CHAPTER 40
Daadi’s tears wouldn’t stop after Rudra revealed his haphephobia. She sat in her room, surrounded by Shekhar and Anjali, who were desperately trying to console her.
“Daadi, please, you need to be strong. If you keep crying like this, how are we ever going to solve this?” Shekhar urged, his voice tight with concern.
“I feel so guilty, Shekhar,” Daadi sobbed, her voice trembling. “I failed to protect my grandson. I should have known something was wrong. I should have known he wasn’t safe.”
Anjali gently rubbed Daadi’s back.
“Daadi, how could you have known? Rudra kept it from all of us for so many years. He never wanted to share what happened. If he had, we could have helped him long ago,” Anjali reasoned softly.
Shekhar nodded in agreement. “Exactly. But at least now, there’s hope. I can’t believe how much Kashish has done to help him. She’s the only one who’s been able to break through to Rudra.”
Daadi’s sobs quieted as she fell into deep thought. After a long pause, she turned to Shekhar with suspicion in her eyes.
“But why, Shekhar? Why is she doing all of this for Rudra? There’s something more going on here. I can feel it. Something they’re hiding from us.”
Shekhar had been feeling the same way, but hearing Daadi voice her suspicions only heightened his own unease.
“Even if there is something more, Daadi, we’ll find out in time. For now, please calm down,” he urged.
“I can’t calm down. I need to take action. The authorities at that juvenile home need to be held accountable for what they did, for covering it up. A child was molested! How could they hide something so monstrous?”
Shekhar agreed, his own anger simmering beneath the surface.
“You’re right, Daadi. But if this leaks to the media, it could add more fuel to Rudra’s pain. We have to tread carefully.”
Daadi fell silent, her expression torn between rage and fear.
“I want justice, Shekhar, but not if it costs Rudra his peace. We need to handle this with care.”
“I’ll speak with our lawyers and figure out what can be done,” Shekhar assured her, determined to finally bring justice to his brother.
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Rudra stood by the pool, when he heard her footsteps. Without turning around, he knew exactly who it was.
“I think you lost your way to your room,” he said, his voice laced with a casual coolness.
Kashish was once again surprised how he always knew when she was nearby? But she wasn’t going to let that distract her from why she had come. Rudra finally turned, his sharp gaze locking onto hers. She stood there in her peach kurta, her hair still damp from a recent shower and clinging to her shoulders.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes dark with mischief.
Her breath hitched at his sudden compliment. As she tightened her grip on her phone, he grinned.
“I could stand here all day just looking at you. Unless you have something else on your mind,” he teased.
Kashish swallowed hard. Why was she letting him throw her off like this? She had come here to confront him about hiding the truth of her father’s suicide note from his family.
“I saw your smartness today. How could you mislead your family like that?” she demanded, her voice shaking with anger.
“Is it always necessary for us to fight?” he interrupted, stepping closer. Too close.
Her words caught in her throat. His proximity, the intensity in his gaze—it all left her speechless. With a predatory grace in his movements, he stepped even closer.
“Can’t we just have a normal conversation for once? One that doesn’t revolve around guilt or pain?” he continued.
Kashish’s confidence wavered.
“No,” she snapped, trying to regain her ground. “There’s nothing between us but guilt and pity.”
“You’re only seeing one side of things,” he said softly, his words dripping with meaning. “The other side is much more beautiful.”
Her heart skipped a beat.
“There is no other side,” she bit back, her tone harsh.
He leaned in, his voice dangerously low. “Just because you’ve closed your heart doesn’t mean I’m out of your life.”
“It’s pointless talking to you,” she muttered, turning to leave, but he swiftly moved, blocking her exit, his hand pressed firmly against the doorframe.
Kashish’s pulse quickened. Was it a mistake to come here?
“I hate it when you leave things unfinished between us,” he growled. “Stop running away from me.”
She spun back to face him, defiant.
“I’m not going anywhere, Rudra. Not until my time in this house is over, as per the court’s orders. But let me make one thing clear—no matter what you do, I will never accept your proposal. Not in this lifetime.”
Her words struck him hard, his jaw tightening as he stepped back, slipping his hands into his pockets.
“I’m glad my proposal’s occupying so much of your thoughts,” he mocked.
Her teeth clenched. Was he right? Was she thinking about it more than she realized?
“To hell with your proposal! It means nothing to me.”
“Stop lying,” he countered. “The thought of being my wife terrifies you, and that’s okay. But understand this, Kashish—guilt or not, my feelings for you haven’t changed. And one day, you’ll feel the same. I’m certain of it.”
