Chapter 12 #2
His Chief Security Officer immediately stepped forward.
"Get this Shekhar—whoever he is. I want to have a personal chat with him," Shaurya said. The coldness in his tone was unmistakable.
Suraj and Akash, both aware of what that "personal chat" implied, grew cautious.
"Sir..." Akash started.
"Give the details to Suraj," Shaurya ordered.
"Yes, sir..." Akash replied. He couldn’t refuse—not when the order was that firm.
Suraj stepped aside with Akash. Before leaving, Akash glanced at his sister. She shook her head slightly, but he had no choice. He had to give Shekhar’s details.
"Why are you doing this?" Akansha asked, turning to Shaurya. Why was he acting like this mattered?
"What kind of question is that? You think I would let someone who did this to you walk free?" Shaurya shot back.
"The woman you played with had a heart. She was emotional. She doesn’t exist anymore. So stop this... please," Akansha said coldly.
Shaurya’s heart clenched. It wasn’t just her tone—it was the emptiness behind it. She wasn’t trying to hurt him.
She meant every word.
She didn’t trust him at all.
And that truth crushed him.
"I wasn’t playing with your emotions, Akansha. I can’t tolerate anyone hurting you. The fact that a ba**a*d slapped you—" he stopped, anger rising again, "—it’s driving me insane. I know you don’t trust me, but please... just listen to me once," Shaurya pleaded.
Though his men stood at a distance, they could see the softness in his expression. They began connecting the dots—his frequent meetings with Akash, the unspoken link standing right in front of them.
"Three meetings—you said it yourself. I agreed, and you promised Akash you wouldn’t dig into anything. Then what is this?" Akansha questioned, referring to his move against Shekhar.
"That man hit you. I want him to pay," Shaurya said firmly.
"Who are you to do that?" Akansha asked sharply.
Shaurya took a step back, struck by the hatred in her eyes.
His vision blurred for a moment, but he steadied himself.
That hatred—wasn’t just anger.
It was pain.
The same pain he had seen in her eyes when she discovered his betrayal.
"Shaurya... What's all this? Tell me this is a lie, a prank," she asked, her heart beating wildly.
"It's true... I don't love you... on the contrary, I hate you with my guts..." Shaurya said, hatred blazing in his eyes—or was it anger he named hatred?
"Shaurya... please don't prank about this, it's a serious matter..." Akansha pleaded, holding his palm, trying to feel his touch—the touch that always warmed her heart. But that day, it felt cold. Too cold. He jerked his hand away and stepped back.
"You destroyed my sister, and now it's your turn... and I'm your destruction... I don't love you... I played with your emotions just like you did with my sister's..." he said. Her heart physically ached. She didn't even think to ask what he meant.
The betrayal was too much for her to process. The man she believed would love her till eternity now stood claiming he hated her. She had imagined her whole life with him, seen her future with him, even discussed their children's names—and now she stood facing his hatred.
She, who never trusted easily, had fallen for him completely. Why? Why?
Her heart broke under the weight of questions with no answers. Yet, it still believed him—believed in his love. She knew he had loved her. His care and concern couldn't have been fake; no one could pretend to that extent. And she wasn't foolish enough to fall for false emotions.
Her steps faltered, and the arms that would have steadied her were not there today. Just like her steps, her trust in him stumbled, bit by bit.
She couldn't take it anymore. Gathering her broken pieces, she walked away.
"Stop all this. You said retribution was your right and you got it. Now let me live my life," she said, hoping he would agree. He had hurt her enough—what more did he want? Wasn't he satisfied with all the pain she had endured?
"And a chance to justify was your right—which I didn't give you. Today I'm standing here for that same chance. I don't have anything to justify, but please let me apologize..." Shaurya pleaded.
"Let me go," Akansha said coldly.
"One chance is all I ask, Akansha," Shaurya begged, kneeling in front of her, ignoring that he was the Chief Minister of the state.
His security personnel stared in shock. Akash and Suraj, who were deep in discussion, turned at the sight. Akash couldn't help but hit his forehead at his ex-brother-in-law. As if his eyes weren't enough to reveal his emotions, he had now started displaying them through his actions too.
"You are five years too late, CM sir," Akansha said, her face cold, before walking to her brother's car and sitting in the passenger seat.
At that moment, she wished she knew how to drive. She would have driven away—from that place, from that man. But she had always been too scared to learn.
Shaurya got to his feet and stood there, staring at his wife—ex-wife, perhaps—who looked ahead with empty eyes.
Akash quickly walked to him.
"Sir... I have briefed Suraj about Shekhar. I'll report the whole incident to you tomorrow, first thing in the morning," Akash said.
Shaurya gave a slight nod.
"Suraj... let's wait till tomorrow," Shaurya said, his gaze still fixed on her.
His words made her look at him. He caught a flicker of surprise in her eyes—as if she didn't expect him to keep his word.
Akash greeted him formally and drove away.
"You are right... my rue is killing me every second," Shaurya whispered to himself, his chest tightening painfully.
"Sir... Mr. Dixit is deliberately holding back details, as if he doesn't want us to reach Shekhar. I think—" Suraj began but stopped when Shaurya shook his head.
"Like I said, let's wait till tomorrow. I want the full picture before acting," Shaurya said.
"And whatever happened here today..." he trailed off.
Suraj understood. So did the rest of the team.
"We'll take this to our grave," Suraj said firmly.
Shaurya nodded and got into the car. The road was deserted, the hour unusual—he could afford such a move today.
His heart raced at the thought of the remaining two meetings.
And after that?
Thankfully, He hadn't promised Akash he would stay away from her—only that he wouldn't dig into the truth.
