CHAPTER 47
Jaipur Residence
Rudra, who had been stealing glances at her, initially ignored her distraction. But when he noticed her fingers trembling as she typed on her phone, he couldn’t resist. Kashish hurriedly deleted the message after replying to Savitri, cautioning her not to send such direct texts, as they could land both of them in trouble if Rudra ever saw them.
“Whose message was that?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Kashish set her phone down and forced a smile.
“No one’s,” she lied, trying to continue eating as if nothing had happened.
“I just saw you responding to some message. Why are you lying? What are you hiding?” His frustration was evident.
Kashish’s heart raced. No one could read her better than Rudra.
“Why would I hide anything from you, Rudra? Yes, I got a message, but it was just a promotional one from some shopping store. I deleted it. That’s all.”
“You’re still lying,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing.
Kashish took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay patient. If she lost control now, she would only confirm his suspicions.
“Don’t you trust me?” she asked, even though the words felt hollow, knowing full well that she was keeping something from him.
Rudra reached across the table, taking her hand in his.
“I trust you more than I trust myself. And that’s exactly why I’m warning you—don’t ever lie to me, Kashish. If something’s bothering you, talk to me. Don’t keep it buried inside. We’ve had enough complications between us already. Let’s not add more to it.”
Was that a warning? Her throat tightened, but she kept her expression neutral, hiding the truth behind a reassuring smile.
“We’re getting late for work. I’ve got a team meeting at 9:30 a.m. that I can’t afford to miss.”
Rudra released her hand, though his eyes lingered on her, studying her intently. She returned to her meal, pretending everything was fine. But in his heart, Rudra wasn’t convinced. Was she hiding something?
As they reached the office, Kashish saw Rudra slow his pace, lingering behind. She turned back, confused.
“I need to make a call,” he explained. “You go ahead.”
Kashish nodded and hurried inside, leaving Rudra in the lobby. He quickly dialed Shekhar’s number.
“Rudra?” Shekhar’s voice came through, cheerful. “You rarely call me first. What’s going on?”
“I need a favor,” Rudra replied.
“A favor? That sounds intriguing. What do you need?”
“You remember Maa’s bangles?” Rudra asked.
“The bangles she saved for your future wife?” Shekhar teased. “Of course. Why?”
“I need them. Send them here through someone.”
Shekhar wasn’t too surprised. He had a pretty good idea of who Rudra intended to give them to.
“Ah, I see where this is going. Alright, but what do I get in return?” He chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment.
Rudra bit his lip, stifling his own smile.
“Just send them, okay? Bye.”
He hung up before Shekhar could protest further. On the other end, Shekhar burst out laughing. Somewhere in that short conversation, he glimpsed the old Rudra—the bossy younger brother he hadn’t seen in years.
Shekhar quickly searched for the bangles. When Anjali walked in, she saw him rummaging through the closet.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“Rudra called,” Shekhar explained, grinning. “He wants Maa’s bangles. I think he’s planning to give them to Kashish.”
Anjali’s face lit up with excitement. She was thrilled at the idea of Rudra and Kashish’s relationship progressing. She quickly found the box and handed it to Shekhar.
“Thanks, Anju. I’ll have Jay take these to Jaipur right away.”
Their excitement was contagious. Both Shekhar and Anjali couldn’t wait for the day Kashish would officially become part of their family.
“I can’t wait for that day,” Anjali admitted. “It’ll be such a big moment for all of us.”
“I agree,” Shekhar said. “After all the bitterness and pain Rudra’s been through, he deserves this happiness.”
But suddenly, Anjali grew pensive.
“Shekhar, I still don’t understand how Daadi came around so easily. She’s always hated the idea of Rudra and Kashish being together. She blames Kashish and her father for all the pain Rudra has endured. What changed her mind?”
Shekhar’s smile faded as he, too, became serious.
“I’ve been wondering the same thing, Anju. Something’s not adding up. I asked Kashish about it once, and while she seemed calm, I could tell she was upset. I’m not sure what happened between her and Daadi, but something changed. And whatever it was, Daadi hasn’t said a word to Rudra about it. She hasn’t even talked to him about fixing a wedding date, which is strange given how eager she always was to see him married.”
Anjali nodded, agreeing with her husband’s suspicion.
“It’s odd. She’s always been so vocal about wanting Rudra to settle down. What happened?”
“Something’s off,” Shekhar muttered. “And before it gets worse, we need to figure out what’s going on.”
Anjali nodded in agreement. Whatever it was, both Kashish and Daadi were hiding something. And Shekhar was determined to uncover the truth before it was too late.
