Chapter 19 #3
That was enough. Shaurya slammed his fist onto the table in frustration. The sound startled Siya awake.
"Bache... sleep... it’s nothing... I’m sorry... sorry," Shaurya murmured, patting her gently until she drifted off again. He carefully placed her on the couch, covered her with his shawl, making sure she was comfortable, before turning back to Akash.
"I assumed right... Siya is mine. You knew it. Don’t play games with this, Akash. Don’t stoop any lower than you already have by hiding a daughter from her father," Shaurya said, his voice low but dangerous.
"You were a terrible husband. What makes you think you won’t be an even worse father?
" Akash shot back. "Till today, my sister hasn’t told me what made her leave or what you did to her. I only know you deceived her in the name of love and forced her into marriage. After that, she never spoke about what she endured in that hell you call a home. I was busy with my prelims and mains, and she didn’t want to disturb me. "
His voice cracked with restrained anger, and every word struck Shaurya like a blade.
Akansha had hidden everything—even from her own brother—so his future wouldn’t be affected. After he joined work, she distanced herself further... and then, one day, she was simply gone.
"I was a terrible husband... but not a terrible father," Shaurya said, his voice heavy.
"I did everything in my power to create a safe environment for my children—even before they existed.
I fought for their right to exist. I went against my own values, played every possible game within my own family to ensure no one became a threat to Akansha. .. or her ability to become a mother."
The memories clawed back—every battle he had fought, especially against his own mother—to protect Akansha.
His veins throbbed with fury at the mere thought of his mother. That woman had left no stone unturned in hurting Akansha. Though he had tried to be there for her, his thirst for retribution—and his fear for Akansha’s safety—had stopped him from openly opposing his mother’s tactics.
There had been many reasons behind his behavior. He had intentionally kept several truths from her. And before he could fix everything, before he could tell her the truth... she was gone. Now, guilt and regret consumed him entirely.
"What do you mean by that?" Akash asked, alarmed. Had someone from Shaurya’s family threatened her? Was that why she ran away?
"Now you’re willing to talk about personal matters, Mr. Akash Dikshit?" Shaurya countered, his tone sharp.
Akash understood immediately—Shaurya wouldn’t say anything more. Fine. He would play his own game. He could always learn the truth from his sister later. Right now, his priority was clear—divert Shaurya and move Akansha and Siya far away.
"Don’t confront my di... If she finds out you know about Siya, she’ll leave the city with her. I don’t want her to go through any more struggle. Let’s keep this from her," Akash said firmly.
Shaurya understood the fear behind those words.
Yes—Akansha was capable of that. And the thought of losing his daughter.
.. his wife... again—he couldn’t bear it.
He gave a small nod, agreeing for now. He would figure out what to do later.
For the moment, they were in the same city as him—and that was enough.
Now things started falling into place. Richa must have brought Siya to him without Akansha’s knowledge. That explained her nervousness during Akansha’s visits. Akansha must have spotted them that day and stopped Richa afterward—that explained why Siya’s calls and visits had suddenly stopped.
He didn’t like what Richa had done. As a friend, she had betrayed Akansha’s trust. What if he had been dangerous? What if Akansha had her reasons to keep her daughter away? Richa should have respected that—this was about a child. As a father, Shaurya couldn’t ignore how reckless that was.
And yet... if he set all that aside, he couldn’t deny one truth—because of Richa, he had found his daughter. For that, he would always be grateful. But gratitude didn’t erase her irresponsibility.
"Let her wake up. I’ll feed her dinner here and give her medicines. Then you can take her," Shaurya said.
Akash nodded. It would be late by the time they reached home anyway, and Siya needed her food and medicines on time.
They resumed work. A few minutes later, Akash’s phone rang. It was Akansha.
Fear flickered in his eyes. He knew why she was calling—Richa’s phone must be unreachable. She would be worried out of her mind. He couldn’t ignore the call. But he also couldn’t just walk away—Shaurya was reviewing an important document he had just handed over. Leaving now would be disrespectful.
