CHAPTER 23
Raheja Mansion
“What?” Shekhar roared, his anger piercing through the room as he glared at Anjali. “How could you reveal such a crucial thing to Kashish?”
Anjali was just as uneasy as her husband. She had barely stepped inside the house after returning from the temple, and the first thing she did was confess to Shekhar about the conversation she had with Kashish.
“Shekhar, I didn’t want to! It just slipped out. I tried to hold back, but—”
“We’re already facing a crisis here.” Shekhar gripped her arms tightly. Rudra is leaving for Paris tonight, and now, because you told Kashish about Rudra’s feelings, you’ve handed her another weapon to hurt him with.”
Anjali realized the gravity of her mistake, guilt swelling in her chest.
“Where is Kashish now?” Shekhar asked, his voice strained.
“In her room. She went silent after I told her,” Anjali replied, her face etched with worry.
Shekhar sighed heavily, rubbing his temples in frustration. “I figured as much. She was barely holding herself together after the police incident, and now this. I’m torn, Anju. I don’t know who to support anymore—Rudra or Kashish. How can we possibly give both of them peace?”
The tenderness in Shekhar’s voice brought tears to Anjali’s eyes. She was caught in the same struggle. Rudra had to be stopped from leaving, but now that Kashish knew the truth about his feelings, would she let anyone stop him? No, it seemed unlikely.
****************
Ram Prasad brought Rudra’s bags down the stairs, with Rudra following closely behind. He was ready to leave for Paris, with Jay Mathur standing by to escort him to the airport where his private jet awaited.
Rudra handed an envelope to Jay.
“Give this to Kashish after I’ve boarded my flight.”
Jay nodded, though he didn’t know what the envelope contained.
“Rudra,” Jay began hesitantly, “I still think you should reconsider. We haven’t finished all the formalities for Talaash Boutique.”
“Shekhar Bhai will handle that,” Rudra said firmly.
Jay knew better than to argue further. If Rudra’s family couldn’t change his mind, he certainly couldn’t either. Shekhar and Anjali were waiting in the living room, their faces etched with helplessness. Rudra embraced his brother, the gesture filled with unspoken sorrow.
“Where’s Daadi?” Rudra asked.
“In her room,” Shekhar replied quietly. “She can’t bear to watch you leave.”
Rudra made a move to head upstairs. “I’ll go see her.”
Shekhar stepped in his way, stopping him. “Don’t. If you’re so set on leaving, despite everything, then there’s no point in making it harder on her. Let her be.”
Rudra hesitated, then reluctantly nodded in agreement. He gave Anjali a weak smile and glanced around the house one last time. His heart ached with the silent, desperate wish to see Kashish, to catch one last glimpse of her, but he swallowed the urge and forced himself to turn away.
Shekhar placed a hand on his shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Rudra. And don’t forget you have a family here—one that loves you and will miss you.”
Rudra nodded; his throat too tight to speak. With heavy steps, he walked out of the house toward the waiting car. Shekhar and Anjali exchanged a look of deep disappointment, knowing they were powerless to stop him.
Rudra climbed into the car with Jay. Leaving the mansion felt like leaving behind his very soul. The further the car pulled away, the more his chest constricted, as though the life was slowly draining out of him.
He slipped on his sunglasses, not wanting Jay or Mohan to see the tears that were already threatening to spill. Parting from Kashish—knowing he may never be near her again—felt like a death sentence. He would miss her. Always.
****************
Anjali’s words echoed in Kashish’s mind with a haunting persistence.
“Rudra loves you. But he’d never tell you, because he knows how much you despise him. He’s willing to bear your hatred forever, rather than let you know how he really feels. It’s his way of protecting you, but it’s tearing him apart.”
The mere thought of Rudra harboring such emotions for her made Kashish’s skin crawl. He must have lost his mind . How could he even think like that? It explained everything—the way he never fought back against her anger, the way he quietly endured her hatred, always protecting her from men like Uday Khatri. And now, what had he done with Khatri? What about her house? She didn’t want Rudra paying off a loan her father took. It wasn’t his place.