*********************
Mehta Office
Kashish tossed the finalized sketches for the Mehtas on her desk. They looked elegant, but they lacked the spark she wanted. The collection was meant for summer, and while she’d avoided bright shades and focused on light, breathable fabrics, something still felt off. It wasn’t glamorous enough. Tomorrow, she’d have to present these to the client, and though her team had been working on the designs, she wanted to have backup options. She couldn’t afford for any of her designs to be rejected.
Sipping her fourth coffee of the day, she barely registered its taste anymore. Her focus remained on the sketches, eyes scanning for any way to elevate them. She needed a breakthrough.
“Time’s up,” Rudra’s voice broke through her thoughts.
Startled, she glanced toward the door. He stood there, arms crossed, his expression firm.
“What?” she asked, confused.
He stepped further into the room.
“Everyone’s left, except us. It’s time to go.”
She shook her head, resisting.
“Not today, Rudra. I need to finish this. There’s no time. You go ahead, I’ll meet you later tonight.”
Without warning, Rudra stepped forward and snatched the designs from her hand, placing them out of reach.
“That’s not happening,” he said firmly.
Kashish frowned, irritation flaring.
“Don’t mix them up. I’ve organized everything for tomorrow.”
Quickly, she retrieved the sketches, rearranging them back into their rightful piles.
“I’m stressed, I know. But I can’t leave. I need to finish this here. I have everything I need.”
Rudra sighed, watching her.
“You need a break, Kashish. Take a breather. You can finish this at home after dinner.”
“I can’t focus at home,” she countered. “Here, I’ve got everything set up.”
His frustration softened into concern.
“I can have the entire desk shipped to our guest house if that’s what it takes.”
Kashish blinked, momentarily thrown by his seriousness. She knew he meant it—he would do anything to help her.
“Thanks, but I’ll manage here.”
He shrugged, knowing she wouldn’t budge.
“Fine. I’ll wait until you’re done.”
“No,” she protested, softening her tone. “I don’t need a babysitter, Rudra. If you stay, I’ll just feel rushed. I promise I won’t push myself too hard. Let me finish this, and I’ll come home when I’m done.”
Rudra studied her for a moment before reluctantly nodding. He grasped her hands in his, before leaning over and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
“Alright. I’ll send the driver back after dropping me off. Come home soon.”
“I will.”
Though uneasy about leaving her alone, Rudra respected her space. After all, Kashish wasn’t just his girlfriend—she was a dedicated professional with commitments to fulfill.
*********************
Jaipur residence
When Rudra arrived back at the guest house, he was greeted by Jay, waiting with a box in hand.
“I wasn’t expecting you so soon, Jay.”
“Shekhar Sir insisted I deliver this to you as quickly as possible. So, I took the next available flight.”
He handed Rudra the box—inside were his mother’s bangles. His heart warmed at the thought of gifting them to Kashish and made a mental note to thank his brother for making it happen so quickly.
“Stay and have dinner with me,” Rudra offered.
“No, Boss, that’s alright. I’ve got a flight to catch early tomorrow.”
“You won’t be late if you have dinner here. I hate eating alone,” Rudra insisted.
Jay hesitated but eventually agreed. After freshening up, Rudra joined Jay at the table as the maids served their food. The conversation shifted to work, and Rudra took the opportunity to catch up on the latest updates from the Delhi office.
Midway through the meal, Jay paused to share something he recalled.
“Boss, this reminds me. While booking my flight using the company system, I noticed another return flight had been booked yesterday. A return flight from Delhi to Jaipur.”
Rudra raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“I don’t recall anyone from the Delhi office coming here for work,” Rudra replied, now curious. “Did you check the name of the passenger?”
“I didn’t, but I can fetch the details and let you know once I’m back there tomorrow morning.”
Rudra initially dismissed the idea but then remembered how Kashish had taken an unexpected day off yesterday—right before she confessed her feelings for him. Could this flight be connected to the sudden shift in their relationship?
“Yes,” Rudra said, his tone sharpening. “Find out the name, Jay. I want to know.”
*****************
Kashish returned home at 11:30 p.m., utterly drained. All she wanted was to collapse into bed and let sleep take over. It had been an exhausting day at work, and she barely had the energy to walk inside the house. The silence downstairs suggested Rudra was already asleep, but she knew better. He never slept soundly until she was home safe. She stepped into her room, only to be met with a surprising sight—a beautifully pressed red saree laid neatly on the bed. Beside it was a handwritten note. She set her purse down and picked up the note to read it.
“Wear this and come to the poolside.”
Her brow arched. Rudra was planning something. Despite the exhaustion weighing her down, something deep inside stirred, urging her not to refuse his request. She quickly freshened up and slipped into the saree, though not being a pro at wearing it, she managed to drape it decently. With a final glance in the mirror, she headed toward the poolside, following the trail of dimmed lights that guided her through the lobby.
