Chapter 39 #3
"Siyu... please have this, bache..." Akash pleaded for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Noooo, mamu... pwease..." Siya whined dramatically.
"You want to hear a story?" Akash suddenly asked hopefully.
"Yes! Uniconnn!" Siya instantly perked up.
"But mamu doesn't know any unicorn stories, baby", Akash admitted helplessly.
"Ophooo..." Siya sighed dramatically. "Dadda knows many unicon stories. Lean(learn) flom(from) him. I will tell Dadda to theach(teach) you."
Akash instantly thought about calling Shaurya but hesitated. What if he was busy?
"Siyu... want to talk to Dadda?" he finally asked.
Siya nodded excitedly. Akash quickly dialed Shaurya, silently praying he wasn't occupied.
At that moment, Shaurya was sitting in an important cabinet meeting, reviewing files related to amendments they planned to propose in the upcoming Assembly session. Since Akash only had Shaurya's work number and not his personal one, he called directly on the official phone.
Shaurya picked up while still scanning the files.
"Yes?" he responded briefly.
"I'm really sorry for calling", Akash started awkwardly. "But Siya isn't eating her fruits. Di gave me the task of feeding her, and now she wants a unicorn story from you. Looks like only then she'll eat. Are you busy?"
"Are we playing jumbled paragraphs?" Shaurya replied dryly. "Because your last sentence should have been the first one."
Akash chuckled despite himself hearing the familiar teasing tone. It had been years since Shaurya spoke to him like that.
Once upon a time, they were best friends.
Before everything fell apart.
"Oh... I'm sor—" Akash started apologizing again, but before he could finish, Siya snatched the phone from him excitedly.
"Daddaaaa!"
"Bacha... right now Dadda is busy", Shaurya spoke softly. "Quickly finish your fruits, then I'll tell you a unicorn story tonight."
The ministers sitting around the table quietly observed him. Ever since the party meeting, the MLAs and important party members already knew their Chief Minister had both a wife and a daughter.
"Nooo, Dadda... abbhhi(now) stoly(story)", Siya demanded stubbornly.
And at that exact moment, Shaurya realized just how difficult saying "no" to his daughter truly was.
"Okay, bacha..." he gave in helplessly.
Of course, he couldn't dismiss the cabinet meeting either. The ministers' time was valuable, and his own schedule was packed beyond limits.
So he simply continued reviewing the files while handling both things together.
"So... last time I told you the story of a horse named Phony and how she became a magical unicorn and discovered her powers", Shaurya started smoothly while flipping through official documents. "Today I will tell you about Phony's best friend. His name is..."
Everyone present looked at him with silent awe.
Despite simultaneously managing a high-level cabinet meeting and entertaining his daughter with bedtime stories, Shaurya missed absolutely nothing.
Whenever a minister spoke or he needed to address them, he muted the call briefly. Even while multitasking, he grilled them thoroughly until every answer satisfied him completely.
By the time the story ended, Siya had also finished every bit of her fruits. Akash quickly disconnected the call afterward, apologizing to Shaurya once again. Almost an hour later, the cabinet meeting finally concluded.
As soon as the files were closed, a few ministers cautiously exchanged glances before one of them finally gathered courage to speak.
"CM saab... regarding the announcement about your wife and daughter..." the Urban Development Minister started carefully.
But Shaurya immediately cut him off.
"I already gave enough clarity during the previous party meeting", he replied calmly while getting up from his seat.
His sharp eyes scanned the room.
"And if anyone still has questions or concerns before the official announcement, then arrange a proper party meeting with all MLAs and important party members present. I'll address everything there."
The ministers fell silent immediately. Shaurya could clearly see several unanswered questions lingering on their faces. But he deliberately ignored them.
"This is not the right place for those discussions", he continued firmly. "We're here to work for the people. So let's focus on that while sitting here."
With that, he walked away while Mr. Sharma and several staff members hurried behind him.
After Shaurya left, the same minister mocked sarcastically,
"Oh, so this isn't the place to discuss personal matters, but apparently it is the perfect place for bedtime stories to his daughter?"
Before anyone else could respond, Pankaj — one of the ministers fiercely loyal to Shaurya — stepped forward angrily.
"Still far better than discussing how to save your a** from the CBI after almost getting arrested", Pankaj shot back coldly.
