Chapter 20 #3
She knew him—he hated using his power for personal reasons. Yet today, he bent his own rules. Yes, it would help others too, but his first thought was his daughter. He knew Siya needed her mother, and this was his way of ensuring that.
It hadn’t even been a day since he found out, and he had already stepped into his role as a father.
Was she wrong about him?
Should she have told him?
Guilt rose again—but she shut it down immediately.
No... he didn’t deserve it. Nothing he did now could change the truth. She reminded herself of that again and again.
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Shaurya dropped into his chair and instructed Shweta not to allow anyone inside for the next half hour. She nodded silently.
For the first time, she saw him like this—it felt like he was fighting himself. No matter how composed he tried to appear, something in him had cracked.
Shaurya had always been a master at masking his emotions, his position demanding it. But today, control was slipping, and his heart was burning with everything he was trying to contain.
He recalled his wife’s features, comparing them to how she had looked five years ago. The slight weight she carried now—was that from the pregnancy? That soft fullness... it had been baby fat. And her hair—shorter now. Had she suffered hair fall? Was that why she had cut it?
What else had she gone through? What changes had her body endured? And how difficult must it have been for her to handle everything... alone?
"Why, Akansha? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have been with you every second if you had... Nothing was more important than you and my baby..." Shaurya muttered, staring at her picture on his phone.
He forced himself to compose his thoughts.
There was work waiting—too much of it. His campaigning had already pushed things to the back seat, something he despised.
But campaigning was necessary; it helped him stay connected with the people, reminded them who worked for them and why they needed his party again.
Meanwhile, Dev Bisht and his party had intensified their efforts. As the primary opposition, they were leaving no ground untouched. With the weight of governance on his shoulders, Shaurya couldn’t match their pace, but he had to do the bare minimum—even if he already had the people’s support.
The entire week passed like this. Shaurya avoided seeing or meeting Akansha, yet her thoughts robbed him of sleep every single night. The only thing stopping him from going to her house and bringing both his wife and daughter back with him were his brief conversations with Siya.
Since he couldn’t reach Richa—her phone remained switched off—he tried using Akash to talk to Siya, but Akash refused. He warned that if his sister found out, she wouldn’t let him anywhere near the child again.
Thankfully, Siya called him from Richa’s mother’s phone, and they spoke for a long time.
Shaurya chuckled at himself. His number, once guarded like a state secret, was now circulating among multiple people. But he didn’t care. As long as it meant he could talk to his daughter, he didn’t mind if his personal number reached the entire state.
The irony made him laugh quietly. He remembered how furious he had been when his mother once shared his number with his mausi. He had refused to give her his number again for two years after that—not that he had much to say to her anyway.
"So? What else? When are you going back to school?" Shaurya asked, signing documents while adjusting his Bluetooth.
"Kool? Mamabear said I don’t have to go for a few days..." Siya replied.
"Don’t you want to go? Meet your friends, play with them?" he asked gently.
"I want to... I told Mumma... but Mumma said... Mumma is not going to kool, she is going to wolk at opich(office)," Siya explained in her broken words.
"And what did you say?" Shaurya asked, curious. Did she argue... or just accept it like he always did with Akansha?
"I said okay," Siya replied.
Shaurya laughed, realizing his daughter feared Akansha just as much as he did. But the very next moment, her words wiped that smile away, replacing it with a crushing wave of guilt.
"Siyabear won’t go to kool without Mamabear... This izzz lool (rule)," she added firmly.
He didn’t need anyone to explain what that meant. Akansha had made that rule so their daughter wouldn’t be questioned, bullied, or made to feel incomplete in her absence. She wouldn’t be there to protect her... so she built a shield instead.
"Siya bache... I love you so much. I won’t go anywhere, I promise... I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you all these years... Pa—Sholya is very sorry," Shaurya said, his voice breaking.
No matter how many times he apologized, it wouldn’t lessen the weight crushing his chest. He had failed—completely—as a husband and as a father.
"Sholya? Why chorry? You did bad to me?" Siya asked innocently.
Yes... very bad, bache, he wanted to say. But he couldn’t.
"Siya bacha... have your lunch now. It’s very late. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?" he said, cutting the conversation short.
They weren’t ready for the truth yet.
