Chapter 17 #2
He had first seen her during a charity event at her college.
He was the youth wing leader and an MLA at the time.
Despite being the son of an opposition leader, Shaurya enjoyed strong popularity among the youth of the ruling party’s core support base.
His charisma and people skills made him widely admired.
That was when he met her—Akansha Dixit, a PhD scholar who also worked as a junior professor at the university.
She was Dev’s sister’s professor, and Aakriti had grown fond of her teaching style.
Because of that, Shaurya wanted Akansha to tutor Aakriti at home.
Dev opposed the idea, but Aakriti, once set on something, made sure Shaurya eventually gave in.
"Hi. I want to meet Akansha Dixit, PhD scholar in your university," Shaurya said, walking up to a group of professors who immediately greeted him with respect.
"I am Akansha’s mentor, Dr. Shashikant Gill. You may speak to me if there are any concerns regarding her work," Dr. Gill replied politely.
"Complaints? No, not at all," Shaurya said smoothly. "In fact, it’s the opposite. I’ve heard a lot of good things about her from students. I wanted to personally appreciate her work."
"Oh, Ms. Dixit will be glad to hear that. Thank you. She is not here right now, but I will ensure your message reaches her," Dr. Gill said.
"I would like to meet her personally," Shaurya said, his tone firm, indicating he would not leave without meeting her.
"She mentioned she would be heading home," Dr. Gill added carefully.
Shaurya’s expression turned cold.
Dr. Gill quickly clarified, "She is an associate professor, so she isn’t required to attend these events. Still, she helped us organize everything. She is extremely dedicated as both student and teacher."
Shaurya didn’t respond. He simply waited.
And as if fate aligned, Akansha arrived moments later to greet her mentor.
"Sir, I’ll be leaving now. I am already late. You know…" she began, but Dr. Gill interrupted her.
"Ms. Dixit, we were just talking about you. Mr. Shekhawat here wanted to meet you," he said, introducing them.
Akansha barely registered it. She was already mentally elsewhere, focused on getting her father to the hospital. She had no time for this.
"MLA Saab has been praising your work. You both continue. I’ll just step away," Dr. Gill added before leaving.
Akansha barely suppressed her irritation.
She checked her phone for calls or messages from her mother, bracing for the familiar taunts about how inadequate she was as a daughter, her expression tightening further. Shaurya, meanwhile, studied her in silence.
She was striking—hair slightly messy from the long day, strands sticking to her face from sweat.
Her eyes looked exhausted, yet sharp with determination.
Even in fatigue, she carried an unshakable energy.
Her lips were pressed together, likely from frustration or worry.
Everything about her held his attention longer than it should have.
He waited for her to acknowledge him.
She didn’t.
"Excuse me, I have to leave," she said and walked away without even looking at him.
Shaurya stood frozen, watching her leave as though she hadn’t just ignored him entirely. His gaze followed her until she disappeared through the gate, exchanging a brief smile with the watchman on her way out.
That smile bothered him more than he expected.
Was he so unworthy of even a glance?
For the first time, he wasn’t used to being unseen.
He was used to reactions—attention, recognition, and admiration, especially from women.
He was exceptionally good-looking, and it often drew women toward him.
Yet he never truly enjoyed that attention or sought it.
But for the first time, he wanted to know how a woman felt when she looked at his face.
And yet she had walked past him as though he didn’t exist, without even glancing at him.
For days, her face and her indifference lingered in his mind. Eventually, work took over, but the memory didn’t fade completely.
Even Aakriti, who once insisted on having Akansha as her tutor, suddenly dropped the idea.
That surprised Shaurya, as she was usually relentless when she wanted something.
Dev had tried to change her mind many times before, but Shaurya’s indulgence had always enabled her stubbornness. Yet this time, she simply withdrew.
Weeks later, both Dev and Shaurya learned the reason behind Aakriti’s sudden shift in attitude. And it did not sit well with either of them.
A plan was formed—to let the woman taste her own medicine for what she had done to their sister.
Initially, Dev was supposed to approach Akansha, considering Shaurya’s complete lack of experience in flirting or personal pursuit. But somewhere along the way, Shaurya took over.
Dev assumed it was out of concern for his sister.
Only later did he realize the truth—Shaurya’s involvement had nothing to do with Aakriti alone.
