Page 33 of One Hellish Love

But Shekhar was no longer thinking about work. He was thinking about his brother’s dangerous path—the path that was no longer just about guilt or redemption. It was about obsession.And Shekhar knew that if Rudra continued down this road, it would lead to destruction—for both of them.

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

Shekhar met Kashish at the office that morning. She hadn’t waited for him to drive her as usual. Instead, she’d hired a cab, wanting the solitude of her cabin to finish sketching new designs. It was the only place she found some semblance of peace.

“What happened to your knuckles? Don’t tell me you’ve been boxing again,” Shekhar said, eyeing the bruises on her hands.

“Just a little,” she replied nonchalantly.

Shekhar wasn’t convinced. “Doesn’t look like it. These bruises are worse than usual.”

“They were worse last night. Thanks to Ram Prasad, the haldi (turmeric) paste helped.”

“Haldi paste? From Ram Prasad?” Shekhar raised a brow. “When did he start knowing anything about medicinal remedies?”

His doubt planted a seed of suspicion in Kashish’s mind too.

She brushed it off with a laugh. “Do you remember when I asked you for help with my art competition in eighth grade?”

Shekhar chuckled, memories flooding back. “You wanted me to draw Mickey Mouse, and it ended up looking like a deformed rat.”

They laughed together, the easy camaraderie that had always existed between them shining through. Shekhar had been more than a mentor for her these past eleven years, even more than a brother could’ve been.

As soon as Shekhar left, her mind kept circling back to the haldi paste. Something didn’t feel right. Later that evening, she headed straight to the kitchen, where Ram Prasad was making coffee.

“Ram Prasad, did you really make that haldi paste for me last night?” she asked, watching him carefully.

Startled, he nearly dropped the coffee cup. His nervous hands and guilty expression confirmed her suspicions. She had felt eyes on her while she was boxing the night before, but brushed it off as nothing. Now she knew who had been watching.

“Kashish Didi… I…” Ram Prasad stammered.

“Was it him?” she demanded, her anger rising.

Ram Prasad was caught. Rudra had told him not to say a word, but now, seeing the intensity in her gaze, he couldn’t lie.

“Yes... He made it for you.”

That was all she needed to hear. Fury ignited in her eyes as she stormed out of the kitchen, determined to find him.

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

Rudra was on a business call when she burst into his room.

“How dare you?” she spat, her voice seething with anger.

He raised a hand, silently telling her to wait as he finished his call. For reasons she couldn’t understand, she actually obeyed.

“What’s the event date?” Rudra asked into his Bluetooth, though his eyes were locked on hers, eager to end the call and confront her. “Alright, I’ll have Jay send over the quotes. Thanks.”

He tossed the phone onto the bed and stuffed his hands into his track pants pockets, his full attention on Kashish now.

“Don’t you get it? Stay away from me!” she snapped.

“There’s a difference between understanding and following orders,” he smirked, clearly enjoying her frustration.

“I don’t give you the right to even think about me,” she retorted.

“You can’t control that,” he replied coolly, the smirk on his face only growing wider.

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