"Pankaj ji, you're crossing your limits", the Urban Development Minister snapped.
"And you crossed yours the moment you started talking rubbish about our leader", Pankaj retaliated immediately. "Do you even have an ounce of gratitude left?" The minister glared at him silently.
"If not for Shaurya ji, you would have already been rotting in jail", Pankaj continued ruthlessly.
"When the central government was pushing for a CBI investigation against you, it was him who protected you.
The day he removed you from the cabinet and withdrew support, the CBI would've dragged you away immediately. "
His tone turned sharper.
"But did he do that? No. He saved you."
Pankaj scoffed openly.
"And instead of being grateful, you resent him because he made it impossible for you to continue being the corrupt politician you once were. Isn't that the real issue here?"
Very quickly, the entire room split into arguments. Some ministers openly supported Shaurya while others criticized him bitterly.
Before the fight could escalate further, Mr. Sharma entered and firmly informed everyone that Shaurya wanted all ministers to either return to their respective offices or head home.
That finally calmed the chaos.
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A few days passed. And Shaurya respected Akansha's wishes completely. If she didn't want him visiting her house, then he wouldn't. He had already hurt her enough. He refused to add more pain to her life.
Still, he regularly called to speak with Siya. But every time he tried asking about Akansha or how she was doing, she immediately cut him off, reminding him that she would only answer questions related to Siya.
He missed his daughter terribly.
One day, unable to control himself anymore, he went to the Education Department wing hoping to see Siya. But he was informed that Akansha and Siya had gone out to meet a friend.
Shaurya frowned but stayed silent.
A little later, Suraj discreetly informed him that Akansha and Siya were having lunch at a café near the Secretariat.
"Suraj... do you know who they're with?" Shaurya asked casually, though his voice had already turned tense.
"Yes, sir..." Suraj hesitated slightly. "There is a man with them... around ma'am's age, I think."
Then after a pause, he cautiously added,
"Should I click a picture and send it to you, sir? Maybe you know him?"
Shaurya's breathing visibly changed hearing that.
"Hmm", he replied shortly.
Jealousy had already kicked in.
No matter how calm and composed he appeared before the world, Akansha had always possessed the ability to bring out his possessive, impulsive, and irrational side effortlessly.
Within seconds, Suraj sent him the picture. But Shaurya didn't recognize the man.
Immediately, he forwarded the image to Ashwini — his and Dev's private investigator — asking for full details.
Technically, Suraj could've gathered all the information too, but Shaurya didn't want to misuse a respected commando for his personal insecurities when he already had Ashwini handling such matters. Almost five minutes later, Ashwini called back.
"He is Jay Upadhyay", Ashwini informed professionally. "Richa Upadhyay's first cousin. A neurosurgeon working in Banglore's Ap***lo Hospitals. He shares a very good bond with both ma'am and your daughter."
Then he added casually,
"If you want, I can hack the café CCTV footage and send you access."
"Do it", Shaurya ordered immediately before disconnecting the call.
Jealousy burned violently inside him. Within minutes, Ashwini sent the access link. Shaurya opened the footage instantly.
And the moment he saw Akansha laughing freely with that man, his heartbeat stopped for a second... only to start racing harder afterward.
It had been years since he last saw her laugh like that.
Yes, she smiled sometimes when Siya did something naughty, but the moment she realized he was around, she immediately controlled herself as if he no longer deserved to witness her happiness.
For one strange moment, Shaurya genuinely felt like hugging that man.
Just for bringing out that carefree laughter from his wife again.
Siya sat happily between them while they ate together.
At one point, Jay said something funny and Akansha immediately gave him a high-five and shook his hand, making Siya clutch her mother possessively. The two adults burst into laughter seeing Siya's reaction. Meanwhile, Shaurya silently fumed watching someone laugh at his baby.
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"So... you're finally getting the promotion and the city you've dreamt about for years", Akansha said warmly.
"My city", Jay corrected immediately.
"Your city", Akansha repeated at the exact same moment, already aware of how possessive Jay was about his native place and state.
Both of them burst into laughter before giving each other a high-five at the coincidence. Meanwhile, Siya clung to her mother's arm possessively, not understanding anything they were discussing, which only made the two adults laugh harder.
"Looks like Siyabear is getting bored, hmm?" Jay asked playfully.
"Yes..." Siya admitted dramatically.