Chapter 9 #3
She hadn’t told him the extent of her struggles at home. She didn’t like sharing them, but he knew enough of her reality—how her parents always favored the other children. Akash trusted Shaurya too, and he too never hesitated to admit how unfair their parents were toward her.
Shaurya knew bits and pieces of her life, yet he never commented on her parents or spoke ill of them.
He supported her, stood by her, but never disrespected them—knowing she wouldn’t like it.
And that restraint made her love him even more, if that was even possible.
She could feel his anger toward them, but he still maintained his dignity.
"So... let’s go in, hm?" Shaurya said.
"You didn’t have to do all this, Shaurya..." Akansha said. She didn’t like taking help from anyone. She had always been self-sufficient, and depending on someone made her feel uncomfortable and inadequate.
"I did nothing... in fact, my friend was more than happy to lend this place. He was worried it would start looking ghostly if left unused. So it’s a win-win situation, not a favor.
He actually thanked me for solving his problem," Shaurya said, trying to ease her discomfort—and succeeding to some extent.
"So what do you want in return, Mr. Shekhawat?" Akansha asked, a hint of mischief in her tone.
"Oh, I want many things... but they can wait. For now, fulfill my childhood dream—become a doctor, complete your PhD... become Dr. Akansha," Shaurya said, and she nodded with a smile.
"Now if you’re done talking, can I have the privilege of putting your mouth to better use?" he asked.
"God, Shaurya... and your strange ways of asking for a kiss," she said, turning her face away to hide her blush. It didn’t suit her personality, and he chuckled at her reaction.
He gently turned her back toward him and kissed her without wasting another second.
His phone buzzed, pulling them out of their world. He broke the kiss, texted something quickly, and within minutes, Akash walked in through the door—shocking Akansha.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, eyes wide.
"He called me here," Akash said, pointing at Shaurya.
Akansha turned to Shaurya with accusation.
"You said Akash would manage things at home," she said.
"Yeah... I thought so. But you believed the idea was stupid, so I backed out," Shaurya said with the same innocent expression.
"What? Shaurya... you can’t be serious!" she screamed, lunging at him, but he quickly ran away while she chased him.
"Di..." Akash called, but she didn’t stop. "Di... Ma is calling," he added urgently.
Her steps halted immediately.
After they returned home, the siblings had to endure a long lecture from their mother. They told her they were out on a midnight ice cream adventure that was trending at the time. That explanation saved them from her suspicion—but not from her verbal punishment. The lecture lasted an hour.
Akansha, in particular, was scolded far more harshly than both siblings combined.
Shaurya felt guilty afterward. Until then, he hadn’t truly understood her mother.
He had assumed she simply overlooked Akansha, treating her more as a contributor than a daughter.
But over time, he realized what kind of woman she truly was—and how she constantly doubted Akansha, even checking her phone to ensure she wasn’t secretly involved with someone.
The thought disgusted him.
Every day, he realized more clearly that Akansha’s home was a form of hell for her. And he decided to escalate his plan. It would hurt her—he knew that—but he believed it was inevitable. He also convinced himself that she deserved that pain if she could inflict the same on his sister.
Still, he couldn’t understand why he felt so protective of her. Why he wanted to pull her out of the life she was trapped in, even while holding grievances against her.
The step he was planning would shock his entire family. His father would not approve. But he had made up his mind.
And he would do whatever it took to execute it.
Dev often told him that his “little act” had become too real—that he had fallen for Akansha. Shaurya denied it, at least outwardly, but he couldn’t deny it to himself.
He knew he loved her.
And that realization disturbed him deeply, making him feel like he was betraying his sister and diminishing her suffering.
But only after he lost her did he realize how foolish he had been.
Because he didn’t just lose Akansha.
He lost his peace too.
"Siya... I expect you to follow your routine, yes bacha? Don’t miss your fruits," Akansha said, ignoring the past she had just revisited in her mind.
"Okay, mumma," the little girl affirmed.
"Promise?" Akansha asked warily, still not trusting her daughter and best friend together to behave perfectly.
"Plomise," Siya said quickly, making her promise again, which only increased Akansha’s suspicion—but she chose to ignore it.
"Okay... take care, both of you," she said and walked out.