"Pick it up. You can multitask," Shaurya said, not looking up.
Akash nodded and answered the call. "Hello..."
"Akash... Akash... I can’t reach Richa. She took Siya to the hospital this afternoon, but they’re not back yet. I’ve been calling her, she’s not picking up... this has never happened. I’m so scared... Siya’s fever... she—"
Akansha’s voice trembled, panic spilling through every word.
Akash rubbed his forehead helplessly. "Di... Siya is with me... and she’s fine," he said quickly, trying to calm her.
Shaurya glanced at him, hearing her voice faintly through the phone.
Akash held his gaze for a second—and continued the lie he had just committed to.
"She is with you? You and Richa took her to the hospital together? Then why aren’t you back yet? Is Siya fine? Was it serious... like last time?" Akansha rushed out, her words tumbling over each other. Shaurya’s eyes filled with concern as he listened.
"Di... we’re not at the hospital anymore.
Traffic is terrible—we’re stuck. Siya is absolutely fine, she’s sleeping.
She’ll have her dinner and medicines as well.
Don’t worry... we’re on our way. Her fever is down, she’s completely fine.
Stop worrying," Akash said firmly, knowing how easily her anxiety spiraled into affecting her own health.
"Okay... come soon... stay safe, all three of you. Wait—if Richa is with you, why isn’t she picking up? And even if she missed my call, she could have called me from your phone... that idiot—"
"Di... she lost her phone. Now please, take some rest. We’ll talk once we reach," Akash cut in and ended the call before she could question further.
"What happened in the past? Was Siya seriously ill before?" Shaurya asked, his voice tightening. The thought of his daughter suffering without him there twisted something deep inside him. And his wife... how much had she endured alone?
"Siya is fine now. That’s what matters," Akash replied, his tone measured. Years of bureaucracy had trained him well—he knew exactly how to dodge without appearing to.
"I expect your diplomacy to be used on others, Akash—benefiting me, not against me," Shaurya said, his gaze steady.
Akash stayed silent. He couldn’t answer that. The memory of that time—his sister, his niece—was something he refused to revisit.
"Was she always this panicky when it came to Siya?" Shaurya asked, shifting his approach.
"Yes. Whenever Siya falls sick, she loses all sense of calm. Not a moment of peace... she won’t even eat properly until Siya is better," Akash said with a tired exhale. His sister became someone else entirely in those moments—the composed, unshakable woman disappeared.
"She has taken care of sick people all her life... starting with Dadu, then Papa’s health issues, then Mummy’s constant colds and headaches.
Di handled everything—us siblings too. But I’ve never seen her panic like this.
.. not even when things were serious. She always stayed composed, afraid she might make things worse if she lost control.
But with Siya... she becomes a storm. I guess that’s what a mother is—terrified of her child’s pain," Akash said quietly.
'No... your sister was always like that with me too', Shaurya thought. But what right did he have to say it now?
"Shaurya... how will you get better if you don’t take medicines? And for that, you need to drink this soup—why the hell are you not listening to me?" Akansha snapped, standing beside the bed where he lay propped against the headboard, buried under three layers of blankets.
"It’s just a cold and a slight fever. Why are you so worried? Relax... I’m fine, sweetheart," Shaurya said, trying to push the blankets away.
"Don’t... just don’t take them off. You said you were feeling cold, right?" Akansha said quickly, tucking them back around him.
"Akansha... I need to bear a little discomfort. That’s how I’ll recover, baby. It’s okay if I feel a bit cold," he tried to reason, but she was too overwhelmed—his pain had clouded her logic, leaving only panic behind.
"No... I’ll take care of you. You don’t need to bear anything. You will get fine—I’ll make sure of it. Now have this," she said, bringing a spoon of soup to his lips. He drank it quietly.
