Chapter 24 #3
"Don’t say that," he said, his voice dropping, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "My hope for a happy life is you… and my daughter. I live every day imagining holding her in my arms."
Akansha softened instantly.
"I was joking," she said gently, resting her forehead against his. "We’ll have a daughter. And if not… we’ll keep trying until we do—even if it means filling half the world with our children."
He chuckled.
"I don’t mind," he said, leaning over her. "But promise me one thing—you’ll give this to my daughter when the time comes. I know you’ve got your eye on it. The rest of my shawls are yours… but this one belongs only to my princess."
She rolled her eyes.
"Fine. I’ll give it to your daughter. But why me? You can give it yourself."
"I’ve used it till now," he said softly. "It carries my warmth. It comforted me before you came into my life. Now it will carry yours too… and when the time comes, you’ll pass it on to our daughter—with both our warmth in it."
The depth of his words silenced her.
She nodded.
"I will," she whispered. "I’ll give it to our daughter."
And sealed that promise with a kiss.
Shaurya stared at the picture again.
Finally… the shawl had reached its rightful owner.
He had never seen that shawl with Akansha after their marriage. With the kind of act he had pulled, he had always assumed she must have burned it by now. But seeing that same shawl in his daughter’s hands brought tears to his eyes.
The way Siya clutched it—so tightly, as if it were her lifeline—told him everything. He knew Akansha must have told her about it… about it belonging to her father.
Just the thought sent a strange warmth through his chest.
He observed the picture more carefully. Siya looked younger—at least a year old picture, he guessed. And yet, despite all her hatred, all her complaints, Akansha had never let it spill over onto their daughter.
She had only given Siya love.
Memories worth holding on to.
That one truth alone was enough to prove what a gem of a person Akansha was… and how unfortunate he had been to lose her—for reasons that were partly unjustified, and partly unavoidable.
Shaurya kept staring at the picture.
Siya looked so adorable that all he wanted was to pull her into his arms and shower her with every ounce of love he had been holding back all these years. The way her tiny palms held onto the shawl made his heart swell—with pride, with warmth… with something deeper.
What would her reaction be when she finds out the truth?
Would she run to him?
Jump into his arms in happiness?
Or step back… unsure, hesitant, afraid to form an attachment?
Would she question his absence all these years?
And if she did… what would he say?
Would he tell her he didn’t even know she existed?
No.
That would indirectly blame Akansha.
And no matter what, he would never let his daughter turn against her mother.
Even if it meant accepting Siya’s anger… her distance… even her hatred.
He would take it all.
But he would never let Siya believe that her mother had wronged him—not until she was old enough to understand that Akansha had only been protecting her.
And if Siya did withdraw from him…
He would earn her back.
Every bit of her love.
He wouldn’t let her spend another moment missing her father.
He would proudly announce to the world that the most beautiful child in it was his.
His daughter.
His princess.
And just like that, his thoughts collided with reality.
He hadn’t even figured out how to handle the situation yet.
He would have to reveal Siya to the world soon—before someone else did. If the news broke on its own, it wouldn’t just be gossip.
It would be a scandal.
And he couldn’t let that destroy Akansha.
Or his daughter.
He had to find a way—one that protected her dignity… her image… and his, if possible.
If not…
He already had an option.
He could tell the world that he was the one who left her—that he chose public service over his family. That narrative would shift sympathy toward her, reduce the scrutiny she would face.
But it would cost him.
His women supporters—one of his strongest pillars—would take a hit.
The same women who trusted him because of his policies… his work—especially with the kind of women-oriented policies he had implemented that had tremendously improved women’s safety, empowerment, and their participation in the workforce.
The SHe Park he built on one of the most prime commercial plots in the capital city had become a hub for top companies across healthcare, human resources, beauty and personal care, fashion and retail, hospitality and customer services, event management, public relations, and childcare and early learning centres—spaces where women had a dominant presence.
His initiative had not only created numerous job opportunities for women but had also strengthened the foundation of women’s empowerment in the state.