Rising from the bed, Kashish hurried out of the room. She had to put an end to this madness. She had to confront him, make him understand that his feelings were only complicating their already broken lives. Reaching his room, she knocked nervously, but the door was already ajar. She pushed it open, only to find it empty. Her heart sank. He left?
Could he have taken her words so seriously? Did he really care enough to leave everything behind—his family, his home—just because she had told him to?
Suddenly, Anjali’s scream pierced the air from downstairs. Kashish rushed out of the room and down the stairs, her heart thudding in her chest. The commotion seemed to be coming from Daadi’s room. Is Daadi okay? Despite their strained relationship, Kashish felt a flicker of concern. She had never been on good terms with Daadi, who had always resented her, but something felt terribly wrong.
Bursting into the room, Kashish found Daadi on the floor, barely conscious. Shekhar and Anjali were trying to help her up, but the moment Kashish stepped forward, Daadi’s eyes snapped open with fury.
“Stay away from me!” Daadi’s voice was sharp and trembling with anger. “You took my grandson away again. This is all your fault!”
Kashish froze, the accusation hitting her like a slap. Shekhar looked pained but focused on helping Daadi. Together, they got her back onto the bed, but Daadi’s anguish didn’t stop.
“My Rudra… he left me again. He left his home, his family. Why must he always suffer? Why does God punish him like this?”
“Daadi, please calm down. You’ll make yourself sick,” Anjali whispered, trying to soothe her.
“Let me fall sick. Let me die. If Rudra goes back to Paris, I don’t want to live. Let me die!” Daadi wept bitterly, her cries tearing through the room.
Kashish clenched her fists around her dupatta, her knuckles white with tension. He’s gone . The realization hit her hard. That’s why Daadi was in such torment—because Rudra had left. She spun on her heel and rushed out of the room, dialing Rudra’s number with trembling fingers. The phone rang, but he didn’t pick up. Panic rising, she hurried to the kitchen.
“Ram Prasad, where’s Rudra?” she demanded, her voice strained.
“He’s gone to the airport with Jay Sir,” he replied.
“When? How long ago?”
“It’s been about 30 minutes, Kashish Didi.”
She checked her watch, then bolted for the door. There was still time. She couldn’t let him leave like this. She asked the driver to take her to the airport and kept redialing his number, but he wasn’t answering. She didn’t even know why she was so desperate to stop him. Was it because Daadi needed him? Or had she finally realized that pushing him away was a mistake—that she was hurting him in ways neither of them deserved?
All she knew was that she had to stop Rudra Raheja from boarding that flight.
****************
Rudra stepped out of the car at the airport, his face a mask of stoic determination. Jay followed closely behind, while Mohan pulled the bags from the trunk.
“Mohan will drop you back, Jay,” Rudra said, his tone flat.
“I can wait a bit longer. We’re early anyway, and the pilot’s still doing the final checks,” Jay replied, sensing the tension in the air.
Rudra glanced at his phone. Kashish was calling—again. His thumb hovered over the screen, the urge to hear her voice burning through him, but he couldn’t let himself give in. He knew, without a doubt, that hearing her voice would change everything. His decision to leave for Paris was fragile, and if he heard her now, it might crumble. Whatever she needed to say, she could say it to Shekhar or Anjali. Jay, sensing Rudra’s silence, didn’t press for details but could tell something was off.
Minutes passed, and Jay’s phone buzzed. He excused himself and answered, a little wary.
“Yes, Kashish, tell me,” Jay said, his eyes flicking toward Rudra.
“Is he with you?” she asked sharply, her voice laced with urgency.
Jay paused, realizing exactly who she meant. “He?”
Kashish clenched her jaw, hating how she had to ask for him.
“Rudra. Is he still with you?” Her tone was tight, every word strained.
“Uh… yes, but he’s about to head inside. Why?”
“Stop him,” she demanded.
Jay blinked in confusion. “Stop him? Why? What’s going on?”
