Chapter 25 #3
"Stay, Dr. Akansha. I’ll review it right away. I may need clarification if I get stuck somewhere," he said before opening the file.
"Meera, you can continue explaining the issue," Shaurya added, his eyes still fixed on the report.
He was exceptionally good at multitasking, so handling two things at once didn’t bother him.
"Um… no problem, Shaurya. Finish this first, we’ll continue after Dr. Dixit leaves," Meera offered.
"I have another meeting at 6:30 PM, so I can’t extend this one, nor can I allot another slot before elections, which are months away. This is the only time I can give you. So state your issue quickly," Shaurya said, still flipping through the file.
Meera was taken aback by his clipped tone, but the businesswoman in her quickly pushed aside her jealousy.
He was right.
Discussing it now made more sense, even if it had to happen in Akansha’s presence.
"Shaurya… this is sensitive information. I don’t want it being used against either of us," Meera said firmly.
"Dr. Akansha is a woman of principles. She knows her boundaries, and I can assure you she would never disclose anything discussed in my office. So continue," Shaurya replied confidently, though there was unmistakable sharpness in his voice.
He didn’t like Meera’s indirect accusation toward Akansha.
Still, her concern wasn’t entirely baseless. Had it been anyone else in Akansha’s place, he would never have allowed the discussion to continue.
Akansha understood that.
"I can wait outside," she offered.
Shaurya looked at her once.
A silent order.
Stay.
Yes, he genuinely needed her there to explain the file, but there was something more beneath it. Letting her walk out now would indirectly imply he didn’t trust her.
And that had never been the issue.
He had trusted her completely from the day he fell in love with her.
It was she who had lost trust in him.
"That’s alright. If Shaurya trusts the people working under him, then I suppose it’s fine," Meera said smoothly.
The underlying jab wasn’t missed.
She wanted Akansha to remember her place—that she merely worked for Shaurya, while Meera held the position of a friend.
"I thought you had something important to discuss?" Shaurya cut in sharply.
Her unnecessary dig at Akansha only worsened his mood.
"Yes. I’m here regarding the new housing and school projects your government recently announced. The bidding process will begin soon. I won’t beat around the bush, Shaurya—I want your support in securing the bid for all those projects," Meera stated confidently.
"You know our company. We maintain quality in every project. No compromise with safety, no use of cheap materials for profit. But you cannot guarantee the same with the other companies bidding for it."
She leaned slightly forward.
"You want a successful venture—safe and modern infrastructure that improves people’s living standards and educational environment. And I want the reputation and profits my company will gain after securing the project. It’s a win-win for both of us, Shaurya. Think about it."
Shaurya listened carefully while simultaneously going through Akansha’s file.
"What’s the reference for these statistics?" he asked Akansha, pointing toward a section in the report with his pen.
"The variables and supporting data are attached at the back, Sir," Akansha replied, showing him the pages.
"At least mention the basic references in brackets below the statistics next time. I can’t keep flipping pages every time I need to verify something, right?" he said calmly.
"I’ll ask Mr. Khan to update the format accordingly next time," Akansha replied.
Shaurya nodded.
He already knew this was a compiled version of multiple reports. He had gone through Akansha’s individual report earlier—she knew exactly how he preferred the formatting and had followed it properly. It was the others, especially Mr. Khan, who had skipped it.
And that annoyed him.
"Meera… I understand your point," Shaurya began. "Considering the quality your company maintains in its projects, I am inclined to have your firm onboard. But unfortunately, the bidding process is lengthy, and the concerned departments take the final call."
He finally looked up at her.
"As Chief Minister, I can certainly influence the decision—and trust me, I will. But your company still has to reach the top position on merit. At the ground level, I can’t help you."
Both women were left surprised by his response.
Akansha disliked the fact that he was openly favoring Meera’s company.
And Meera…
She was stunned that despite favoring her, he still refused to directly help her secure the deal.
"Shaurya… This is the first time my company is bidding for a government project after I took over the reins. I need some help with this, try to understand…" Meera requested.
