touched unexpectedly. The fear that had once controlled him could still flare up when caught off guard.

“It’s okay,” she reassured him, placing her palm gently on his cheek. “I should have been more careful.”

“No,” he murmured, shaking his head in frustration. “I hate myself for reacting like that, especially with you. Did I hurt you?” His fingers tenderly held her wrist as he pressed a soft kiss to it, guilt clouding his features.

“I’m fine, Rudra. Really, I am,” she said, trying to reassure him with her eyes, which he studied intently until he was sure she wasn’t scared or hurt.

With a sigh, he dropped his head back onto the pillow, and she cuddled close to him, resting her head on his arm.

“Why haven’t you slept yet?” he asked, stroking her hair gently.

“I’m too happy to sleep,” she confessed. “It feels like I’ve won a sexy trophy in my life.”

Rudra chuckled softly. “Asexytrophy?” he teased.

She laughed, hugging him tighter.

“Absolutely. The best kind.”

But his smile faltered. She could sense the tension creeping back into his body. She knew what he was thinking—it was Daadi. Kashish remembered how she had fiercely scolded Suman and blamed Daadi for Rudra’s near accident. They were fortunate that nothing worse had happened, but it had been close.

“Are you thinking about Daadi?” she asked softly.

He blinked, his gaze distant.

“She must be feeling alone. After everything that happened today, she’s probably blaming herself. I don’t want her to feel like that. She’s been like a mother to me, Kashish. Without her, I wouldn’t have made it through any of this.”

Kashish knew how much Daadi meant to Rudra. Despite their differences, despite everything that had happened, his heart always held compassion for those he loved. He would never stop caring for her, no matter what.

“You should go see her tomorrow,” Kashish suggested gently.

Rudra met her eyes, thinking over her words for a moment.

“No,weshould go see her tomorrow,” he corrected.

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