CHAPTER 45
Rudra took her hand gently and raised it to his lips. Her eyes fluttered shut in anticipation, her breath catching as the warmth of his kiss lingered on the back of her hand. This was a monumental step, one that crossed an invisible line in their relationship. He had always been integral to her life, even when she hated him, but tonight was different—tonight, she opened her heart to him. It felt like the beginning of something irrevocable, something that would transform everything they knew.
“Say yes,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her wrist with a featherlight touch. Her eyes stayed shut, her pulse thundering beneath his fingertips. His breath hitched, barely concealing the storm of desire that raged within him. With a trembling hand, he cupped her face, guiding her to meet his gaze. Slowly, her eyes opened, locking onto his with a mix of uncertainty and yearning.
“Say yes,” he whispered again with deeper urgency.
Her lips parted instinctively, betraying the fragile resistance she clung to. Her body leaned toward him, surrendering to the pull of his words. But just as she teetered on the edge of giving in, her phone rang, shattering the charged silence. The spell broke, and she blinked, retreating from the emotions that had so completely ensnared her. The desire to stay in that moment still burned in her eyes, but the sharp intrusion had snapped the tension.
Rudra exhaled a low, frustrated groan, clearly seething at the unwelcome disruption.
She slipped off the bed, her heart pounding in her chest as she answered the call, her voice trembling as she stepped out of the room.
“Hello?” Her voice barely escaped her lips, still entangled in the intensity of what had just transpired.
“Kashish? Are you alright?” Shekhar’s concerned voice crackled through the line, obliterating any lingering trace of the moment with Rudra.
Kashish’s heart raced with a new anxiety. How could he know she was far from okay? She cleared her throat, struggling to mask the tremor in her voice.
“Yes, Shekhar. I’m fine. Why are you calling so late?” she asked, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was flushed, her body still buzzing with the intensity of Rudra’s touch.
“If it wasn’t urgent, I wouldn’t have called at this hour,” Shekhar said, pausing.
Kashish stepped into her bedroom and locked the door behind her.
“Urgent? What’s happened?”
“Daadi found a note in your closet,” Shekhar revealed. “Your father’s suicide note.”
It felt like the ground beneath her had just crumbled. How had Daadi found that note?
“Kashish, what’s going on? What is that note and why didn’t you tell me? Daadi thinks you’ve known all along that your father’s death wasn’t an accident and that you hid it from us. She believes you’ve been keeping this secret for your own gain.”
That had been her father’s intent—to leave her with a comfortable life after he was gone. But how could she convince them that she hadn’t been part of his plan? That she hadn’t known until recently?
“I don’t care what Daadi thinks, Shekhar,” she replied, “But do you trust me? Does Anju trust me?”
“We do,” Shekhar said immediately. “If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be calling you to warn you about what’s coming.”
Her chest tightened with gratitude.
“Daadi is coming to Jaipur. She’s booked a flight for tomorrow morning. She’s coming to confront you, Kashish. She warned us not to tell you, but we couldn’t keep this from you,” Shekhar explained.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She had dreaded this moment, but she was thankful Shekhar had given her a heads-up.
“Thank you, Shekhar. For everything.”
“Kashish, I’m worried. If Rudra finds out, he’ll—”
“He already knows,” she interrupted, tears spilling over.
Shekhar was stunned.
“He… he knows? Since when? Why didn’t either of you tell us?”
“I wanted to, but Rudra was afraid of how Daadi would react. This trip to Jaipur—it was his idea, to keep me away from her, to avoid telling her the truth,” Kashish explained.
Shekhar sighed deeply.
“Oh God. Rudra must have been devastated.”
“He was,” Kashish sobbed. “But despite everything, he put me first. He always puts me first, even over his own pain.”
Shekhar fell silent for a moment, sensing the deep emotions she was harboring for Rudra. He had never seen her so vulnerable before.
“Thank you for warning me about Daadi,” she said after a pause. “I’ll handle it from here.”
“Are you sure? Me and Anju can come if you need us,” Shekhar offered.
“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “Daadi will only feel more betrayed if she thinks I’ve turned the whole family against her. You two stay there. I’ll face her on my own.”
Shekhar hesitated, but then sighed. “Alright. But I know one thing for sure—Rudra won’t let anything happen to you. He’ll protect you, more than anyone else could.”
Kashish nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “I know.”
