Chapter 27 #4
That was when Akansha realized just how many toys Shaurya had actually bought for their daughter. He had only shown a fraction of them earlier, probably fearing her reaction.
Shaking her head, she carefully walked inside, picking things off the floor to make a pathway.
And there, right in the center of the chaos, sat the two culprits.
Siya was sitting cross-legged on the king-sized bed while Shaurya lay with his head in her lap, clearly trying hard not to put his full weight on the little girl.
“Sholya... Your hair used to be choft(soft)... What happened now?” Siya asked, touching his hair with visible dissatisfaction.
“I was travelling and working continuously for the past few weeks, so my hair became like this,” he replied casually. “I didn’t get time to take care of it.”
“Oh!” Siya’s eyes widened. “I will oil your hair. Mumma says oiling makes hair choft(soft).”
“That’s not needed, my doll... I’ll take care of it,” he said gently, unaware that his daughter had already made up her mind.
“No! I will do it... I will!” Siya insisted stubbornly.
Shaurya immediately understood that refusing her would only end in tears.
“Okay,” he surrendered with a smile before picking up the oil bottle from the side shelf and handing it to her.
The moment Akansha saw the bottle in Siya’s hand, she rushed toward the bed, already knowing exactly what her daughter was about to do.
But she was a second too late.
Instead of pouring the oil into her palms, Siya directly emptied a generous amount onto Shaurya’s head.
“Siya!” Akansha’s slightly raised voice startled him.
The next second, Shaurya felt the oil dripping through his hair.
Siya burst into loud giggles watching the oil slide from his hair onto the bedsheet. When Shaurya sat up abruptly, more oil trickled down his neck and stained his shirt, making Siya laugh even harder.
His initial shock slowly melted into disbelief before finally turning into helpless laughter.
Looking at the father-daughter duo, Akansha huffed, though a smile still tugged at her lips.
“You little monster...” Shaurya narrowed his eyes playfully before pretending to catch Siya.
The little girl squealed loudly and ran straight behind her mother for protection.
“Wait till I catch you!” he declared dramatically while chasing her around the bed.
But before he could take another step, the oil that had spilled onto the floor made him lose his balance.
“Careful, Shaurya!” Akansha screamed in panic.
She instinctively grabbed his biceps and steadied him before he could fall.
Her concern was impossible to hide — it reflected clearly in her widened eyes, trembling breaths, and the fear flashing across her face at the mere thought of him getting hurt.
“Sorry... and thanks,” he said softly after regaining balance. “I’ll ask Mrs. Sudha to send someone to clean this up and change the bedsheet. Take Siya to the other room first... she might slip and get hurt.”
He pointed toward the oil spilled across the floor and bed.
“Go and freshen up, I’ll tell her,” she said, and he nodded, this time careful enough not to spill any more oil on the floor.
Siya peeked at Shaurya’s retreating figure from behind her mother, still giggling.
“Siya...” Akansha began softly, making her daughter look at her.
She patiently explained how what she did was wrong and how Shaurya could have gotten hurt because of her little mischief.
The moment little Siya understood that Shaurya could have been hurt, guilt immediately replaced her laughter.
She loved Shaurya too much for the thought of him getting hurt to sit well with her.
Akansha made Siya sit in the guest room and handed her a coloring book. Soon, the little girl got engrossed in it while Akansha went to ask Mrs. Sudha to arrange for someone to clean the floor and change the bedsheet.
When Shaurya had said he would call a maid earlier, her immediate instinct had been to tell him she would clean it herself. But thankfully, her senses returned before she voiced that thought aloud.
Her mind had reacted automatically, as if she were still Shaurya’s wife, as if cleaning his room and taking care of such things was still her responsibility, as if it was her home.
The realization irritated her.
She mentally chided herself for even thinking that way.
She was merely a guest there, and she intended to behave like one.
Akansha never liked involving herself in chores at other people’s houses unless specifically asked.
If someone requested help, she would gladly do it, but she never took liberties on her own.
Some people considered it rude or discourteous, but very few understood that it was simply her personal boundary, and there was nothing wrong with it.
A while later, Shaurya walked into the guest room after freshening up and properly drying his hair.
“Sholya... chorry(sorry),” Siya hugged him the moment she saw him.
“It’s okay, my little princess...” Shaurya said softly, flicking her nose playfully.
She pouted instantly, making him laugh before he kissed her nose lovingly.
“Touch it,” he said, kneeling in front of her.
“Wow... choft(soft)...” Siya squealed excitedly, running her tiny fingers through his now-dried hair. “Mumma chee(see)... Sholya has choft hair.”
She continued playing with his hair happily, fascinated by how smooth and soft it felt.
Why wouldn’t it be?
For the first time in a long while, Shaurya had actually taken care of his hair properly, solely because his daughter loved playing with it.
Her delighted reaction filled him with satisfaction.
But the next second, his smile froze at Akansha’s absent-minded response.
“I know,” Akansha muttered in a daze.
Damn his aftershave.
The familiar fragrance instantly dragged her back to memories she had no business revisiting — the way he used to hold her by the waist and kiss her senseless while her fingers remained tangled in his ridiculously soft hair that she loved playing with.
Her trance broke the moment she noticed his eyes.
And that stupid grin he was trying hard to suppress.
He heard her.
Damn her mouth.
“Siya... show Shaurya what you made for him,” Akansha said quickly, diverting the moment.
Siya nodded enthusiastically, rushed toward the bed, and returned with a small, adorable sorry card.
The moment Shaurya took it, emotions overwhelmed him.
It was the first card his daughter had ever made for him.