"Meera… that is exactly why I shouldn’t trust you blindly. Instead, I could simply choose one of the experienced firms already available in the market. Yet I am still willing to take that risk because I know the quality of work your company delivers," Shaurya said calmly.
"So pick yourself up and level up your game. I know some people are trying their best to keep your company out of the race, but don’t lose hope. Deal with them the way you always deal with such people."
His words stunned Meera.
"You knew about the dirty tactics they were using to keep Pathak Properties away from the bidding?" she asked.
Shaurya didn’t answer.
He simply continued reading Akansha’s file.
But Meera already had her answer.
"This is fine, but where are the compiled reports regarding the practices you are adapting into the model? If I remember correctly, those were supposed to be submitted along with this report," Shaurya asked Akansha.
"Yes, I already mailed them to you. I couldn’t submit the hard copy because my printer stopped working. You can refer to the soft copy for now, and I’ll bring the hard copy tomorrow morning. You can sign it then," Akansha suggested.
"That’s alright. I’ll digitally sign it. Don’t bother," Shaurya replied.
The response caught Akansha off guard.
Usually, Shaurya never missed a chance to see her.
And now he was refusing?
What changed?
Was it because of Meera’s presence?
Was he interested in Meera now?
The thought itself irritated her.
No.
Shaurya could never be interested in another woman.
One thing she could never deny about him—even after all the betrayal and heartbreak—was his loyalty. He had never looked at another woman with desire. His eyes and heart had always remained fixed on her.
He was, perhaps, the most loyal man a woman could ever have.
Akansha knew that with certainty.
Then why was he avoiding meeting her again tomorrow?
"Shaurya… what if they succeed?" Meera asked again.
"They’ve been trying for months. They already used every dirty tactic possible. Did they succeed?" Shaurya asked simply.
Both women looked at him.
That meant he had been protecting Meera and her company from behind the scenes all this while. He couldn’t admit it openly—but yes, he had been helping her from the backend. The realization filled Meera with warmth and gratitude.
Akansha, however, burned with jealousy. He was going out of his way for his friend.
Why?
This wasn’t even part of his responsibility. But a second later, her senses kicked back in. Why was she even bothered?
Shaurya Singh Shekhawat can go to hell for all she cared.
"Shaurya, you have no idea what I feel hearing this… Thank you so much," Meera said emotionally. "If you can do so much for me and my company, then I can fight for it too. I promise, I’ll make it to the top few—and then you can choose the best one."
"Whatever I did was because of your company’s reputation, Meera. I want the best for the people, and your company has the skill and resources to provide that. I simply made a decision that benefits the state—not because you are my friend," Shaurya clarified.
His words calmed the storm raging inside Akansha.
"I know, I know… But no matter how much you deny it, you still did it for me too, Shaurya," Meera said with a smile. "You always had this habit of protecting everyone connected to you, even if they were mere acquaintances. And I’m still your friend. I know you won’t let me get ruined."
Those words hit Akansha like poison. Meera was right. Shaurya always protected people around him. Everyone.
Except her.
Despite loving her so deeply, he had still ruined her life… and their daughter’s. The thought reignited all the bitterness and disgust she carried for him.
"Sir… signatures please," Akansha said abruptly.
She wanted to leave.
Run far away from him.
"I am still reading, Dr. Akansha," Shaurya replied quietly.
His heart ached seeing the disgust she was trying so hard to hide.
But he could see it clearly. And he knew exactly what had triggered it.
Because he felt the same disgust toward himself every time someone praised him for protecting others. He had failed to protect the one person who mattered the most to him.
Meera continued discussing a few more points while Shaurya effortlessly multitasked between her concerns and Akansha’s report, occasionally offering solutions to Meera’s problems.
Soon, Meera was done.
Shaurya desperately wanted to dismiss her and talk to Akansha alone. But Meera still technically had his appointment slot until 6:30 PM.
And offending people unnecessarily was never his style.
Politics had taught him one thing very clearly—Good relationships often became useful at unexpected times.
"So… when are you getting married?" Meera asked casually.
Shaurya froze.
He had to force himself not to look at Akansha because even a single wrong glance could raise suspicion in Meera’s mind—something he couldn’t afford for Akansha’s safety.