His Retribution & Rue

PROLOGUE

"Akansha... Get ready in an hour, I'll be picking you up today," her friend Richa said the moment Akansha took the call. Before she could respond, her friend hung up, making Akansha chuckle.

"Is it Licha (Richa) aunty?" she heard her four-year-old's sweet tone.

"Yes baby, let's get you ready. You know how punctual your Richa aunty is..." she said, taking her daughter into the washroom and giving her a bath.

"Mumma, am I looking pwetty (pretty)?" her daughter asked, looking at her the same way her father once used to look at her, before he changed into a completely different man in a single day.

No... don't go there, Akansha... she chided herself.

"Yes baby, you are the prettiest... Do well," she said, kissing her daughter's cheek.

The mother and daughter got ready, and within an hour, her friend picked them up and dropped them at school.

"Miss Akansha... You know what?" her colleague squealed, bursting into the staff room.

"What is it, Miss Rathi?" Akansha asked in her usual stern voice. Her soft side was only for her daughter, her little students, and her best friend. She was done with people using her kindness for their selfishness.

The excited teacher ignored her tone and started sharing what she thought would excite Akansha, but instead it made her furious.

"The Chief Minister lifted your daughter in his arms, appreciating her for her performance. He made her sit beside him now. Can you believe it?" Rathi screamed in excitement, expecting at least a smile from Akansha, if not equal enthusiasm.

"WHAT? I told you my daughter wouldn't be participating today. Who the hell let her? brING HER TO ME RIGHT NOW!" Akansha screamed in fury.

No way in hell was she letting that man touch her daughter. No. He shouldn't know about her daughter. No. She had promised herself she would keep her daughter away from that man.

She began hyperventilating. Rathi stepped forward to help her, but Akansha gave her such a stern look that she immediately backed away and rushed to bring Siya.

She knew HE was the chief guest of the annual day function, and that was exactly why she had stayed away from the organizing team and the function. That was also why she had not allowed her daughter to participate.

Rathi, seeing her madness, sprinted out to bring the child about whom her colleague was raging like a wounded bull.

"What's wrong? Where are you going?" another colleague asked when Rathi moved toward the Chief Minister, who was enjoying the performances of the little children, along with the kids seated beside him, among whom was Akansha's daughter Siya.

"To take Siya to her mother," Rathi said with a deep sigh.

"What? But she is sitting with the Chief Minister. You can't just do that. That would be rude," their colleague Shipra said.

"I know, but that rude woman screamed at me.

Don't know what her problem is. Looks like she hates CM sir.

The principal first offered the supervision of Annual Day to her, and she gladly accepted.

But when she got to know Mr. Shekhawat was the chief guest, she backed out.

I didn't think much of it then, but now seeing her reaction, I'm sure she has some problem with CM sir," Rathi said.

"What's there not to like about Mr. Shekhawat?

He is kind, caring, and a wonderful leader.

We are lucky to have him. Looks like she belongs to one of those crazy families still clinging to the opposition.

.. Huh, how can she dislike him yaar? Look at his face, he is so handsome.

Even if he wasn't the best leader, I would still vote for him just looking at that handsome face.

.." Shipra said dreamily, staring at Shaurya.

"Haha... now let me go, otherwise the devil will eat me raw, and then I won't be able to see Mr. Shekhawat with these eyes," Rathi said, blushing while looking at Shaurya.

"See? Even a shy girl like you couldn't stop staring at him.

How can she dislike a species like that?

Huh... maybe she was one of those dream girls crazy for him, but after realizing he could never be hers, became bitter.

Not everyone can accept reality like us babes," Shipra mocked Akansha, without knowing she was partly right.

There was a time when Akansha had been madly in love with him.

But after what he did, her love had turned to ashes, leaving only black scars behind.

What Shipra didn't know was that Akansha never had to dream of him being hers, because he was, is, and always would be hers. But she didn't want him anymore.

"Okay, let me go and pick up her child. Siya is so cute despite having such a cold mother," Rathi said before hesitantly walking toward the VIP seats.

