CHAPTER 42
Jaipur – Next Day
Kashish woke up earlier than usual. Despite Rudra’s persistent request to consider his proposal, she had somehow managed to get some sleep. However, those first few minutes in bed were plagued by unsettling thoughts of what might happen if she actually entertained the idea. She had envisioned Daadi’s furious, bloodshot eyes berating her for even considering Rudra’s proposal. That single imagined scenario was enough to snap her back to reality and keep her mind from wandering any further down that path.
After brushing her hair quickly, she headed downstairs to check on the breakfast arrangements. The unfamiliar surroundings of the bungalow meant she’d need to take charge and make sure everything ran smoothly for both of them. What startled her was how much attention she was giving to Rudra’s comfort—something she hadn’t done ever. But it was the least she could do to repay the debts his family unknowingly carried on her behalf. Kashish squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to shake off thoughts of the past. There was no time for it today.
When she entered the kitchen, she found the maid preparing aloo parathas.
“Parathas?” Kashish asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
“Yes, Ma’am,” the maid replied. “These are the specialty of this place. I thought you both would enjoy them.”
Kashish sighed. “I’m sure they’re delicious, but Rudra doesn’t like parathas for breakfast.”
The maid immediately grew nervous. “Oh, what should we make for him, Ma’am?”
“Pancakes,” Kashish replied confidently, surprising even herself. How was she so sure of his preferences? Since Rudra had returned from Paris, she had noticed him opting for pancakes every morning. Not that she had been deliberately paying attention, but when you eat with the family, you start noticing who eats what.
“Pancakes? I’ve never heard of those. How do you make them?” the maid asked nervously.
Kashish realized the maid had no idea how to prepare pancakes. So, she quickly took control.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make them. Just show me where everything is.”
Half an hour later, Rudra descended the stairs, looking for her. He had already checked her room and found it empty, so he followed the faint sound of her voice leading him to the kitchen. Standing just outside the doorway, he paused. There she was, talking to the maids and effortlessly preparing his breakfast. Rudra leaned against the wall, his heart swelling at the sight. For a brief moment, he imagined her as his wife—cooking for him, making their mornings together. In his daydream, he would have quietly dismissed the maids, approached her, and wrapped his arms around her from behind, thanking her with a kiss she wouldn’t have expected. A faint smile spread across his face.
The maids noticed him standing there and discreetly left the kitchen. Kashish, unaware of their departure, continued focusing on the pancakes, flipping them expertly. Rudra decided not to disturb her just yet. Instead, he quietly walked away, sending a maid back in to let Kashish know that he was ready for breakfast.
A few minutes later, Kashish entered the dining room, noticing Rudra pretending to be busy on his phone. He looked up briefly, smiled, and wished her good morning. Kashish simply nodded and sat down across from him, silently serving herself. The maid approached to serve Rudra, but he waved her off.
“I’ll serve myself, thank you.”
As the maid left, Rudra decided to have a little fun. He opened the dish of parathas and began serving them on his plate. Kashish noticed it and immediately pushed the dish of pancakes toward him, clearly indicating what he should be eating. Rudra stifled a grin and stubbornly continued serving the parathas.
“Why are you eating parathas?” Kashish frowned, unable to contain her frustration any longer.
“Because I want to. And they’re delicious,” he said, casually taking a bite.
“Silly me,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “I made pancakes because I thought you wouldn’t want parathas in the morning.”
Rudra raised an eyebrow.
“Really? Why did you go through all that effort for me? Thinking about my preferences and all?”
She realized he was playing with her. She should have known better than to get caught up in this ridiculous back-and-forth.
“Fine! Eat whatever you like. I don’t care,” she snapped, reaching to take the pancake dish away.
But before she could, Rudra caught her hand, stopping her in her tracks. His touch was gentle.
“You only need to say it, Kashish.”