The equal pay policy he strictly enforced gave women the same financial dignity as men—something that was still lacking in many parts of the country despite strict laws.
With such careful and thoughtful initiatives, Shaurya had earned immense popularity, love, and respect among the female population.
He couldn’t deny that losing their support worried him—but if that was the price he had to pay to protect his wife from the hatred and scrutiny that would follow once their relationship came into the open, he wouldn’t hesitate.
He was a career-driven man who valued his public image. Every step of his journey had been calculated—to make his career stable, long-lasting, and impactful. Walking away from it all felt reckless… painful even. So he kept it as a last resort.
He needed another way.
Because stepping down as Chief Minister wouldn’t just be a personal loss—it would be a loss to the state. He knew the state needed him. He had a vision—clear, ambitious—and he was determined to see it through. A better society. A stronger future for the coming generations.
And now…
That vision had become personal.
It was no longer just about governance—it was about building that world for his daughter.
For Siya.
And for that, he needed to protect both—his family and his position.
Staring at Siya’s adorable picture, Shaurya slowly shut his eyes and slipped into sleep—restless, heavy, unfinished.
He woke up in less than an hour, ready to begin another day.
---------
Akansha got ready to visit the secretariat as she received Mrs. Arora’s call in the morning, citing some urgent finalizations to move forward. She informed Mr. Joshi about her leave request and quickly prepared for work.
She secretly hoped to catch a glimpse of Shaurya, but the moment the thought surfaced, her heart and mind chided her mercilessly for even wishing something like that—when all she should wish for was not to see him.
She was worried for him. To her dismay, she knew him too well, and hence was aware of the void Siya’s absence might have created in him. She just wished he was fine.
She hadn’t slept the entire night, worrying about him.
A part of her rebuked herself for not letting him talk to Siya. If she had, he would have been less distressed. But the rational part of her knew she had done the right thing—she couldn’t afford to let her daughter get more attached to him than she already was.
The previous night, Akansha had tried hard to suppress the desperation she felt to ease his pain, but she couldn’t. In the end, she gave in to her relentless heart. She searched for her daughter’s picture—the one dearest to her—and set it as her WhatsApp display picture.
She knew that seeing that image would make him feel better.
It was from Siya’s birthday—the night the little girl started talking about her father and asked if he loved her the way her friend Ammu’s father loved Ammu.
The moment Akansha heard that innocent question, her eyes welled up. It was her daughter’s birthday, and if everything had been fine between her and Shaurya, they would have celebrated it together. He would have showered Siya with love… she thought.
Wouldn’t he?
She questioned herself for a moment, then quickly pushed away the doubt about the man who had ruined her life.
This wasn’t about him.
This was about her daughter.
She wanted Siya to be happy, and she would do anything for that. If Siya wanted to feel her father’s presence that day, she would make sure she did.
With that thought, Akansha got up and brought the shawl from her belongings. The memory of that night and their conversation hit her hard, sending a sharp pain through her head. Shaurya’s longing for a daughter stirred a sense of guilt within her, which she pushed aside for the time being.
"Siya bear… I have a gift for you," Akansha said, settling in front of her daughter.
"But you gave me cho many giphts (so many gifts)," Siya muttered, still upset about her father’s absence on her birthday.
"Well, this one isn’t from me… it’s from your father," Akansha said gently.
The moment those words left her lips, Siya threw herself into her arms, excitement lighting up her face. Anything related to her father thrilled the little girl.
After calming her down, Akansha gently handed her the shawl and wove a story around it—about how her father had given it to her.
Siya held the shawl with so much adoration that a familiar pain tugged at Akansha’s heart, but she refused to dwell on it.
Instead, she took out her phone and captured Siya’s cute antics, preserving those moments as memories.
Akansha reached the Secretariat and was preparing to meet Mrs. Arora with the files she had asked for, but the woman herself arrived along with Mr. Khanna and Mr. Samuel.
They exchanged pleasantries before getting to work. Phase 1 was ready for mid-review, and they began briefing the progress they had made so far, turning it into a concise presentation to seek Shaurya’s approval so they could proceed with the second half of Phase 1.