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It had been a few hours, but Akansha didn’t stop checking on them. She texted every fifteen minutes and called every hour, which irritated Richa beyond tolerance.
"Akansha, I’m warning you... if you call me one more time, I’ll take Siya out and give her all the junk food," Richa said into the phone.
"Richa, relax... you might get a work call anytime, so I was just checking if you had to go. Then I’ll come back or arrange something else for Siya," Akansha said.
"No. How many times do I have to tell you? I have no work today, and I will not receive any calls. Do you understand? Now don’t call me again, or I’ll switch off my phone—or worse, block you," Richa said and hung up.
Akansha stared at her phone strangely. Her friend’s temper was worse than hers.
She shook her head and returned to work.
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Richa was taking a nap while Siya played a painting game on her phone. As she looked at the digital color palette, she suddenly remembered the one Shaurya had gotten for her—and how they had painted together.
She missed him.
Without thinking much, she dialed his number.
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Shaurya was in a meeting with his immediate staff and ministers regarding the investors’ summit when his phone rang. Assuming it was family or Dev, he silenced it. But then it struck him—this number was now also with the little girl.
He quickly checked his phone and, seeing an unknown number, felt surprised.
"Um... guys, I’ll have to take this call. I’ll be back in a minute," he excused himself politely and stepped out, picking up the call with the hope that it was the little girl who had filled his life with peace again in just two meetings.
"Hello... who is this?", He heard her tiny voice, making him chuckle.
"Wasn’t that supposed to be my question, my little friend?" Shaurya asked.
"Hehe... uncle... how ale you?" Siya asked.
"I’m good. How is my Siya bacha?" he replied.
"She is good... uncle, you plomised(promised) you would meet me again, but you didn’t... Siya is angly(angry) with you," Siya said, making him go, "aww."
"Arre baapre... this is a big problem. What should I do so my Siya bacha forgives me?" he asked, copying her tone.
"Um... take Siya out... play with her," she said, and Shaurya laughed at how she referred to herself in third person.
"Siya bacha... actually, I’m a little busy today... maybe next week?" he asked.
At the other end, he heard a soft sniffle. His expression changed instantly. The little girl was on the verge of tears—and for reasons he couldn’t understand, his heart ached painfully. He never wanted to see her cry.
"Arre... I was joking! Of course I’ll meet you. But we can’t go out—we’ll have fun at my home. What do you say?" he added quickly.
Siya giggled.
"Yes... yes... okay..."
"Okay, now give the phone to mumma. I need to take her permission to take you out," Shaurya said.
"But mumma went to school," Siya replied.
"Oh! Then whose phone is this?" he asked, suddenly alert.
"Licha aunty’s... she is sleeping," Siya said.
Shaurya immediately recalled her mentioning this name earlier.
"Okay... give her the phone. I’ll talk to her," he said.
"No... no... she won’t aglee(agree). She tells mumma... no," Siya said nervously.
Shaurya frowned. Was the child afraid her mother would refuse him? Was that why she hesitated?
"Siya bacha... try to understand, I can’t take you without their permission," he said gently.
"Why?" she asked innocently.
"Because I’m not your family... I need permission from your parents or family," he explained, unsure how else to make her understand.
"Why are you not my family?" Siya asked, her eyes welling up, a soft sniff escaping her.
She understood he wouldn’t take her without permission, and she already knew the chances of her mother agreeing were slim. The thought itself made her tear up.
Her question stunned Shaurya.
Why wasn’t he her family?
He had no answer.
And before he could even think of one, her soft sniffles pulled him back to reality.
"Siya bacha... please don't cry...", Shaurya’s voice sounded pained...
"Siya ? Who are you talking to ?", he heard a voice. That must be her ‘Licha aunty’... "Is it your mumma again ? Ansha... this is the limit", he heard her shout. He frowned at it... why is the lady irritated ?
Richa came to Siya and, looking at Siya's red nose and teary eyes, she was shocked...
"Siya baby... What's wrong ? Is mumma scolding you ? hm ?", Richa asked, taking the phone from her...
"No... Not mumma...", Siya said, but Richa didn’t hear it...
"Ansha... you..." Richa started, but was surprised to hear a male tone...
"Hello...", Shaurya cleared his throat to speak further...