Her pulse quickened at his words. “Say… what?” she stammered, feeling the warmth of his touch spreading through her hand. Why was he affecting her like this? She clenched her jaw, refusing to let him have the upper hand. But she wouldn’t let her efforts in making the pancakes go waste.
“I want you to eat the pancakes,” she finally said, her eyes locking with his in defiance.
Rudra’s lips curled into a boyish smile. He released her hand and served himself the pancakes. As he took his first bite, he closed his eyes, savoring the taste as if it were the best thing he had ever eaten. She watched him captivated by how he enjoyed the simple meal she had prepared. He devoured the pancakes in minutes, then turned his gaze back to her.
“They were perfect,” he said softly. “It’s like you poured all your dedication into these pancakes.”
Every time he praised her like this, it felt as though she was losing her grip on her emotions. She remained silent, unable to respond, her throat tightening with the effort to suppress her reaction.
“Thank you, Kashish. I won’t ask you to make them again, but I want you to know that I truly appreciate how much you care. How you always seem to think about my needs... it means a lot to me.”
She swallowed hard, trying to regain her composure. “I’m just... repaying the debt I owe you and your family.”
Rudra’s smile faded, replaced with a deep frown. But before he could counter her statement, Vimal entered the house, interrupting the moment.
“Good morning, Sir. Morning, Ma’am. I’m here to take you both to the client’s office.”
Rudra nodded curtly asking Vimal to wait in the living room while they finish their breakfast. Kashish hurried to finish her breakfast, but as she stood to leave, she remembered Rudra’s words from the previous night. He didn’t like being left alone while he was eating. Despite herself, she sat back down and waited for him to finish it too. Rudra noticed the gesture. It was a small shift, but it mattered. She was beginning to soften, to change. Now all he needed was for her to realize that she wasn’t doing this out of some misplaced sense of obligation—she cared for him in ways she hadn’t yet admitted, not even to herself.
*****************
Mehta’s Office - Jaipur
The staff at Mehta’s office greeted Rudra and the entire Raheja Designs team with utmost professionalism, leading them to their designated workspaces. Kashish immediately immersed herself in managing her team, while Rudra handled the higher-level management and client relations. His charisma and sharp handling of discussions left the Mehta group thoroughly impressed, exceeding their expectations.
As the day stretched into a grueling work session, the team finally began to wind down. Rudra, with his usual purpose, made his way to Kashish’s cubicle. Unlike the spacious area she had back at the Raheja Designs office, here she worked in a smaller, more confined space. But he knew she wouldn’t complain—she never did. He found her engrossed in conversation with Molly, one of her team members.
“Molly, we only have two days left to finalize these designs,” Kashish instructed. “I’ve already spoken to the lead at Mehta’s, and they expect the presentation on the third day.”
Molly nodded earnestly. “Yes, Ma’am. The team will be ready.”
“Great. You can all leave now. I’ll stay back to finish a few more things.”
Molly gave a respectful nod before leaving. As soon as she was gone, Rudra stepped inside Kashish’s workspace, his presence filling the small cubicle.
“No one is working beyond hours tonight,” he declared firmly. “Pack up, we’re leaving.”
Kashish glanced up at him, her gaze cold. “It’s easy for the management to make these calls,” she shot back, her eyes returning to the sketches. “But when deadlines aren’t met, it’s the staff that gets the blame. I’m not about to upset my boss.”
Rudra smirked, leaning in closer. “Oh, you have plenty of ways to make your boss happy.”
Her hand froze mid-sketch as she met his eyes. Was he seriously flirting? He leaned in further, placing both palms on her desk and bending toward her.
“Just three little words, Kashish. That’s all it would take to heal your boss’s aching heart.”
Her cheeks flushed a deep red. Kashish quickly scanned the room, her heart racing, afraid someone might have overheard him. Fortunately, the office was nearly empty except for a distant peon.
“I don’t have anything to say that would ease your heart, Mr. Raheja,” she replied, keeping her voice even.
