Page 75 of One Hellish Love

In a swift move, he grabbed her by the shoulders, the touch making her feel something unsettling. It wasn’t hate. She couldn’t name it, but it wasn’t the familiar hatred. Rudra spun her around to face the mirror beside them.

Kashish stared at her own reflection, utterly confused. He remained behind her, his eyes boring into her from the mirror. She waited, her breath caught, as if needing him to explain.

“That’s my type,” he whispered, letting go of her shoulders.

Her heart slammed against her chest. Rudra walked out of the room without another word, leaving her standing there, stunned. A lump formed in her throat as her mind raced. What had just happened? Did he really mean that? Or was it another ploy to throw her off guard?

Anjali’s words echoed in her head. Was this what she had meant all along? Did Rudra really harbor those feelings for her?

Damn it.

CHAPTER 27

“That’s my type.”

Rudra’s words echoed in Kashish’s mind all night, haunting her relentlessly. She woke up with a jolt, drenched in sweat, struggling to believe he had actually said those things to her. She reached for the water jug by her bed, only to find it empty. It was 5:30 a.m. Frustrated, she slipped on her slippers and left her room, her mind racing, trying in vain to block out the memory of last night. The harder she tried to push him out of her thoughts, the more his presence consumed her. Why couldn’t she shake him off?

She headed toward the kitchen, only to scowl when she found the very man responsible for her sleepless night, brewing himself a cup of black coffee. So, he was up this early too? Or had he also been unable to sleep, like her? Why did she even care? She was only here for water, nothing more. She stepped inside the kitchen, not bothering to tread lightly. He heard her footsteps and turned, their eyes locking briefly before he returned to his coffee. Kashish fiddled with the refrigerator door, trying to focus. The room was still dim, the windows offering no help since it was still dark outside. He hadn’t even bothered to turn on the lights.

She poured water into the jug, her every move calculated to ignore him. But just as he was about to leave with his mug, her voice sliced through the silence.

“I’m going to agree to your Daadi’s demand.”

He froze, then turned to face her as she stepped closer. This wasn’t the best time to confront him, but she had no choice. He was never around, and she had too much pent-up frustration to keep it in any longer.

“What demand?” he asked just to be sure he had heard it right.

“To find a bride for you,” she replied, holding his gaze. She saw the tension ripple through his frame, but she remained calm, almost too calm.

“Now that you’ve told me your ‘type,’ it should be easy,” she added, a smirk tugging at her lips.

Rudra sipped his coffee, maintaining their eye contact without betraying a hint of emotion.

“You’ll be wasting your time, Kashish,” he said quietly.

“Wasting time now to save my future isn’t such a bad trade,” she shot back, her words laced with sarcasm.

Rudra understood what was happening—she’d figured out his feelings, thanks to his slip-up last night. And now, she was determined to tie him to someone else, as if that could fix everything. Did she really think it would be that simple?

“Try your luck,” he said with an air of arrogance before walking away, his coffee in hand. Kashish watched him as he entered the gym room, visible through the glass walls. He set his mug down and peeled off his T-shirt. Kashish quickly looked away, her frustration boiling over. Where did he get all this arrogance? She stomped back to her room, slamming the door behind her. One way or another, she would make sure Rudra Raheja found a bride. That’s what Daadi wanted, and it was what Kashish needed to finally find some peace. With that thought in mind, she threw herself onto the bed, trying to steal a few minutes of rest before her day began.

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

After breakfast, Kashish hurried to Daadi’s room, catching her just as she finished reading from a holy book. She knocked briefly before stepping inside, already in a rush but determined to make time for this conversation.

“Have you found a bride for him yet, or is the search still on?” Kashish asked bluntly.

Daadi’s eyes lit up, pleased to see Kashish taking the matter seriously.

“Do you really think you can convince him?” Daadi asked.

“I don’t know. You’re the one who seems to think I can, which is why you asked me to do this in the first place, isn’t it?” Kashish countered, her tone sharp.

Daadi sighed, sensing there was more behind Kashish’s sudden willingness.

“But why did you agree?” Daadi pressed, her eyes narrowing.

Kashish froze for a moment, unsure how to answer. Should she tell Daadi the truth—that Rudra had feelings for her and she couldn’t,wouldn’t, reciprocate? That she was only doing this to protect herself, to push him toward someone else before things spiraled further out of control?

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