"I’m fine, baby... it’s nothing. Just calm down. Look at your face—you look so worried," Shaurya murmured, but she shook her head.
"I handle everyone calmly when they fall sick... but I don’t know why, seeing you like this scares me. I feel like I can’t breathe. I’m panicking... I can’t see you in pain—it hurts me," Akansha said, wiping away a tear.
He pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Don’t love me so much... please don’t," he whispered, his heart clenching at the pain she would feel once she knew the truth.
"Why shouldn’t I? You love me even more," she said, certain.
"How do you know? I might be faking it," Shaurya asked quietly.
"You can’t fake this much love, Shaurya... not the way you love me. I know you do," she said, cupping his face.
"That I do... I really do," he replied, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead.
Shaurya snapped out of the memory as Akash resumed speaking about work.
A while later, Siya woke up. Mrs. Sudha brought her dinner, and Shaurya fed her patiently, gave her syrups, and then asked Akash to take her home.
Letting his daughter go felt unbearable—but he knew Akansha would not rest until she saw Siya herself.
The little girl already looked better than when she had arrived; spending time with him had eased something deep within her.
"Bye Sholya(Shaurya)," Siya said, hugging him tightly and planting kisses on his cheeks.
"Bye, my bacha... take care of yourself. No tantrums. Eat everything Mumma gives you, and don’t skip your medicines. Listen to her, okay?" Shaurya said softly.
"Okay... all ale hald to do, but I will tly fol you(All are hard to do but I will try for you)," she said, making him chuckle.
"I know you will," he said, kissing her forehead. After clicking one more picture with her, he finally let her go, placing her carefully in Akash’s arms and making sure she was properly wrapped in her sweaters and cap.
His heart ached as he watched her leave. That house—his home—was hers. Everything there belonged to her and her mother... even him. Yet she came and went like a guest.
He wanted to scream, to break down—but he forced himself to stay composed. For now, he had no choice. His mind went numb while his heart softened into something fragile, overwhelmed by everything that had unfolded that day.
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The drive back was silent. Akash didn’t speak. Richa sat beside him, equally tense. Siya slept peacefully in the backseat, unaware of the storm brewing around her.
"I didn’t want to do this... but her fever kept rising.
Even after the injection, it wouldn’t come down.
She kept calling for CM sir... her condition was worsening.
The doctor said it could be psychogenic fever and asked me to take her to him.
I’m so sorry... please, Akash... help me.
Akansha won’t forgive me easily," Richa pleaded.
"Or she won’t forgive you at all?" Akash said flatly, leaving her shaken.
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They reached home. Akansha rushed to Siya, checking her carefully. The moment she saw her daughter was stable, relief washed over her. She gave her a sponge bath, changed her clothes, tucked her under blankets, and stepped out to thank Richa.
A few hours earlier, when Akansha returned home, she found only Richa’s parents there.
She tried calling Richa again, but there was no response.
They told her Siya’s fever had spiked, and Richa had taken her to the hospital.
Akansha insisted that they go home and rest, as they had been there since morning taking care of Siya.
After they left, Akansha waited anxiously for Richa and Siya to return. She had been frantic with worry, but the moment she saw her daughter now, a sense of calm settled over her. She wanted nothing more than to thank her best friend for taking care of Siya.
"Richa..." she moved forward, about to hug her friend—only to freeze at Akash’s sharp voice.
"Do you know where we are coming from?" he asked.
"Huh?" Akansha frowned, confused.
"The Chief Minister’s official residence..." Akash said.
Her eyes widened. "WHAT?"
"And the bigger news... he now knows Siya is your daughter," Akash added.
Akansha went pale. Panic surged through her as she turned to Richa, who stood there, head bowed, tears streaming down her face.
Without another word, Akansha stepped forward and slapped her—hard.
"HOW COULD YOU?" she screamed, striking her again and again until Akash pulled her back.
Her trust was shattered. Her world was crumbling again—because of one name.
Shaurya Singh Shekhawat.