CHAPTER 16
Kashish hunched over a bush, throwing up again. She looked pale, utterly drained. Gently, Rudra wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to calm her as she continued retching.
“Ssh,” he soothed her.
The sound of his voice made her freeze. She straightened up immediately, her eyes meeting his. The moment she realized who was holding her, she shrugged his arm off.
“Get off me!” she spat, stumbling as she tried to push him away.
Rudra gritted his teeth. She could never understand that all he wanted was to keep her safe. With a sigh of frustration, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her.
“Wipe your face,” he ordered, his voice laced with irritation.
Kashish eyed him warily, confused by his uninvited help. Even in her drunken haze, she knew something didn’t add up. After a moment, her eyes blazed with suspicion.
“What did you put in my drink?” she snapped.
Rudra’s patience snapped. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to take a deep breath.
“I would NEVER do that to you!” he roared.
“Oh yeah?” she retaliated. “Then why the hell am I feeling like this? Why am I so dizzy?”
“Because you drank a damn cocktail, Kashish!” he fired back. “Did you even bother checking what was handed to you?”
Her eyes widened as his words registered.
“A cocktail? I… I thought it was—” she trailed off, her face flushing with realization. “Shit,” she cursed, slapping her forehead in disgust.
Seeing her redden her own skin sparked something in him—an anger, a need to protect, and something else he couldn’t name.
“Here,” he thrust the handkerchief towards her again, and this time, she took it without protest. He moved away momentarily, only to return with a bottle of water, holding it out to her.
“Drink,” he demanded.
Still glaring at him, she hesitated but eventually drank. Her stomach churned, empty from barely eating all day. She gripped a nearby brick wall for support as Rudra dialed his phone. His attempt to make a call was met with frustration when the other end didn’t pick up.
“I’ll take you home,” he offered, extending his arm.
“No!” she shouted. “I’m not going with you!”
“You don’t have a choice,” he growled. “We’re at the client’s party, and I won’t let you make a scene. You’re coming with me. Now.”
Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her arm and began dragging her toward the parking lot.
“You’re walking too fast! My sandals—ouch!” she cried, just as one of her heels snapped. She stumbled.
“That was my favorite sandal,” she mumbled, her voice quivering.
The alcohol was making her babble, but Rudra was far beyond reason now. Without another word, he scooped her up over his shoulder. She kicked and struggled, furious.
“This is ridiculous! You can’t just—” she pounded his back with her fists.
“You left me no choice,” he growled, holding her tighter as he strode to the car. His driver immediately opened the door, and Rudra set her down in the backseat, sliding in beside her. When she made a move to exit from the other side, he grabbed her hand, forcing her to stay.
“Stop misbehaving,” he scolded.
“Stop intimidating me!” she fired back.
“Take us home,” Rudra ordered the driver, ignoring her protests as the car sped away from the venue.
Kashish’s head started to spin, and she leaned back in her seat, eyes closing. At first, Rudra watched her with anger, but as she fell asleep, his anger melted into something softer. Her hair kept falling in her face, and before he could stop himself, he gently tucked it behind her ear. His heart felt a little lighter, knowing that despite her risky behavior that day, he had been able to keep her safe. He knew she’d never thank him for it, but that didn’t matter to him.
The car took a sharp turn, and suddenly her head fell onto his shoulder. Rudra froze. He noticed how pale her cheeks were and fought the urge to touch them, wondering if his touch would bring color back to her face. But he stopped himself - it wouldn’t have been right. Still, he couldn’t help thinking that someday, when she was awake, he’d get to touch her face.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Raheja Mansion. Seeing how deeply asleep Kashish was, Rudra knew he’d have to carry her inside. Thankfully, no one saw them as he carefully took her to her room. He gently placed her on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her with a blanket. As she snuggled into her pillow, she started mumbling in her sleep.
“I hate you,” she said, suddenly clearer. “I hate you, Rudra Raheja.”
The words hit him like a physical blow, leaving an ache in his throat but there was nothing he could do. With a heavy heart, he turned off the lamp and left, heading to his own room.
