Chapter 48 #2
"Yes. More than enough since you already got Siya ready", she replied. "I'll come and pack my bag."
"I've already taken out some clothes for you. Appropriate for the occasion and comfortable too. They're on the bed. Check once, and if you want something else, I'll pack that instead", he said.
Akansha nodded and walked towards the wardrobe anyway. She already knew he had probably selected the right clothes for her. Shaurya Shekhawat understood her preferences better than anyone else.
She opened the wardrobe to take out her innerwear for packing, but his next sentence immediately made her freeze.
"They're already packed."
Akansha slowly turned and glared at him.
"How dare you touch my personal stuff? Shameless creature. You're disgusting, Shaurya—"
"I didn't touch them", he cut her off quickly, looking away awkwardly. "I made Siya pick them and put them in the bag."
Her anger paused midway.
"I called Jasmeet half an hour ago and he said you were still at the Secretariat, so I thought you'd get late because of traffic. I was worried you'd forget to pack them in a hurry and suffer there later."
He explained himself calmly. Damn him. Why did he always have to behave like such a gentleman?
Even now, instead of casually invading her privacy and dismissing her discomfort, he had carefully avoided touching her belongings himself because he knew she wouldn't like it.
And unfortunately, that only made things harder for her.
Truthfully, she wasn't uncomfortable with him touching her things. He had done it countless times in the past. Yes, things had changed now... but sadly, her comfort around him regarding such intimate domestic things hadn't disappeared completely.
And that itself scared her. Because she wanted distance. Needed distance. Otherwise, she would slowly start blurring the line between past and present all over again.
"Pack them. They're fine", Akansha muttered without even checking the clothes he had selected before walking towards the washroom.
"You didn't even see them", he said softly.
"Pack it, Shaurya. Don't irritate me", she replied before shutting the washroom door harder than necessary.
Mostly because she was angry at herself. Yes, he had hurt her cruelly. But did he really deserve her hatred every second they stood before each other? Couldn't she at least behave civilly with him sometimes?
But then again... wasn't he the reason she had become like this in the first place?
Outside, Shaurya rubbed the back of his neck with a helpless smile.
Such a small display of trust from her — blindly agreeing to wear whatever he selected — was enough to make him blush like an idiot. Truly, Akansha was the only woman capable of reducing him to this state.
After freshening up, Akansha got ready while Shaurya finished packing everything properly.
He carried the luggage outside while Akansha followed behind him, trying to take one trolley from him, but he ignored her completely until one of the helpers finally took it downstairs.
"Siya... come, let's go. It's time", Shaurya called out.
Siya immediately ran towards him and he picked her up lovingly.
Both Shaurya and Akansha informed Mrs. Sudha before leaving while Siya copied her parents adorably, making Mrs. Sudha smile at the little bundle of cuteness.
Soon, the trio left for Prayagraj in a state-owned aircraft.
By the time they reached there, it was already night.
After feeding Siya, Akansha changed her clothes and made her sleep while Shaurya attended a brief meeting with the state officials.
Akansha changed into her nightwear afterwards and slept beside Siya, already knowing Shaurya would return late.
In the wee hours of the morning, Shaurya quietly entered the room after taking a bath, dressed in a simple white cotton kurta pajama. He gently woke Akansha before softly waking Siya as well.
Thankfully, Siya woke up without throwing any tantrums.
Mother and daughter finished their morning chores together. After helping Siya bathe, Akansha sent her outside where Shaurya dressed her up while Akansha washed her hair and took a quick refreshing bath herself.
After getting ready, she draped herself in a plain yellow saree with a thin green border for the holy dip.
(something like this)
She came out after getting ready and quietly took out her mangalsutra from the handbag she had carried with her. Shaurya froze.
"W... where did you...", he trailed off in shock.
Akansha avoided looking at him while untangling the chain carefully between her fingers.
"It's a religious gathering, right? I thought it might negatively impact you otherwise.
Elections are around the corner, Shaurya.
The constituency you're contesting from consists of people who care about all these things.
" She finally looked at him. "You aren't contesting from two constituencies like many others. God forbid... if you lose it, then—"
Before she could continue, Shaurya walked towards her. He understood instantly that either Dev or Rachna had spoken to her about this.
"Don't worry about all that", he said softly. Taking the serum bottle from her hand, he gently applied it to her hair. "After everything I did to you, this piece of gold around your neck would only become a punishment to your dignity, and I can never allow that."
His fingers moved carefully through her hair.
"Wear it only when your heart truly agrees to it... not by forcing yourself. Whatever the consequences are, I'll handle them. So don't worry." A faint smile appeared on his lips. "And don't take Dev seriously."
Akansha stared at him silently, her eyes filling unexpectedly. Why had fate played such a cruel game with them? There was so much love between them... then why had he betrayed her like that? Why had he married her for revenge?
Maybe he was right. Their marriage had no meaning. It was born out of his revenge. Without another word, Akansha stepped back and gently pushed his hands away before placing the mangalsutra back inside her handbag.
Instead, she wore her gold chain with the 'S' pendant. S for Siya.
S for Shaurya too, her mind whispered cruelly.
Akansha immediately shut the thought down. Shaurya silently looked at his wife.
She would've looked breathtaking with vermilion and a mangalsutra adorning her... but did he even deserve that? Those were symbols of a respectful marriage. And in their marriage, he had failed to give her even the most basic respect she deserved.
Then how could he expect her to wear those symbols for him?
"Dadda... see here..."
Siya's excited voice broke the moment between them.
Shaurya immediately walked towards his daughter and started playing with her while Akansha resumed getting ready.
A few moments later, Shaurya received a call from Suraj.
"I got a call from Suraj. He needs to discuss something important. I'll be back in five minutes. