Chapter 44 #2
Akansha deliberately stayed silent for several minutes, secretly testing how long he would continue standing there. But Shaurya simply remained where he was... waiting for her to speak as though he had nowhere else to be.
"Go home... It's midnight," she muttered, turning her face away from him.
His calmness and persistence always did something dangerous to her heart, something she constantly resisted.
And honestly, there wasn't even a single reason for her not to get affected by him. He was easily the most handsome man she had ever come across, but more than that, there was something deeply sincere about him that made it difficult for her to stay untouched.
"I'm fine," he said softly. "You are not. And if you don't want to share what's bothering you, that's okay. But if you're staying silent because you think I'll judge you, then don't worry... I never will."
Akansha only shook her head before getting up from the bench and walking toward her house. Shaurya quietly followed behind her.
"You are an MLA, Shaurya. Stop following me and creating more problems for me," she said after a while. "And I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"I know you are," he replied instantly. "I don't doubt your capabilities even for a second.
But I still can't leave you alone tonight, sorry.
" Then he added casually, trying to lighten the mood, "And relax.
.. half the people don't even know what their MLA looks like.
Like you didn't. Most of them voted for my party and my father anyway. "
Despite herself, Akansha smiled faintly and shook her head. He was way too straightforward. How was this man even surviving in politics?
"Are you sure you want a career in politics?" she asked suddenly. "Looking at you, I honestly don't think you'll survive there."
Shaurya chuckled softly.
"I know how to play politics," he replied calmly. "And trust me when I say I'm very good at it. I just don't like it. So I bring out the politician in me only during elections."
"And the rest of the time?" she asked.
"A leader," he answered without hesitation.
Akansha looked at him.
"You know the biggest difference between a politician and a leader?
" he continued. "A politician works fearing the loss of power.
A leader works after letting go of that fear completely.
The moment a person has nothing left to lose, they gain the courage to do what's right. .. even if it costs them everything."
Akansha stayed quiet. Because she could see he truly meant every word he said. And more importantly, his actions matched his words. The development their city had seen after he entered politics spoke louder than any speech ever could.
After a few moments, she asked quietly, "Why are you still chasing me?"
He looked at her.
"There's nothing so extraordinary about me that a man like you would continue staying after all the rude things I say to you. I have never spoken to you properly even once... so why?"
Shaurya took a slow breath before answering.
"You are extraordinary, Akansha." His voice had softened completely now. "Your strength amazes me. Your confidence amazes me. And the best thing about you is that you are real. You never pretend, even when pretending would benefit you. You live life entirely on your own terms."
His eyes held hers steadily.
"And woman... you don't ask people for respect, you command it naturally." Akansha felt her heartbeat shift. "Even a man determined to hate you would fall in love with you if he stayed around you long enough," he said quietly.
The words weren't random. They were about himself. She stared at him in genuine surprise. Nobody had ever looked at her the way he just described her.
"Has no man ever told you these things before?" he asked.
"Men chased me," she replied dryly, "but I never gave them enough chance to utter nonsense. You're the first."
Shaurya burst into laughter.
"I'm glad I'm the first," he replied. "Now I'll try my best to become the last too."
Akansha shook her head helplessly at him. Then his expression softened again.
"Now will you tell me what happened?" he asked gently. "You are not yourself tonight."
For a moment, Akansha glanced at the distance he had carefully maintained while walking beside her.
No matter how relentlessly he pursued her, he never invaded her space.
No matter how rude she became, he never disrespected her once.
That alone made him different from every other man she had encountered.
"Why should I tell you anything?" she asked quietly. "Who are you to me?"
Shaurya stopped walking.
Then, without even a second of hesitation, he answered, "I'll become whatever you want me to become, Akansha Dikshit. Just give me one chance."
And for that brief moment, he completely forgot about revenge. Forgot about retribution. Forgot why he had entered her life in the first place. Every time he looked at her, his anger disappeared and only she remained. He still hated what happened to Aakriti.