******************
Kashish woke up with a start, her heart racing as the coldness of the room sank in. She instinctively rubbed her arms, trying to shake off the chill. It was only then that she realized she was still wearing the same black dress from the party last night. Panic surged through her. How had she gotten home? Her memory, clouded by the haze of last night, slowly started piecing together fragments—she had been sick, Rudra had come to her aid, offered her his handkerchief, then water, and later carried her to the car. She remembered it all, but not how she ended up in her bed.
Did he put her to bed? Her pulse quickened with indignation. How dare he touch me!
Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already 8:00 a.m. She had to get ready for work. As she leaned over to grab her phone from the side table, her eyes caught something—a pill. A hangover pill. He must have left it for her. Irritation bubbled up inside her. Who asked him to do all this? She had no intention of accepting his help, not now, not ever. But as soon as she swung her legs off the bed and stood up, a sharp wave of dizziness hit her. Her head throbbed painfully, and she realized there was no way she could survive the day like this. Begrudgingly, she swallowed the pill and headed for the shower.
By the time she joined Shekhar and Anjali at the breakfast table, she had composed herself, at least outwardly.
“Good morning,” she greeted them both, giving Anjali a quick hug.
“Morning. When did you come home last night?” Anjali asked, her tone full of concern.
“And who dropped you off?” Shekhar added, his curiosity piqued.
Kashish wasn’t sure how to explain last night. How could she admit she had been drunk on cocktails and needed rescuing? Before she could respond, Rudra’s voice cut through the air. He was coming downstairs, speaking on his Bluetooth, his presence instantly making her feel trapped. Her breath caught in her throat. Did he really carry me to my room? This man, who I despise, protected me?
Luckily, Shekhar and Anjali’s attention shifted toward Rudra as he joined them at the table. Without waiting for anyone, Rudra served himself, his calm, unbothered demeanor making Kashish even more uneasy.
“Rudra, you left the party so suddenly. Sorry, I missed your calls—my phone was on silent,” Shekhar apologized.
So that’s who he was trying to call last night, Kashish realized. It also meant he hadn’t told anyone about what had transpired. Rudra’s piercing gaze met hers before he casually responded to Shekhar.
“I called to tell you the same. I had to leave. There was an emergency,” he said, buttering his toast, never taking his eyes off Kashish. His words held an undercurrent that only she could decipher. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“An emergency? Is everything okay now?” Shekhar asked, concerned.
“Yes, and let’s hope it doesn’t happen again,” Rudra replied, his gaze still locked on Kashish, as if sending her a silent warning. Her pulse quickened.
“I should get going,” Kashish said, abruptly standing up, her glass of juice barely touched. “I have a lot of work to catch up on.”
“But you haven’t eaten. At least have a sandwich,” Anjali insisted.
“No, thanks, Anju. I’ll grab something on the way.”
“How are you getting to work?” Shekhar asked, ever the protective brother.
“I’ll take a cab, don’t worry,” Kashish replied, quickly grabbing her purse and making a hurried exit.
As she left, Shekhar sighed, watching Rudra’s gaze follow her out. Rudra resumed eating as if nothing had happened.
“We need to sort out Kashish’s transportation,” Rudra remarked. “A fixed cab service would be ideal, something that picks her up and drops her off according to her schedule.”
Shekhar nodded in agreement. He wasn’t surprised by Rudra’s thoughtfulness when it came to Kashish. He waited for him to continue.
“She’ll never accept favors from me, and she won’t let you drive her every day either. But if it’s a service she can pay for from her salary, it won’t bruise her pride.”
“Good idea, Rudra. I’ll talk to her about it today,” Shekhar said, appreciating his brother’s practical solution.
Rudra nodded, satisfied that one issue was on its way to being resolved. But in the back of his mind, he knew there were still many more things he’d have to handle when it came to Kashish Bedi—issues that ran deeper than just transport logistics.
*****************
Raheja Design Office
Kashish stormed over to Sanjay’s desk. He was engrossed in his work, oblivious to her presence until she spoke.
“Did you give me a cocktail last night?” she asked, her voice sharp with accusation.
