Chapter 22
"What are you talking about?" he asked, coming out of his initial shock. Even the thought that Akansha had been present in that room—when he was having that terrible conversation with his mother—sent a shudder through him.
"Your pale face tells me you know exactly which day I’m talking about… Don’t pretend, Shaurya. I knew you too well to fall into your trap again," Akansha said, her eyes filled with hatred that pierced straight into his heart.
"Akansha… tell me clearly. What did you hear that night?" he asked. He was certain she hadn’t heard the entire conversation—otherwise, she would have at least given him the benefit of doubt.
A sudden dread gripped him.
What if she had heard the most inhumane words he used for her… to protect her?
"You want me to repeat your words, hm?" she asked, grabbing his collar. "Sure, Shaurya Singh Shekhawat… but can your heart take them again? Knowing those were the reason you didn’t deserve to know about my daughter’s existence—the child to whom you merely donated a sperm?"
The words hit him hard.
His eyes filled instantly—hearing himself reduced to nothing more than a sperm donor.
"Don’t… don’t spit so much venom, Akansha… please," he said, his voice breaking.
She let go of his collar, but tears slipped down her eyes as she saw his pain. She hated herself for still being affected by him.
Today, he was nothing more than a sperm donor—because she had never allowed him to become a father.
The thought angered him… but knowing the truth mattered more now.
"Fine… if you can’t take my words, then let me go. I’m not dying to stay in your presence… Akash will pick us up," Akansha said. She wanted to leave—she couldn’t keep hurting him like this… and at the same time, she couldn’t tolerate being near him.
"I won’t let you take a single step without clearing this—at least when it comes to our daughter," Shaurya said firmly. "I’m already five years late… I can’t afford to lose another moment.
I will be there for her—for my daughter—for the rest of her life, starting now.
And you will let me do it, Akansha. I mean it. "
"What kind of a man are you?" she shot back. "At one moment you say you hate even the thought of having a child with me… and now you want to claim fatherly rights over that same child?"
Shaurya’s eyes widened.
So she had heard it.
His mind went back to that night—
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"Shaurya… I am worried about the consequences if your wife gets pregnant. No one knows about this marriage. What will happen to the family’s reputation?
Sab tarah tarah ke baatein karenge… people will speak all kinds of nonsense.
They would think you married her secretly just because she is pregnant with your child.
No one would believe you married a middle-class girl like her otherwise.
We can’t even tell them your reasons," his mother said, making him fist his palms.
"Ma, why are you suddenly worried about it?" Shaurya asked, controlling his temper. He hated how she spoke—as if his wife was a dirty little secret. He never wanted to hide his marriage, but circumstances forced him to. And he couldn’t explain that to her.
"Arre… I was just taking precautions. Let me do something—I’ll mix some medicines and ayurvedic tonic in her food. That will make sure she never gets pregnant," his mother said.
He froze.
"You will do nothing of that sort. How can you even think like that? She is my wife. If not now, we will have a family in the future. You’re talking about harming her? How could you even think like that?" Shaurya snapped.
But the disbelief in his mother’s eyes made him realize his mistake.
Akansha was safe there only as long as he showed detest toward her. The moment his parents sensed otherwise, they would go to any lengths to harm her—and he wasn’t sure he could stop them.
"What the hell, Shaurya? You are my only son, heir of the Shekhawats—and you’re talking about settling down with this cheap girl? Having a family with her? I thought this was just temporary… something you’d get over," his mother said.
He swallowed his anger.
Day by day, her thinking was getting more disgusting. Being a woman, how could she speak like this?
"For now, she is my wife, and I will react the way a husband should if someone talks about harming his wife," he said, forcing control into his tone. "The moment I divorce her, I won’t care what happens to her."
That worked.
His mother believed him.
"But don’t worry," he continued, forcing himself to go further, "I have no intention of getting her pregnant. Even if she does, I’ll convince her to terminate it. I’m not ready to be a father yet—and she knows that too."
"Still… I think it’s better if I give her the medicine," Shobha insisted.
He closed his eyes briefly. He had to go further. He had to become vile enough for her to believe him.