"Apologies for disturbing you, sir, but may I take her with me?" Rathi asked politely, looking at Shaurya.

Shaurya looked at Rathi once and then at the little girl beside him, who was sitting holding his right hand, while another girl and a boy sat to his left holding his other hand.

He was surrounded by the children who had performed the welcome dance for him, and it warmed his heart.

Especially the little girl dancing in the middle—she had stolen his heart at first sight.

On hearing Rathi, the little girl tightened her grip on his hand, clearly showing she didn't want to go. And he felt an unexpected pull not to let her leave his sight.

"Why, may I ask, Miss...?" Shaurya said, partly focused on the performance on stage and partly on Rathi.

"Rathi, sir... um... her mother wants to see her," Rathi said, looking at her feet, hiding the blush on her cheeks. Shaurya failed to notice. He had eyes only for one woman—his first and last love, his wife, Akansha Singh Shekhawat, whom he had lost through his own stupidity.

"Mumma? Oh no! Is she angly, teacher?" Siya asked immediately, releasing Shaurya's hand and climbing down from her seat.

Shaurya didn't want the little girl to go, but he couldn't object when her mother was calling her. Still... why would she be angry?

"Um... maybe Or maybe not..." Rathi said with a smile.

"But why would your mumma be angry?" Shaurya asked, taking the little girl's soft palms into his hands.

"Because she didn't want me to palticipate today, but I did without hel knowledge. My mumma is vely good, she loves me a lot, but I didn't listen to her, so she will scold me now," the little girl explained.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to her. She won't scold you," he said, making her sit on his lap before looking at Rathi. "Ask her mother to meet me, and let the little girl enjoy the performance if it's not urgent."

The last sentence carried such finality that Rathi could only nod.

"Sure, sir..." she said and walked away.

"So now, little girl, you didn't tell me your name?" Shaurya asked, dividing his attention between the stage and her.

These few hours spent with children were the best parts of his job, which was why he approved every school invitation whenever possible.

He would have been a father to maybe two or three beautiful children by now... if only he hadn't ruined everything. Akansha loved kids.

The thought of the children he might have had made him smile sadly. That dream would remain only a dream now. He had lost his wife forever. She was gone and would never return to him. Still, he was determined to find her and beg for forgiveness.

But what if she had moved on? What if she had married someone else and already had children with that man? Could he bear seeing her with another man?

Hell no. He would kill him.

"That's because you didn't ask me," Siya's voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

He smiled at her cute accusation.

"Yeah, my bad. Sorry. Now I'm asking... what's your name?" he said. His Chief Secretary and bodyguards watched in awe. The mighty Shaurya Singh Shekhawat always turned into a softie around children.

"It's okay, you are forgiven... and my name is Siyakliti (Siyakriti)," Siya said.

Shaurya froze hearing the name.

"Shaurya... how many kids do you want?" Akansha, who was hugging his chest, asked suddenly.

"Um... just one, and I'm already holding that kid in my arms," he whispered in her ear, earning a slap on his chest.

"Shaurya... I'm serious..." Akansha whined.

"Fine, fine, lady, stop your physical abuse.

Um... I want just one little girl who is a replica of you, and we would name her Siya," he said with a smile, already imagining a baby who would look like a mini Akansha.

But soon, the real purpose behind all his drama entered his mind, snatching away the smile and replacing it with a smirk but also guilt and fear, fear of losing her.

"Just one? I want lots of kids with you, and Siya is too old. I would name my daughter Akriti," Akansha said, not noticing that his face had gone void of emotion.

"What happened, uncle?" Siya asked, tapping Shaurya's arm.

"Siya, address him as Sir," the teacher standing nearby to monitor the children corrected her, not wanting them to inconvenience the Chief Minister.

"It's okay. They are kids. They don't have to know all this. Let them be oblivious and innocent," Shaurya said, smiling at Siya.

"You have a very pretty name, Siya. Um... I can call you Siya, right?" he asked.

She nodded, giving him a wide smile that stole his heart.