CHAPTER 12
Next Day – Raheja Mansion
Rudra skimmed through some contract files struggling to concentrate. His mind kept drifting back to Kashish, and the bruises she’d gotten from pushing herself too hard during last night’s intense boxing practice.
They say distance doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder, but for Rudra, it did. The last eleven years he spent in isolation—from his own family and from himself—had only deepened his sorrow. Yet, in the midst of all that grief, one face gave him solace: the face of Kashish, the girl whose hatred for him burned as fiercely as the guilt he carried. He knew it wasn’t right. She was just a girl back then, and he had no idea who she was now. But his feelings grew anyway, becoming deeper as time went by.
Day by day, year by year, he found himself drawn to her, even without crossing paths again. He knew this pull was a double-edged sword, leading only to heartbreak. But he couldn’t turn back. This one-sided love had become the most real thing in his life. It was painful, but it was also what kept him alive. For Rudra, breathing and loving Kashish meant the same.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. His grandmother and Shekhar entered. While his grandmother took a seat beside him, Shekhar settled in the recliner across from them.
“What’s your age, Rudra?” Daadi asked, her tone pointed.
Rudra raised an eyebrow. “You know it better than I do, Daadi. What’s this about?”
Shekhar exchanged a glance with Daadi before she spoke again. “You’re turning 28 soon.”
“That’s how time works, Daadi. We grow older, we age, and then we die.” His tone was flat, but beneath it, he sensed something more serious brewing.
Savitri Raheja didn’t appreciate the mention of death.
“Forget the death talk, Rudra. Let’s get to the point. Have you thought about marriage?”
Rudra froze. Marriage? His mind recoiled at the word.
“I’m not ready,” he said firmly, trying to end the conversation before it spiraled.
“No one is ever really ready,” Shekhar interjected. “But if you don’t do it now, you won’t come back to India anytime soon. You know that.”
He was right. Once he left, there was no reason for Rudra to return. Not even Kashish could tether him back here. Or could she? The thought of her leaving the Raheja mansion crossed his mind. She was nearing 25, and by court order, she’d soon be free. But where would she go? She had only just started her career. A wave of concern for her future bothered him, momentarily distracting him from his own dilemma.
Savitri broke his train of thought.
“Rudra, are you listening?”
Rudra shook his head slightly and looked at her.
“Let’s drop this conversation for now. I have calls to make.”
Savitri’s eyes flickered with disappointment.
“Always stubborn, aren’t you?”
He sighed. “We can talk next week, Daadi. But don’t get your hopes up—I’m still not ready for marriage, and I won’t be anytime soon.”
Savitri, sensing a small victory, smiled. “Promise me you’ll think about it?”
“I promise, we’ll talk. But that’s all I can offer.”
Content with his response, she left the room. Shekhar, however, lingered. Rudra could feel his brother’s eyes on him and finally addressed the unspoken tension.
“Did you put this idea in her head?”
Shekhar didn’t even try to deny it. “Yes. I did.”
Rudra’s jaw clenched. “Why?”
With a heavy sigh, Shekhar leaned forward. “Because I see what’s happening, Rudra. You’re opening your heart to Kashish, and I know where that will lead. I won’t let you destroy yourself over someone who can’t—no, won’t—ever return your feelings.”
Rudra’s eyes flashed with anger.
“I don’t need your protection, Bhai. I make my own choices.”
Shekhar remained calm, knowing his brother’s temper all too well.
“Rudra, she hates you. You can’t even measure how deep her hatred runs. There’s no point in waiting for something that will never come.”
Rudra’s voice turned cold. “Who said I’m waiting?”
Shekhar blinked in surprise. Before he could respond, Rudra continued, “But marrying me off to someone else won’t change how I feel about her.”
Shekhar was stunned. The coldness of Rudra’s admission sent a chill through him. This wasn’t mere affection. Rudra’s feelings for Kashish ran far deeper than he’d feared.
Handing Shekhar the contract file, Rudra added, “I’ve signed the contract. Look it over.”
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.
Her blood boiled. “Don’t cross your limits, Rudra.”
“Drawing boundaries has never been my style,” he shot back, his voice teasing.
Kashish became even more furious by his comebacks. Her rage intensified. “I always knew you were trouble.”
“Glad I’m on your mind,” he said with a sly grin.
Kashish’s jaw clenched in fury this time.
“Of course. My father’s murderer is the only one on my mind.”
Her words hit him like a blow, silencing him. His face fell, the smirk wiped clean. Maybe he did have something to say - that what happened that night wasn’t on purpose - but he couldn’t find the courage to speak up for himself. He just stood there, his face empty of any expression.
Kashish felt a rush of power seeing him like this. His usual smirk was gone, and she had made that happen. But before she could enjoy her small victory, something changed. Rudra started walking toward her, catching her off guard.
Even though her heart started beating faster, Kashish didn’t back away. She kept her eyes locked on his, refusing to show any fear as he stepped toward her, closing the distance between them.
“Why don’t you punish me all at once?” he asked. “Why torture me piece by piece?”
“Punishment? Huh!” she scoffed; her voice venomous. “You deserve endless torture for ruining my life.”
Her words, filled with hatred, pierced his heart, but he didn’t flinch. His eyes darkened, locked onto hers, unwavering.
“I agree,” he replied slowly. “I’m ready for whatever torture you want to give me if that’s what it takes to ease your pain.”
Any other woman would have recoiled at the cold, intense look in his eyes. But Kashish stood her ground.
“But there’s still one truth, Kashish,” he continued. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. If I could, I’d go back and undo everything that happened that night.”
His confession threw her off guard. She hadn’t come here expecting to hear those words. And yet, despite the sincerity she read in his eyes, her pain didn’t subside.
She let out a bitter laugh. “That changes nothing. You destroyed my life.”
“My life hasn’t been a bed of roses either, since that night,” he said, the regret heavy in his voice. “I lost my family, even if not physically.”
“You deserved that. In fact, you deserve worse. What’s been so bad for you, Rudra? You still got the best education, you live in luxury, you have your family’s support, and you’re a billionaire. What’s missing in your life?”
“You,” he replied. “And your forgiveness,” he added, the intensity of his gaze not faltering.
Rudra’s eyes blazed as he said two words that left her frozen in place. She stared at him, stunned.
Her mind raced to process what he had just said. You? And your forgiveness? Was he serious? What did he even mean? It was irrational, confusing. Unable to bear his piercing stare any longer, she stormed out of the room, his words echoing in her head. She had to figure it out—before it was too late.