But somehow, despite all of it, he had fallen deeply in love with the same woman he was supposed to destroy. His life couldn't possibly become messier than this. Yet all he wanted now was her.
At that moment, he wanted to confess everything honestly... or at least as much truth as he could give her. Because suddenly, being truthful to Akansha mattered more to him than revenge.
"I can't promise I'll never hurt you," he admitted quietly. Akansha looked up at him immediately. "But I promise I will never disrespect you."
There wasn't even a flicker of dishonesty in his eyes.
"And if someday you feel hurt because of me... at least ask me why before deciding what kind of person I am." His voice lowered further. "I love you, Akansha Dikshit." Her breath hitched.
"I truly... madly love you. You are the last woman I ever wanted to fall for... but somehow you became the first woman I truly loved."
His eyes didn't leave hers.
"And you'll be the last too."
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. Then Akansha slowly folded her arms against her chest, trying to steady her heartbeat.
"What if I say no?" she asked.
Shaurya smiled faintly.
"I still won't leave."
She frowned.
"I'll keep chasing you until either you choose someone better... or you end up with me."
"So you think I deserve someone better than you?" she challenged immediately.
He shook his head slowly.
"No," he admitted honestly. "I just know my current life doesn't allow me to become the man you deserve right now." Then his gaze hardened with quiet determination. "But once I settle everything... I promise I'll become the best man for you."
Akansha knew there was something he wasn't telling her. And she also knew he wouldn't reveal it no matter how much she asked. So instead, she tested him differently.
"What if I ask you to marry me immediately?" she asked suddenly.
She wanted to know whether this was real for him... or just another rich politician's obsession. Shaurya immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Dev. Akansha's eyes widened.
"I'm getting married," Shaurya announced the moment Dev picked up. "How quickly can you arrange a wedding?"
"What the hell?" Dev shouted so loudly that even Akansha heard him clearly.
Ignoring him completely, Shaurya looked at Akansha.
"What's your definition of immediately?" he asked seriously. "Will tomorrow morning work?"
Without thinking much, Akansha nodded automatically.
"Dev," Shaurya continued calmly, "arrange a temple wedding for tomorrow."
Then he disconnected the call. Akansha simply stared at him.
"I hope you don't mind a temple wedding," he said sincerely.
For the first time that night, she genuinely didn't know what to say.
"How much do you even know about me?" she asked quietly.
"Enough to know I can spend this lifetime and several more with you," he replied with a smile.
Akansha looked away first. Then after a long pause, she said softly, "I don't want to marry you."
For the first time that night, his smile dimmed a little. But even then, he nodded calmly.
"No problem," he replied. "I'll keep trying."
"Call your friend and tell him to cancel everything," she said.
"It's okay," Shaurya answered shamelessly. "Good practice for him. In the future I might ask him to arrange our wedding in even less time."
Akansha frowned at him. She had genuinely believed he disliked troubling people unnecessarily. As if reading her thoughts instantly, he grinned.
"I only enjoy troubling him," he clarified. "Everyone else gets troubled because of work."
Her expression shifted into surprise again. How did he understand her thoughts so easily every single time?
"So Dev is your best friend?" she asked after a while.
Instead of answering immediately, Shaurya pointed toward a nearby bench.
"Can we sit there for some time?"
Akansha's eyes widened slightly.
"We are literally outside my house, Shaurya."
He blinked in confusion.
"This isn't the first time we sat there though."
"That time," she replied slowly, "if someone from my family saw me sitting with you, I didn't have to lie about our relationship." Then she looked at him directly. "Now I would."
Shaurya froze. For a second, he genuinely forgot how to breathe. Because he understood exactly what she meant. Earlier, she had no feelings for him. Now she did. And if her family saw them together, she would have to lie to explain what existed between them.
The realization hit him so hard that he had to physically stop himself from grinning like an idiot. Quickly controlling his expression, he followed her silently. This time, they chose a bench farther away from her house. For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Akansha could sense he wanted to say something important, so she quietly waited for him to begin.
"Dev is my best friend... Dev Bisht."