After hanging up, she sank onto the bed. She couldn’t keep relying on Rudra to fight her battles. He had done enough for her. It was time for her to take charge of her own life, to show him that she could stand strong on her own. A storm was coming, but Kashish was ready. She had a purpose now—to protect the man who had given everything for her, to finally give him the peace he deserved. She would face this challenge, and nothing could break her now.
*******************
The next morning, when Rudra came downstairs, he found Kashish rushing around the breakfast table. She looked anxious, moving with a sense of urgency. As he approached, she immediately handed him a plate of pancakes and a glass of juice.
“Thank God you’re here. These are your pancakes and juice,” she said, pushing them toward him. “Eat quickly, the car is already waiting outside.”
Rudra frowned, sensing something unusual in her behavior.
“Why are you in such a rush? We still have an hour before we need to leave.”
“The Mehtas have scheduled a meeting for 9:00 a.m. You can’t miss it,” she replied hastily.
“What meeting? Why wasn’t I informed about this earlier?” he asked, suspicious now.
“Last-minute changes,” she sighed. “They’re our clients. We don’t have control over these things.”
Rudra’s instincts flared. Something wasn’t right. “I’ll call Jay and check,” he said, reaching for his phone.
Kashish quickly stopped him, her hand darting out. “Jay doesn’t know either. I told you, it’s a last-minute change. You’ll be late if you don’t hurry.”
He studied her for a moment before deciding to trust her. There was no obvious reason for her to lie. Reluctantly, he began eating quickly.
“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked, noticing her empty plate.
“I’ve taken the day off,” she responded casually. “I’ll eat later.”
Rudra’s concern deepened. “Why are you suddenly on leave? Is something wrong?”
Kashish huffed in frustration. “Rudra, stop interrogating me. I’m human. I get stressed too.”
His worry only intensified. “You’re not feeling well? Let me call the doctor—”
Before he could finish, she snatched his phone and placed it firmly on the table.
“Stop worrying so much. I’m fine. I just need a day to myself. As per company policy, I’m allowed at least one day off a month.”
Reluctantly, Rudra backed off.
“Alright, fine. Take some rest. But if you need anything—”
“I’ll handle it,” she interrupted, not wanting him to fuss over her any further.
He shook his head, focusing back on his breakfast. She glanced at the clock anxiously, knowing Daadi must have already landed in Jaipur. She wanted Rudra far from the house before Daadi arrived.
“I’ll see you this evening,” Rudra said, wiping his lips as he stood to leave.
Kashish nodded, watching him go. Just as he was about to walk out, he paused and turned back to her, his eyes softening.
“Are you hiding something from me, Kashish?” His voice was gentle, but it held a weight that made her heart race.
“I’m not hiding anything.” She swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure. “I just… need time to think carefully about your proposal.”
Rudra’s lips tightened for a moment, then relaxed as he stepped closer, his hand gently cupping her cheek.
“I might’ve pushed too hard last night, wanting you to say yes. But don’t stress yourself. I can wait, you know that.”
Kashish offered him a weak smile. Yes, she knew. This man would wait a lifetime just to hear her say yes. But she couldn’t let him wait that long. She would make her decision about their future today.
“You’re going to be late,” she reminded him softly.
His heart ached at the thought of leaving her like this, but he knew he couldn’t hover over her every moment. She needed space to think, and he would give her that. With one last glance, he headed out to his car. In minutes, he was gone, leaving Kashish standing alone in the quiet house. She sat on the couch, waiting for what she knew was coming.
Half an hour later, she heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. Daadi had arrived. Kashish braced herself, shutting her eyes briefly to gather strength. When the door opened, Savitri Raheja stormed in. Kashish stood from the couch, feigning surprise.
“Aap?” (You?)
“Where is Rudra?” Savitri’s gaze was sharp, her tone colder than ever.
“He left early for work,” Kashish replied.
“Good. What I have to say doesn’t need his presence.” Savitri nodded curtly.
With a forceful flick of her wrist, Savitri tossed a piece of paper onto the table—the suicide note from Kashish’s father.
“What do you have to say about this?” she seethed.
Kashish picked up the note, her hands trembling slightly, pretending to be shocked. She glanced at Savitri, who was practically trembling with fury.
“You knew all these years, didn’t you?” she accused.
Kashish shook her head.
“I found this note just a few days before we came to Jaipur.”
“Don’t lie to me!” Savitri spat, her fury undiminished.
“You and your father have done enough damage. Your father fooled us all, plotted this entire charade to get you into a rich family. You think I’ll stand by and do nothing?”