Rudra leaned back, arms crossing over his chest, a playful gleam in his eyes. “Lying doesn’t suit you, Miss Bedi.”
She gritted her teeth as her patience ran thin.
“Get out of my cubicle and let me work.”
“Watch your tone. I’m still your boss,” he reminded her with a mischievous glint.
“Exactly. Act like one and leave the personal matters outside the office.”
He chuckled, clearly enjoying her irritation.
“Fair enough. In that case, as your boss, I’m ordering you to pack up and finish your work at home. Not here.”
Kashish clenched her fists, suppressing her anger. He always knew how to get under her skin, and once again, she had no choice but to follow his demands. Reluctantly, she shut her laptop and packed her bag. Without saying a word, she left the office, and Rudra followed, pleased that she had complied.
*****************
The next two days followed a similar pattern. Every morning, she cooked pancakes for him, and every morning, he praised her. At the office, they were all business, but Rudra never let her stay late. So, she always ended up finishing her work back at the bungalow, with Rudra sending little reminders to ensure she was taken care of.
Tonight, as she worked late into the night on the summer collection designs for the Mehtas, she noticed it was already past 1:00 a.m. Exhausted, she finally set the sketches aside, ready to sleep. Rudra had been relentless in making sure she didn’t skip meals, and at one point, even sent a maid to check on her, along with a cup of coffee to keep her awake to finish her designs. Despite her protests, his subtle care had become undeniable—there was a connection growing between them, a bond she couldn’t ignore.
But the sketches needed his approval. She hesitated, looking at the time. It was late, but maybe he was still awake. After a moment’s indecision, she put on her slippers, gathered the sketches, and made her way to his room. The door was slightly ajar, so she gently pushed it open.
Rudra was asleep, but he wasn’t at peace. His face was contorted with anguish, his body twitching restlessly.
“No… just go away… no,” he murmured in his sleep, shaking his head violently as if he were trapped in a nightmare.
Kashish’s heart clenched realizing he must be reliving the traumatic memories from the juvenile home. She rushed to his side, her eyes filling with tears as she saw him drenched in sweat, clutching his pillow in distress. Without thinking, she climbed onto the bed beside him, reminding herself that touching his chest might trigger more fear. Instead, she cupped his face, holding it firmly to stop his frantic shaking.
“Ssh… Rudra, it’s okay. You’re safe. You’re safe,” she whispered but he remained trapped in his nightmare, shivering violently, even pushing her away in his panic.
“No,” he cried out again, thrashing.
Kashish fought to control him, using all her strength to pin him down.
“Rudra, wake up! It’s just a dream. Please, wake up,” she pleaded oblivious to her tears which had been falling freely now.
His shudders slowly began to subside. Desperate to soothe him, she leaned down and whispered softly into his ear, over and over.
“I’m here… I’m here, Rudra. You’re not alone.”
Finally, his body relaxed, and his breathing steadied. He rolled over, instinctively wrapping his arms around her. Her heart ached as she watched him, his expression softening as he opened his eyes. She wondered how many times had he gone through this, facing these nightmares alone? How much pain had he carried in silence?
Kashish froze, suddenly very aware of how close they were. She stared at him, scared, but he just smiled softly. His finger traced her cheek gently.
She realized he wasn’t really awake - he was somewhere between sleeping and waking. He probably thought he was dreaming her. Her heart raced as his finger moved to her lip, touching it softly. Rudra took a deep breath before pulling her close and shutting his eyes again. Kashish froze as he kissed her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin a bit longer than necessary before drifting back to sleep.
Minutes later when his breathing was even, she let out a quiet breath of relief. But she was still stuck. She couldn’t even push against his chest to get free - she knew his fear of being touched there might scare him awake. All she could do was keep her arms to herself and wait for him to roll over to the other side again in the middle of the night so that she could crawl out of his bed. Until then she was trapped. In his arms.