Page 77 of One Hellish Love

“Kashish, one minute,” he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

She paused, though every fiber of her being wanted to ignore him. Hewasthe boss after all. Jay was quickly dismissed, and Rudra turned his full attention to her.

“Why are you late?” he asked, his voice serious.

Kashish gritted her teeth. Why was he even asking when he already knew the answer?

“Why do you ask questions when you already know the answers?” she retorted.

“You’re talking to your boss, Kashish. Watch your tone,” he reminded her, his voice icy.

She swallowed her irritation, trying to remain composed.

“I didn’t realize I was running late until someone kindly reminded me at home, and when that same man offered me a lift, I turned it down. That’s why I’m late,” she explained, her voice calm but unapologetic. She knew her answer would only anger him more—he wanted her to show some remorse, to admit that not accepting his offer had been a mistake.

“Consider this your last warning,” he snapped before walking back to his cabin.

Kashish clenched her teeth, muttering under her breath as she headed to her desk. His cold behavior was getting under her skin. She threw herself into work, losing herself in it completely until lunchtime when she overheard her colleagues chatting about their Secret Valentine gifts. That’s when she remembered—she still needed to buy a gift for Rudra. But what do you get for a man like him? She needed help, and there was only one person who knew him well enough. Without hesitation, Kashish knocked on Lavina’s cabin door and stepped inside.

“Hey, Kashish. Come in!” Lavina greeted her warmly. “I must say, you’ve been so busy lately that we haven’t had time to catch up.”

Kashish smiled lightly.

“You know how it is with deadlines. Anyway, I could use your help with something.”

“Help? Sure, what’s up? Work-related?” Lavina asked.

“Not exactly,” Kashish replied. “It’s about the Secret Valentine. I need to get a gift, and I thought you might help me pick something.”

Lavina looked puzzled for a moment. “Okay... but how would I know what the person would like?”

Kashish smirked, giving her a hint. “Because you’ve known him for the past five or six years.”

Lavina paused, her eyes widening as she caught on.

“Wait... you gotRudra?”

Kashish nodded.

Lavina gasped. “Oh my God, you’re yourenemy’sSecret Valentine?” she exclaimed, horrified. Kashish remained calm, but the word “enemy” stuck with her. Did she still see him that way? Maybe the enmity had softened, taken a backseat.

Lavina, realizing she needed to tread carefully, composed herself.

“Alright, I’ll help. But it’s going to be tough. Pleasing that man is no small task.”

Lavina laughed, picking up her phone.

“Maria, could you get two coffees, please?” she asked before turning back to Kashish. “You know, even after all these years, I still feel like I don’t know Rudra at all. He’s unpredictable, a closed book. You really can’t judge him by his cover.”

Kashish felt uneasy discussing Rudra with someone else, but she had no choice. She just wanted to buy a gift and get it over with. The coffees arrived, and after some light conversation, they agreed to meet after work to browse for gifts together.

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Later that evening, Kashish and Lavina reached a store, hunting for the perfect gift.

“How about a watch?” Kashish suggested.

Lavina shook her head. “His brand of watch would cost you lakhs. So... no.”

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