“Just stop him, Jay. Tell him he doesn’t need to be so damn generous all the time,” she barked, her frustration boiling over.
“I don’t understand. What’s he being generous about?”
“Jay, I don’t have time to explain. Just stop him. Don’t let him go. I’ll be there soon,” she snapped before abruptly hanging up.
Jay stared at his phone, his pulse quickening. How the hell was he supposed to stop Rudra?
He walked back over, his nerves kicking in.
“Rudra… how about a coffee while we wait?” Jay suggested, trying to stall.
“No, Jay. I’ve got to go. The pilot just messaged me. They’re ready,” Rudra said, his voice firm.
Jay gulped, knowing he had to think fast. “Just… wait a few more minutes, Rudra. Please.”
Rudra frowned, suspicion creeping into his eyes. “Excuse me?”
Jay quickly backpedaled. “I, uh, had a question about the Nainital deal. Are we sticking with the bid the Mehtas gave us?”
Rudra, distracted for a moment, gave him a brief answer. But as more time ticked by, and another call from the pilot came in, Rudra grew impatient.
“Peter, I’m coming in a minute,” Rudra said before hanging up.
Jay’s heart raced. He couldn’t stall any longer.
“Rudra, I was just wondering… should we handle the pay scale hike now, or wait until the next quarter?”
Rudra’s brows furrowed. Something was definitely off.
“Jay, what’s going on? Why are you trying to keep me here?”
Jay paled, caught. “Uh… Kashish called. She told me to stop you.”
Rudra’s entire body tensed. Kashish wants to stop me? Why, after all of this? He had done exactly what she wanted—he was leaving, for good. His jaw tightened.
“Go home, Jay. And don’t forget to give her that envelope.” Rudra’s voice was cold, final.
Jay gave a shaky nod and retreated to the car, knowing he failed Kashish. Rudra turned away, trying to steel himself. This is it . The goodbye he never wanted but knew he had to face. As he started dragging his bag toward the entrance, he heard a voice that stopped him in his tracks.
“Rudra, wait!”
His heart seized. Kashish?
He turned slowly, and there she was—breathless, her face flushed from running through the airport. She looked exhausted but determined. Her presence sent a torrent of emotions crashing through him. Why is she here?
“You don’t have to do this,” she managed between breaths.
“Do what?” he asked, his voice sharp with suppressed frustration.
“Leave. You don’t have to go to Paris,” she said, her tone pleading.
Fury bubbled inside him. He glared at her, his eyes dark and stormy.
“You lost the right to stop me when you told me to get out of your life. Forever.”
Kashish flinched. His words hit hard, but she pressed on. “I was selfish. I see that now.”
“Go home, Kashish,” he replied bitterly and turned around to head back to the airport's private terminal.
“You have a family. They need you more than I need you to be gone,” she continued, trying to keep up with him as they reached the security line.
Before he could hand over his passport, she snatched it from his hand.
“Are you even listening to me?” she demanded.
Security noticed the commotion, but Rudra gestured for them to stay out of it. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side.
“What is your problem?” he hissed. “I’m not some puppet you can control whenever you feel like it. I’ve made my decision, and I’m leaving.”
“Even at the cost of Daadi’s health?” she shot back, her words hitting him like a blow.
Rudra stopped, thrown off balance. “What are you talking about?”
“Daadi is sick. She’s devastated because you’re leaving. She blames me for everything that’s happened, and I can’t bear the thought of being the reason she’s in pain again. Please, don’t go.”
He hesitated before dialing Shekhar to confirm, his jaw tight as the truth settled in.
“Got your proof?” Kashish snapped bitterly, but Rudra was already lost in thought.
He couldn’t go, not like this. His family needed him, especially Daadi. With a resigned sigh, he nodded to Kashish, who immediately called the driver to bring the car around.
They rode back in tense silence, Kashish glancing at him every now and then, while Rudra stared straight ahead, cold and distant. Why was she doing this? He didn’t believe for a second that she cared about him. Because so far all he believed was that he belonged in the shadows, far away from her.