Her throat tightened, words failing her as she met his fierce gaze. How could he be so sure? Could he really break down her walls, turn her resistance into something else entirely?
“You’ve lost your mind,” she spat, storming out of the room.
Rudra watched her leave, a small, satisfied smile curling on his lips. Let her take her time, let her resist all she wanted. He was confident—one day, he would win her over.
From behind a pillar, Daadi silently watched the entire exchange. Her heart twisted with worry. Rudra was determined to win Kashish’s love, and she didn’t know how to help him. But if this woman was her grandson’s only hope for happiness, then Daadi knew she would have to find a way to help Kashish see that too.
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The next day at the office, Kashish was caught off guard by an announcement that Rudra had called an urgent meeting with her team. There was no way to avoid it. She walked into the conference room with the others, taking her seat as they all exchanged curious whispers about the sudden gathering. Soon, the door opened, and Rudra entered, greeting the staff. After a quick glance at Kashish, which she purposefully ignored, he addressed the room.
“Thank you all for gathering on such short notice,” he began. “I have an important announcement. After the successful completion of our last project, we’ve secured a new contract with the Mehta Group.”
The room erupted in applause, but Rudra raised his hand, signaling them to wait until he finished.
“The Mehtas are a key client, and we’ll be designing their summer collection. We have two months to complete it. Some of our team will need to work directly from Jaipur to coordinate with them.”
Kashish perked up at the mention of Jaipur. A new challenge sounded promising—something to focus on, something she could throw herself into. She snapped out of her thoughts when Rudra began listing the names of those selected for the project. But when he dropped the final name, her blood ran cold.
“Kashish Bedi will be leading the team once again and will need to travel to Jaipur.”
Her eyes widened in shock as her heart raced. The room clapped for her, recognizing her talent and success, but she couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that Rudra had orchestrated this to push her away from the family. He wasn’t just sending her to Jaipur for work—he was protecting her, keeping her at a distance to prevent the truth about her father from coming out.
As the meeting ended and her colleagues began to file out, Kashish stayed back, knowing full well that Rudra expected her to confront him. When they were alone, she didn’t hold back.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she stated defiantly.
Rudra leaned against the table, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You don’t get to decide that. It’s my company, and I choose how to allocate my resources.”
Her teeth clenched in anger.
“You’re doing this on purpose. This isn’t about work—it’s about keeping me away from the family so they don’t find out about my father’s note. That’s what hurts me the most.”
Rudra stepped closer, his smile widening.
“Are you sure that’s what’s hurting you the most?” he teased. “Because I think what will hurt you more is staying away from me.”
Her face flushed with anger, her fists tightening at her sides.
“In your dreams, Mr. Raheja. And you know what? You’re right—I should go to Jaipur. Maybe some distance will make you realize how pointless your proposal is.”
She grabbed her file and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Rudra smirked, satisfied. He’d pushed just the right buttons to make her accept the trip, and he’d won. And who said she’d be going without him? He had no intention of staying apart from her anymore.
Heading to Jay’s cabin, Rudra made his next move.
“Book my flight to Jaipur with the team,” he ordered.
Jay raised an eyebrow. “Boss, why book a flight when you have your private jet?”
“Just do as I said. And keep it quiet. The team doesn’t need to know I’m joining them.”
Confused, but obedient, Jay nodded and began making the arrangements.
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Raheja Mansion
“Jaipur? For two months? That’s such a long time, Kashish!” Anjali lamented as she watched her friend pack.
Kashish nodded, zipping up her bag.
“I know. But I’ll visit when I can, or you can come see me. I need this, Anju. I need to drown myself in work right now.”
Anjali sighed and hugged her tightly.
“You’re going to do great there. I know it.”
Kashish returned the hug with a soft smile. “Thanks.”
Downstairs Shekhar and Daadi were discussing the same.
“But can she travel without a family escort? Isn’t that against the court’s terms?” Daadi asked worriedly.
Shekhar smiled reassuringly. “She’s not going alone, Daadi. Rudra is going with her.”
Daadi’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? Rudra? Why does it have to be him?”
“Relax, Daadi,” Shekhar replied, amused. “If he’s serious about winning Kashish over, this is his best chance. Don’t we all want him to be happy?”
Daadi sighed but saw the truth in Shekhar’s words. “I suppose you’re right,” she muttered, reluctantly allowing things to proceed.
As Kashish prepared to leave, she was surprised Rudra hadn’t come to see her off. Perhaps it was better this way. Maybe, once she was gone, he’d finally understand there was no future for them. Taking a deep breath, she resolved to embrace this new chapter in her life. Little did she know, this trip would bring with it the most unexpected, thrilling turn of events she’d ever faced.