He didn’t even know if Akansha would ever be ready to tell Siya about him.
And then he remembered something—those few things Siya had shared about what her mother told her.
Akansha had only told her the good parts about him.
He knew why—she didn’t want to fill her daughter’s mind with negativity. But even then... speaking kindly about the man who had caused her so much pain must not have been easy.
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"Di... we’re leaving now, tonight. I’ve made all the arrangements. You and Siya leave in the cab. I’ll send all your luggage later, bit by bit. For now, take only the immediate essentials and a few clothes," Akash said, shocking Akansha.
"Now? Akash..." she started, but he cut her off.
"We don’t have much time, di. I suspect Dev Bisht is keeping an eye on our movements. I’m not sure, but it’s better to be safe than sorry," he said.
Akansha nodded and began packing. Siya had fallen asleep, so she quickly changed her and gently patted her back to sleep. Luckily, the cough syrup helped her otherwise light sleeper rest peacefully.
Akansha’s eyes welled up as she looked around the house. This was the place she had called home for the past few years—she had poured her soul into creating it. The thought that neither she, nor her daughter, nor even her best friend would be living there anymore broke her heart.
She didn’t feel right leaving without meeting Richa, but she had no choice.
"After a few months, please bring Richa to meet us... I can’t leave her like this. I’m upset with her, but she’s my best friend. I love her... and I know she loves me and Siya," Akansha said, picking up a picture from Siya’s fourth birthday—her, Siya, and Richa smiling together.
Akash nodded. He understood her bond with Richa—she was more family to them than their actual family had ever been.
Once she finished packing, Akash took the bag while Akansha lifted Siya into her arms. He locked the house and helped them into the cab.
Siya stirred slightly in her sleep, murmuring something. Despite the cough syrup, her light sleep woke her up momentarily. Akansha sighed, silently blaming Shaurya’s genes—something she had been doing quite often these days.
"Di, he is Anil—one of my trusted men. He will take you to Kasauli. I’ve arranged your stay there. I know moving to another state is a big step, but—"
"No, Akash... I’m okay. I just want to go away from here," she said, determination clear in her eyes.
Akash nodded and kissed her forehead.
"I’ll divert his attention. He won’t be able to stop you or trace you.
Don’t worry about anything. I’ll come to meet you both soon.
You won’t use any public transport. Anil will stay with you till you reach Kasauli.
He’ll settle you in and arrange everything you need.
Be comfortable and don’t hesitate to ask him for anything, okay? "
"Okay, Akash. Take care of yourself," she said softly.
"I will, di. You take care of yourself—and my Siyu. Tell her Mamu will miss her," he said, kissing Siya’s head tightly. She squirmed in her sleep, making both siblings exchange a tired look.
Akash signaled his man to drive. With one last look, he watched them leave—his heart heavy—before turning back to the task at hand: diverting his ex-brother-in-law and current boss.
Inside the cab, Akansha broke down, clutching her daughter tightly. Guilt consumed her. She didn’t know whether what she was doing was right or wrong—but she had done it anyway.
Having Shaurya in Siya’s life now wasn’t right—for Siya, for herself, or even for Shaurya. It was better to go far away and start over.
Her daughter is better off without him... She doesn’t need him. She doesn’t need her father.
She kept repeating it in her mind, but her guilt only deepened.
"I’m so sorry... I’m taking you away from your father... but Mamabear has no choice. Will you forgive mumma, Siya?" she whispered, hugging her tightly.
"Mumma..." Siya murmured in her sleep.
Akansha quickly wiped her tears and patted her back to sleep again.
"LOCK DOWN THE BORDERS. Coordinate with neighboring states as well as all other states in the country," Shaurya ordered his immediate staff.
From the moment Ashwini informed him that Akansha had fled with his daughter, Shaurya had been spiraling. His staff moved instantly. Half an hour passed.
"Sir... everything is ready. We can leave in an hour," Suraj said.
"We’re leaving now. Right now," Shaurya said with firm conviction.
Suraj nodded, not daring to question him.
Rage coursed through Shaurya’s veins. How could she?
He wouldn’t let his wife run away again—not with his daughter. She had run enough. Now it was time to face the reality of her life—him.
She could punish him in any way she wanted... but not like this. Siya was his daughter, and he refused to stay away from her any longer.