Sanjay looked up, surprised. “Hey, Kashish! Yeah, I did. Why?”
Her stomach churned with unease. “I don’t drink alcohol,” she admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for not realizing it sooner.
Sanjay’s face fell. “Oh man, I’m really sorry. I had no idea.” He quickly stood up, his tone sincere. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
Kashish shook her head, waving off his apology. “It’s not entirely your fault. I should have checked before drinking it,” she muttered, disappointment creeping into her voice.
Sanjay nodded in understanding. “So, is that why you vanished from the party? I tried calling you a bunch of times, but no luck.”
“My phone died,” she explained. “I only charged it this morning.”
Before their conversation could go further, Jay Mathur approached them. “Sanjay, Rudra wants to see you in his cabin,” he said before walking away.
Sanjay blinked, looking both surprised and nervous. “Rudra called me? I hope I’m not in trouble. That man gives me chills,” he gulped, wiping the sweat from his brow before hurrying off to Rudra’s cabin.
Kashish stood rooted in place, her thoughts spiraling. Why did Rudra call Sanjay? A sinking feeling settled in her gut. Could it have something to do with the cocktail incident?
Fifteen minutes later, Sanjay returned, looking a bit deflated. Kashish was still nearby, chatting with Pallavi.
“Sanjay, what happened?” Kashish asked, her curiosity piqued.
Sanjay sighed heavily, taking a seat. “I’ve been moved to Akshay’s team. Rudra said they needed someone, so he transferred me,” he explained, gulping down some water.
Kashish froze, her blood boiling. This is Rudra’s doing. He’s trying to push Sanjay away from me. The thought ignited a storm of fury within her. Pallavi’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“Sanjay, it’s no big deal. The management can move us around as they need. And Akshay’s team is full of senior resources. You’ll gain a lot of experience there,” Pallavi reassured.
“I know,” Sanjay sighed, “but I’ll miss you guys. Especially you, Kashish,” he said with a wink.
Kashish forced a smile, though inside, her anger simmered. She knew Sanjay’s flirty remarks meant nothing, but Rudra’s interference infuriated her. Trying to maintain her composure, she replied, “We’re still in the same office, Sanjay. We’ll see each other around. Now let’s get back to work. We’re wasting time.”
Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heel and headed toward her cabin. Her thoughts raced. Rudra Raheja did this. He moved Sanjay to another team. She stopped at her cabin door, indecision gnawing at her. Should I confront him? Why not? He meddles in my life; I can confront him about this.
Determined, she marched toward Rudra’s cabin and barged in without knocking. Jay Mathur was inside, discussing something with Rudra. Shit. She hadn’t expected company. Jay looked startled by her intrusion, about to say something, but Rudra waved him off.
“Jay, I’ll handle this. You may leave,” Rudra said calmly, which surprised Jay. He gathered his things and left, casting a confused glance at Kashish before exiting.
“You’ve broken the rules again, Kashish,” Rudra said. “Barging into the boss’s office without permission is not allowed.”
Kashish crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with defiance.
“And transferring an employee just because the boss feels insecure—is that allowed?”
Rudra pushed off his desk, strolling toward her with casual arrogance, his hands sliding into his pockets.
“My company. My rules,” he said, his voice laced with icy confidence.
She glared at him, speechless for a moment.
“Next time you neglect your own safety, I’ll step in, whether you like it or not. Be thankful Sanjay’s still in this office. I could’ve fired him. And if he tries to get too close to you again, I will,” Rudra warned, his words sharp and unforgiving.
Kashish’s jaw dropped.
“Who the hell are you to decide who can approach me and who can’t?” she shouted, her voice trembling with rage. The soundproof glass walls ensured no one outside could hear their heated exchange.
Rudra’s jaw clenched. How he longed to tell her why he cared so much. But he knew that would only provoke her further. Instead, he ended the conversation with a curt command.
“Get back to work.”
He turned away from her, sitting back down at his desk, his attention shifting to his laptop as if she were nothing more than a brief distraction.
Kashish was livid. He was testing her patience, pushing her limits. She promised herself she wouldn’t let him win. Furious, she stormed out of his cabin. For now!