Page 53 of One Hellish Love

“Maybe he kept it from you,” Rudra suggested.

“I was old enough to understand what was happening around me. We didn’t need to borrow money. Why would he do that?”

For the first time, their conversation wasn’t laced with bitterness. It was the closest thing to civil they had ever been.

“Uday claims to have an agreement signed by your father. I’ve asked for those papers so we can verify everything,” Rudra explained.

Kashish’s breath caught in her throat. A loan? How could she not have known? The thought of her father being involved with a man like Uday left her feeling shaken. Rudra watched her carefully, his concern for her growing, despite knowing she would never accept his help.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll make sure this gets sorted out,” he assured her.

“Stay out of it,” she snapped. “This has nothing to do with you. I’ll handle it.”

Rudra clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin. “And how exactly will you handle it, Kashish? Do you even know what’s at stake? The mortgage on that loan is your house in Uttam Nagar.”

Her heart sank. “What?”

“If Uday’s claims are legitimate, and if we don’t settle this, he’ll take your house. I won’t let that happen,” Rudra said firmly.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to let him see her weakness.

“You don’t get to decide that,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “If my father mortgaged our house, then I’ll let Uday have it if that’s what it takes to settle the debt.”

Rudra expected as much. He knew Kashish would never accept his help, no matter the cost.

“That house is your father’s legacy. Don’t throw it away for people like Uday,” he urged.

Kashish laughed bitterly.

“If you had spared my father’s life, we would have built more assets together. So don’t lecture me on how to resolve this now,” Kashish spat, her voice laced with fury and pain.

Once again, her words struck Rudra deep. But he wasn’t about to let the situation slip from his control.

“I am responsible for his absence,” Rudra said, his gaze locking onto hers, “Which is exactly why I have the right to make sure you don’t lose anything or anyone else. That house will never be sold. It will stay yours—forever. That’s my promise.”

Kashish was rendered speechless, caught off guard by the certainty in his words. She watched in silence as he turned away and headed to the bathroom, clearly intending to end the conversation. But her anger flared again.

“You can’t compensate for my father’s life by paying off a loan!” she screamed, her voice shaking with frustration.

Rudra stopped in his tracks, his fingers curling into fists. Slowly, he turned to face her, his expression darkening.

“You’re right,” he replied in frustration. “Money can’t compensate for a life. So, let’s make things fair.”

It took a moment for Kashish to comprehend what he meant. She watched, confused, as Rudra walked to the bedside table where a plate of fruit and a knife rested. He picked up the knife, approaching her with cold determination. Her heart raced.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, fear and frustration mixing in her voice.

Without a word, he grabbed her hand, forcing the knife into her grip, his own hands clamping down on hers so she couldn’t pull away. His eyes, dark and intense, never left hers for a second.

“I’m doing what’s right,” Rudra said, his voice steady, yet filled with a rawness that sent chills down her spine. “You believe I killed your father. I’ve told you before, it was an accident—a terrible mistake made by a reckless 16-year-old who didn’t understand the consequences of his actions. But I can’t change what happened. So, here’s your chance to balance the scales. A life for a life. Kill me.”

Kashish’s breath caught in her throat. Kill him?She struggled to release the knife, but his grip was too strong.

“Rudra, stop this madness!” she yelled, her voice cracking with anger.

“This isn’t madness,” he replied, his voice firm. “This is justice. I took your father’s life. You take mine. Isn’t that what you’ve wanted all these years? Don’t miss your chance, Kashish. Kill me.”

He stepped closer, pushing her back until her body hit the door. There was nowhere for her to escape. Yes, she haddreamed of making him pay for what he did to her father, but not like this. Not this way. She could hurt him, maybe even destroy him emotionally, but kill him? Never. She wasn’t that kind of person.

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