Shaurya arranged a cream to soothe her pain and reduce the bruise, as recommended by a top dermatologist, and sent it through his men.
Akash deliberately directed them to a location away from Akansha's home to collect it.
After dropping Akansha home, Akash went to pick it up.
---------------
Akansha entered her place. Richa’s parents rushed to her. Akansha assured them that she was fine and requested them to leave her alone. They understood her emotions and left; it was almost 5 in the morning, and they realized she needed some time alone.
Akansha locked the door after they left, and the moment her heart registered that she was alone, it shattered into a million pieces, shaking her to the core.
She slid down onto the floor and broke into heavy sobs.
She had thought seeing him after five years wouldn’t affect her.
She had thought she was past him and the pain he caused her.
But reality hit harder—he affected her the same, if not more.
She hated herself for feeling the ache, the pain. She hated that part of her heart that still missed him—the part that wanted to run into his arms, the part that craved his touch, the part that desperately wanted to believe the care, love, and longing she saw in his eyes were real.
Her cries were loud enough to reach her daughter, who was asleep in the bedroom.
"Mama bear..."
Siya got up from the bed and walked toward the sound of her mother’s sobs.
"Mumma..."
Akansha quickly wiped her tears, rushed to her daughter, and picked her up in her arms.
"Why did you wake up, baby? Mumma is here..."
Since the living room and bedroom were dimly lit, Siya couldn’t see her mother’s red eyes. Otherwise, the little girl would have gotten worried—she always hated her mother’s tears and was very protective of her.
"Mumma... I saw a bad dleam(dream)..."
"What is it, bache?"
Akansha settled her daughter on the bed and covered her with her unicorn duvet.
"I saw you ale clying(are crying) loudly... you ale hut(are hurt), Mumma..."
Akansha’s eyes welled up at her daughter’s love. Her pain had broken her daughter’s sleep.
"No, Siya bear... Mumma is here only... and I am not hurt. I am perfectly alright... now sleep."
Akansha gently ruffled her daughter’s hair. Slowly, the little girl drifted back into slumber. Akansha controlled her emotions, knowing her daughter was a light sleeper—just like her father.
And just like that, she was reminded of Shaurya again.
Tears slipped from her eyes, but she made sure not to make a sound.
Why had her life turned out like this? Why couldn’t her daughter have her father’s love and affection? She knew he loved children—but what guarantee was there that he wouldn’t hurt Siya, since she was her blood?
He had broken her in the worst possible way. She could have lost Siya because of him—not once, but many times. How could she forget that?
No.
She would never let him know about Siya.
She would leave this place before he found out. Far away from him.
Siya was only her daughter. Not his. She would never be his.
Akansha made up her mind.
Akash reached home and called his sister to open the door instead of ringing the bell. He knew his niece was a light sleeper and would wake up immediately.
Akansha let him in. The siblings sat silently in the hall.
"Di... say something."
Akash finally broke the silence after fifteen minutes. He noticed her red eyes but didn’t know how to address it.
"Please don’t worry, di. I’m here with you now. I won’t let him come near you and Siyu... I’ll take you far away from here if needed. You just don’t worry... Please trust me. I wasn’t there to help you last time, but I won’t let anything happen to you now..."
"Akash... I want to leave from here. With Siya."
Akash froze.
"Di..."
"Please, Akash... help me."
Her voice broke as she pleaded.
Akash’s heart clenched.
"You don’t have to request me, di. You just have to say it.
I’ll arrange everything... but think again.
He won’t stop searching for you—he’ll intensify it.
And I don’t want you running with Siya again and again.
What will her future look like without stability?
And why should you run when it’s not your fault? Please think about it again..."
"I can’t process anything, Akash... I... I don’t know..."
Her voice trembled as tears slipped down her face.
Akash moved closer and pulled her into his arms. She resisted—she hated leaning on anyone—but he didn’t let go. He held her firmly.
After a few moments, she gave in.
She needed it.
The life she had carefully built over the past five years had shaken with just one meeting. She didn’t want to imagine what two more meetings would do to her.
She wanted to leave immediately.
But her brother was right.
Why was she running away and disturbing the stable life she had built for her daughter? And what guarantee was there that he wouldn’t find her again?
How long could she keep running from him?
"Di... relax... don’t think about anything right now... You need rest. A lot has happened in the past few hours. Just sleep... I’m here... I’ll always be there for you, di..."
Akash kissed her forehead. She didn’t protest, nor did she glare at him, and he understood the depth of her mental state and the pain she was going through.
He led her to the bedroom and asked her to lie down beside Siya. Akansha nodded, changed in the washroom, and then settled beside her daughter. Akash covered both mother and daughter with the duvet.
Akansha pulled Siya into her arms and peppered kisses across her face. Siya stirred, recognized her mother, and snuggled closer, whispering, "Mumma..."
That soft whisper lulled Akansha to sleep.
Akash gently ruffled their hair, kissed their foreheads, and quietly walked out to the hallway, returning with the medicine cover. He carefully applied the ointment Shaurya had sent on Akansha’s cheek and on the smaller injuries scattered across her body.
His jaw clenched.
He wanted to kill Shekhar and Ankit with his bare hands for what they had done to his sister.
He was also certain of one thing—Shaurya wouldn’t spare Shekhar now.
Akash let out a deep sigh, recalling how he had to explain the entire incident to Shaurya, including Shekhar’s involvement. It was going to be a difficult task. He had to ensure that Siya’s existence stayed hidden at all costs.
He had taken every possible measure to keep Siya out of the picture.
But no matter how much a man tries to control things, fate has its own plans.