For a second, he felt slightly upset that it was an apology card.
But the next moment, his emotions shifted completely when he noticed the tiny “I love you” written beside the “Sorry.”
His eyes welled up instantly.
He quickly hugged his little girl tightly, trying to hide his emotions, but Akansha had already noticed them.
His heart clenched painfully at how many precious little moments like this he had missed all these years.
But he quickly pushed those thoughts aside.
He didn’t want regrets anymore.
He wanted memories.
And from now onward, he intended to spend every possible second filling his daughter’s life with happiness.
The rest of the day passed beautifully.
After dinner, Suraj drove Akansha and Siya back home.
Akansha stepped out of the car carrying a sleeping Siya in her arms when her eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting outside her gate.
Richa.
Her heart clenched painfully at the sight.
Richa, who once walked into this house without knocking, now sat outside like an outsider waiting for permission.
The moment Richa saw them, she hurried toward Akansha and gently took Siya into her arms, kissing her cheeks lovingly.
When Siya squirmed in her sleep, Richa immediately patted her softly, afraid the little girl might wake up before she could have the conversation she desperately wanted with Akansha.
“Let’s go inside. We need to talk,” Richa said firmly.
“I need some more time, Richa...” Akansha replied quietly.
She still hadn’t fully come to terms with her best friend’s betrayal, and rebuilding that trust would take time.
“I can’t stay away from you or Siya anymore. We are talking today and sorting this out,” Richa declared adamantly, taking a firm stand.
“No, Richa... listen to me...” Akansha started sternly, but Richa’s next statement froze her completely.
“The cat’s out of the bag.”
Akansha wasn’t foolish enough to misunderstand what she meant.
Without another word, she walked toward the entrance and unlocked the door while Richa quietly followed her inside.
She carefully made Siya sleep on the bed and covered her with the duvet, while Akansha locked the main door before settling onto the sofa, contemplating what she was supposed to say now that Richa knew who Siya’s father was.
Meanwhile, Richa silently walked into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, she returned with two cups of coffee, handed one to Akansha, and sat opposite her.
Neither of them spoke for several long moments.
Then finally, Richa broke the silence softly.
“I’m sorry, Ansha...”
For the past few weeks, Richa had been obsessively trying to find a connection between Shaurya and Akansha.
But she had never imagined the truth would shake her this badly.
The Chief Minister of the state, Shaurya Singh Shekhawat, was her best friend’s husband and Siya’s father?
So that was the reason Akansha hated him.
Because he must have done something terrible in the past.
And all this while, she had foolishly believed Akansha hated him only because of what happened during Siya’s birth.
How blind had she been?
Now she finally understood why Akansha had been so furious with her.
And the realization that she had shattered her best friend’s trust so badly burned Richa with guilt.
Yes, a part of her was hurt that Akansha had hidden such a huge truth from her all these years.
But strangely, she understood it too.
Akansha had never once wanted to discuss Siya’s father.
And now, after learning the truth, Richa’s professional dislike for Shaurya had transformed into deep resentment.
She didn’t know the complete story yet, but one thing was enough for her to hate him for life — he had hurt her best friend.
The struggles Akansha faced during pregnancy and after Siya’s birth alone were enough to make Richa despise him.
“I can’t forgive you. Not now at least,” Akansha said quietly, taking a sip of her coffee.
“I know... and I’m not expecting your forgiveness this soon either,” Richa replied honestly. “I don’t deserve it. But please know that I truly regret betraying your trust.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears, and within seconds, she completely broke down.
The sight instantly weakened Akansha’s resolve.
No matter how hurt she was, she still loved Richa immensely.
Seeing her best friend cry like this was unbearable.
Akansha quickly got up and hugged her tightly.
“Shh... stop crying...” she whispered softly, consoling her.
After several minutes, Richa finally managed to calm herself down.
“Don’t push me away from you and Siya...” Richa pleaded brokenly. “I love both of you too much... these few weeks were hell for me.”
Guilt crept into Akansha’s heart hearing that.
Because despite everything, she knew how deeply Richa loved them both.
Richa cared for Siya as if the little girl were her own child.
In many ways, she had been more family to Akansha and Siya than even Akash.
For the past five years, Richa had been there every single day.
If she couldn’t be physically present, she made sure she was there through calls.
She checked on them constantly, especially Siya, with a devotion that often felt maternal.
And Akansha loved Richa just as fiercely.
They had always been inseparable.
This distance between them was only a temporary wound created by betrayal.
“I’m sorry too, Richa... I shouldn’t have slapped you that day... and I definitely shouldn’t have pushed you away...” Akansha apologized quietly.
But Richa immediately shook her head.
She didn’t care about the slap.
What truly broke her was the distance Akansha had created between them.
“You were going far away from me... shifting to Kasauli?” Richa asked, visibly hurt by the fact that Akansha hadn’t even considered informing her.
“I was very angry and upset... I was hurt, Richa,” Akansha admitted honestly. “But I had already told Akash to bring you to us after a few days.”
Richa looked up at her in surprise.
“Did you really think I would permanently break my friendship with you... or Siya’s relationship with you?” Akansha asked softly. “Yes, your betrayal hurt me badly... but I could never do that to you... or to us.”
Her eyes softened emotionally.
“You were family, Richa... and you still are. You always will be.”
The moment those words left Akansha’s mouth, Richa tightly hugged her again, relief crashing into her all at once.
For now, that reassurance alone was enough.
She knew Akansha was still deeply hurt.
But knowing she hadn’t lost her forever eased at least a part of the ache inside her.