Otherwise, she would destroy Akansha completely. Even the thought shattered him.
He and his wife had once dreamed of having children… their own little family.
He drew a breath.
He had to spit venom—to protect her.
He couldn’t even take her away. He was trapped in a political mess, and if he left with her, his parents—especially his father—would make sure she suffered. And he wasn’t sure he could protect her then.
"Not necessary. These days, I don’t even feel like touching her," he said coldly. "You know I’ve already given her the divorce papers. They should be finalized before I file my nomination—so I won’t have to mention her in my affidavit."
That sealed it.
Shobha was convinced.
"I believe you, Shaurya… You are my son. You will always honour my wishes, won’t you?" she asked, holding his chin.
He wanted to push her hand away.
But he didn’t.
"I will… always. You know it," he said.
"Make sure you take enough measures not to get that girl pregnant. Otherwise, all our dreams of seeing you as Chief Minister will collapse. Either you handle it… or let me know. I’ll take care of it," she said.
"I already told you, Ma… that’s not needed.
I can’t even imagine having a child with her.
You know my issues with her… and these days things have only gotten worse between us.
I want her out of my life as early as possible.
Even the thought of my child in her womb disgusts me…
that child won’t feel like mine—it will be hers, and I will hate it even more because of her blood," Shaurya said.
Only he knew what speaking those words did to him.
He was relieved Akansha had gone to visit Akriti with Mrs. Sudha that day… otherwise, the thought of her hearing those heart-wrenching words terrified him. He couldn’t even imagine the pain she would have gone through.
With his words, his mother’s expression shifted into something close to satisfaction. He exhaled slowly—at least he didn’t have to spit any more venom against his own wife and child.
They continued talking for a while on the same topic. Shaurya wanted to get out of there, but Shobha kept him back. She soon moved on to discussing his remarriage—talking about potential brides and his future once he divorced Akansha and became Chief Minister.
He wanted to snap at her… to shut her up. But he didn’t.
Instead, he cut her off, stating firmly that he had no interest in marriage or anything of that sort. The only thing that mattered to him right now was his political career—and that was where his focus would remain.
Soon after, he excused himself, citing work, and left.
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"When did you come that day?" Shaurya asked seriously.
He had strictly instructed his driver and the gateman to inform him if Akansha returned home. But they had told him she came the next morning.
Then how was this possible?
"When your mother was asking whether you would honour her wishes," Akansha replied. "You are such a good son, huh, Mr. Shekhawat?"
He shut his eyes—regret and fury crashing into him at once. Damn… she had come at the worst possible time.
She had carried those words with her all these years? Suffered because of them?
He hoped not—But her next words shattered that hope.
"The venom you spat that day hasn’t left me even now. It gave me panic attacks during my pregnancy… I was this close to losing Siya—not once, but many times. Not just your words… your actions too," she said.
He looked at her, stunned.
"What? Didn’t understand how your actions could have led to my almost miscarriage?" she asked bitterly, seeing the confusion and guilt on his face. "Let me shed some light on Shaurya Singh Shekhawat’s mother—India—and her attempts to drive away her son’s wife, whom he hates the most…"
"What are you saying? Speak clearly, Akansha… what did she do?" he asked, anger rising sharply. A terrifying thought crossed his mind—had his mother tampered with Akansha’s health?
If she had… no one could stop him.
"Does it hurt to hear against that woman?" Akansha shot back. "But this is the truth. Your mother is a bl**dy murderer. She tried to kill your own child—the same child you’re now desperate to spend time with… Siyakriti."
Shaurya’s eyes widened—shock turning into pure rage.
"She knew I was pregnant… or at least she suspected it.
She started adulterating my food. During one of my checkups, my doctor suspected it and warned me.
From that day, I began cooking my own meals.
It was fine for a couple of weeks… but then it happened again.
I started bleeding," Akansha said, her voice steady despite everything.
"When I went to the doctor, she confirmed it… it was happening again. That’s when I found out through Sudha aunty that your mother had thrown away all the groceries and replaced them with new ones a few days ago. That’s when I realized she had started mixing things into the groceries this time."
Shaurya stood frozen.