It was about Akansha Dixit.
It took the next three months to actually get her attention. Shaurya kept visiting her university, but she was always in a hurry. Every time he came, she would be finishing her last lecture and rushing out of the classroom and building almost immediately.
Once, Shaurya even tried to stop her under the pretext of speaking to her.
He introduced himself as one of her student’s brother, assuming she wouldn’t recognize him as an MLA, considering how she hadn’t even bothered to glance at him earlier.
He believed she might at least spare him a few minutes if he posed as a student’s family member.
But she surprised him again.
"Look sir, I am just an associate professor. I can’t help you with any of your queries. Please get in touch with the permanent faculty," she said, still not looking at him, and rushed past him.
Her students stared at her as if she were an alien for ignoring a man like Shaurya.
It took her three months to realize he was consistently showing up wherever she went. The moment she saw him outside a hospital during her father’s routine checkup, she lost her patience.
"Take Papa home, I’ll come back with the medicines," she ordered her younger brother.
Shaurya knew she had seen him now, and expected her to confront him.
"But why? We could go together. The medical shop is right at the corner," Akash protested, unaware of her rising temper.
"Go home. NOW," she snapped, slapping him on the head.
Shaurya’s eyes widened at the sight of the furious woman in front of him. For a brief moment, his purpose was forgotten—he was genuinely intimidated. Yet, somewhere deep down, a part of him found the idea of dealing with her for life strangely appealing.
"PAPA…" Akash whined.
Her father only sighed. "Come home soon, beta."
"No, I’ll roam the city tonight and come back in the morning," Akansha replied dryly, earning a faint smile from Shaurya. He felt an inexplicable urge to improve her mood—not just now, but always. He wanted to be the one who could turn her anger into a smile for life.
Sensing the storm in her, her father and brother quickly left.
Akansha then stormed toward Shaurya. Before she could speak, he interrupted her.
"Were you the eldest child of your parents?" he asked seriously.
"So your stalking has reached my personal details now, huh?" she snapped.
"Oh, this has nothing to do with stalking. It’s a calculated guess. Your temper, your authority over your family, even your father’s reaction—it suggests you’re likely the eldest daughter," he said calmly, smiling.
She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smile off his face.
"Why the hell are you stalking me?" she demanded loudly.
"Lower your tone. I am an MLA. People might get the wrong impression," he said.
She rolled her eyes. "First you were my student’s brother, now you’re an MLA. What’s next? A coffee shop owner?"
"Coffee shop owner? Not a bad profession," he replied seriously. "Would you visit it regularly? If yes, I don’t mind owning one."
His own answer surprised him. Flirting came unnaturally easy around her.
"SHUT UP. I know men like you. If you don’t stop stalking me, I’ll involve the police," she warned.
Shaurya only smiled—his signature expression. It irritated her, yet unsettled her for a second.
"I am really an MLA. If you don’t believe me, check the vehicle and guards over there," he said.
This time she looked. And everything he said was true.
Her eyes widened as she quickly searched him online, frustration building as her slow internet delayed the confirmation. When the results finally appeared, reality hit her.
Now she believed him.
"I’m sorry, but—" she began.
"No problem. That day you were too busy to notice me. But I’m sure you won’t forget me now," he cut in with a light smile.
"Look sir, I apologized for ignoring you that day. It shouldn’t have happened. But that doesn’t change the fact that you are stalking me. I am not interested in knowing why. Just stop this," she said firmly and turned to leave.
He caught her wrist instinctively, then immediately released it when she shot him a glare.
"Don’t touch me. I don’t like it," she warned.
Her boldness surprised him. Few people ever spoke to him like that after knowing his position.
"Okay, sorry," he said quickly. "But you can’t just dismiss me like that. I’ve been trying to meet you for months—not days. And you should know why I’m here."
She didn’t respond.
"You intrigue me, Ms. Akansha Dixit. You look different, you sound different… even your presence feels different. I want to know you better. I want to date you… make you mine in every sense. So give me a chance," he said.
Even he was briefly stunned by his own words.
But she did that to him—she stripped away his control without trying.
What was originally a calculated plan—to approach her, pursue her, and break her as revenge—had started shifting. Every time she appeared in front of him, the plan blurred. He found himself entangled in it too.