The sight that awaited her stunned her—a candlelit dinner, elegantly arranged by the pool. Anger bubbled up inside her as she thought Rudra had skipped his dinner to have with her. Before she could even process the effort behind the setup, she spotted Rudra approaching from the other end.
“You didn’t eat? Rudra, you need to take your medicines on time. Why did you wait for me?” she scolded.
Rudra’s eyes never left her. He was too mesmerized by how breathtaking she looked in that red saree, too captivated to answer. His silence irked her even more. Just as she was about to snap at him again, he reached her, gently took her hand, and guided her to a chair. She didn’t resist.
“I already ate,” he whispered before she could protest further.
Kashish’s eyes darted to the dinner table—only one plate. She flushed, realizing her overprotectiveness had gotten the better of her. She cared too much about him, more than she liked to admit. He knelt before her, his fingers intertwined with hers as he gazed up at her, his expression solemn yet tender.
“Did you take your medicine?” she asked, her fingers automatically shifting to his hair, gently ruffling them.
“Taken,” he assured her, still kneeling at her feet.
She sighed in relief, her worry easing. Yet the way he looked at her, as though he was holding his breath in awe, made her heart race.
“What are you staring at?”
“Just trying to believe you’re finally mine,” he murmured, pulling her hands to his lips. She instinctively tried to pull them back, but he tightened his grip on her wrists, a warning flashing in his gaze. She hesitated, then obeyed, feeling her heart pound in her chest.
Rudra kissed her wrist before pulling away and retrieved a pair of bangles from his pocket. Her breath hitched as she watched him slide the delicate bangles around her wrists, his touch filled with reverence.
“These belonged to my mother,” he said softly.
Kashish blinked in surprise, unsure how to react. He was giving her something so precious, so meaningful. How could she accept such a gift when their relationship was far from permanent?
“You didn’t have to give me these so soon,” she murmured, her voice barely holding back tears.
“I wanted you to have them. My mother’s blessings are with you now. I’m sure, wherever she is, she’s happy… watching over us.”
His quiet words pierced through her defenses. She never realized how deeply she affected him. Receiving such a gift from him—a piece of his past, a piece of his heart—made her chest tighten. She didn’t want to think about the uncertain future between them. All she wanted was to focus on the present, on helping him heal.
He began to serve her food. She had never experienced anything like this before—someone caring for her so deeply. It filled her with a warmth that reached beyond her physical exhaustion.
“Did you finish your work?” Rudra asked, casually feeding her a spoonful of food.
“Yes, I managed to get everything done,” she replied, swallowing slowly as her gaze met his.
When she reached for the spoon, he stopped her, continuing to feed her himself. Her heart swelled as she ate, feeling an odd sense of peace that she hadn’t known existed before.
“You had brought these bangles here?” she asked between bites.
“No, Jay delivered them,” he said, feeding her another spoonful.
“Jay was here? When?”
“When you were overworking,” he teased, smirking as he placed another morsel in her mouth.
Kashish sighed, chewing thoughtfully.
“Oh, I see. Jay has good taste then. I’m sure he even got this saree for me,” she teased, feigning admiration. “I mean, just look at this saree. It’s beautiful. Red must be Jay’s favorite color.”
Rudra’s expression darkened, and she chuckled at his reaction.
“It’s my favorite color, Kashish Bedi. I was the one who picked it out for you, not him,” he corrected, his tone possessive.
Kashish pouted, enjoying the playful banter.
“I was just teasing.”
“It worked. You made me mad enough,” he warned, a spark of mischief in his eyes.
Kashish held her ear in mock apology, and he quickly grabbed her hand, pulling it away.
“When did you buy it?” she asked.
“A while ago,” he said, his eyes gleaming with pride. “I had a gut feeling you’d wear it. For me. ”
Kashish couldn’t help but smile at his confidence. She ate a few more spoonful before pushing the plate away.
“Enough,” she said, feeling full.
“You’ve hardly eaten anything,” he frowned.
“I don’t want to bloat. This saree already shows too much of my stomach,” she admitted, her cheeks heating up at the confession.
Rudra’s gaze dropped to her bare midriff for a moment before returning to her face, his eyes glinting with approval.
“You’re too perfect,” he grinned. “A few more bites won’t hurt.”
He fed her two more spoonful before finally relenting. Kashish laughed softly.
“No dessert?” she teased, raising an eyebrow.
Rudra’s eyes darkened with a possessive gleam as his fingers threaded through her hair.
“I didn’t realize you had a sweet tooth so late at night.”
Kashish frowned in mock disappointment.
“You don’t know me fully yet, then. I can eat sweets at any time.”
Rudra pulled her closer, his breath hot against her skin.
“Then accept my apologies, and let me make it up to you.”
“Apologies accepted.” Her breath hitched as he lifted her in his arms. She clutched his shirt, her heart thudding in anticipation of what he planned to do next.