Kashish flinched at her accusations. But she knew she had to face this.
“My father’s decision ruined Rudra’s life,” Kashish said softly. “I know that. I accept that.”
Savitri’s eyes flashed with hatred. “Ruined? Your father destroyed my grandson. Rudra spent years in that hellhole, nearly got molested and robbed of his smile. All because of your father’s selfish decision.”
Kashish’s heart sank. Everything she said was true. Rudra’s pain, his nightmares, the life he lost—all of it traced back to her father’s fateful choice.
“I will show this letter to Rudra,” Savitri hissed. “He will throw you out of his life, out of this house.”
“He won’t,” Kashish whispered.
Her eyes filled with tears, but she wiped them quickly, determined to stay strong.
“What did you say?” Savitri froze. “Rudra knows?”
“Yes, I showed him the note the moment I found it. Rudra knows everything.”
The blow hit Savitri hard. She collapsed onto the couch, utterly stunned. “Rudra knows and he… he’s still with you? How… how is that possible? What spell have you cast on him? Why can’t he see what you really are?”
Kashish knelt before her, her tears now flowing freely.
“Rudra has done so much for me. His love, his goodness… it’s more than I deserve. I know my father’s sin took away his innocence, his happiness. I can never undo the past, but I promise you, Daadi… I will spend the rest of my life trying to ease his pain. I will pull him out of the darkness.”
Her words carried a conviction that Savitri didn’t care to acknowledge. She had no interest in hearing what Kashish was capable of.
“I don’t want you anywhere near my grandson. Do you hear me? Leave him to us. I can look after Rudra, I will get him treated, and I will guide him toward the life he deserves. We don’t need you, Kashish Bedi.”
Her words roared through the room like thunder.
Kashish had expected this. But she wasn’t going to back down.
“Sorry, Daadi,” she replied, “but that’s not happening.”
Savitri’s eyes flared in anger as she tried to make sense of her defiance.
“I’m not leaving Rudra. Not until I’ve pulled him out of his sorrows and pain.”
“I’m not discussing this,” Daadi snapped. “This is an order, Kashish. I want you out of our lives.”
But Kashish stood her ground.
“If you force me out now, you’ll lose Rudra. He will turn the entire world upside down to bring me back. Why would you choose to fight a battle that was never in your control to begin with?”
Her words pierced Daadi’s ego like a blade.
“How dare you?” Daadi’s voice shook with rage. “Are you challenging me?”
“I’m not challenging you, Daadi. If it sounded like that, I apologize. I’m only telling you the consequences of your decision. You know, deep down, how much he loves me. Don’t you want to see your grandson free from his pain? Living without fear, without the nightmares that haunt him?”
For a brief moment, Daadi faltered. Yes, she wanted her grandson to smile again, to live without the shadows of his past. And in her heart, she knew that Kashish might be the only one who could bring that light back into Rudra’s life. But her fury, her pride, quickly returned.
“Keshav Bedi robbed this family of its dignity, its peace. I will never allow his daughter to be a part of us. If you have any guilt, any decency left, you will help Rudra heal, and then you will leave. Leave so far away that he can never find you, no matter how much he tries. That is the punishment you owe, for your father’s sins. And don’t even think about making your relationship with Rudra official. You don’t deserve to be part of this family.”
Kashish understood. Any woman in Savitri’s place would feel the same. Why would she ever want a bride whose father had caused so much suffering to their family?
“Tell me, Kashish. Do you accept my challenge?”
Kashish swallowed hard, the tears in her eyes refusing to fall.
“I accept. You will get your grandson back—healed from his pain, free from his sorrow... and free from me.”
Daadi’s shoulders relaxed slightly, a glimmer of satisfaction crossing her face.
“Good,” she said. “Let’s see if you can do it. And remember, Rudra must never know about this conversation.”
“He won’t.” Kashish wiped her tears and nodded firmly.
With a final, cold glance, Savitri turned and walked out, her mission complete. She had come to sever Kashish from Rudra’s life, but now she understood—only Kashish held the power to save him. She had bought herself time—a brief reprieve for Kashish to breathe life back into Rudra’s broken spirit. But once Kashish kept her word and vanished from his world forever, she could handpick the perfect bride, a woman worthy of carrying the Raheja name forward. As Daadi’s footsteps faded, Kashish stood rooted in silence. She had to save Rudra, even if it meant shattering her own heart beyond repair.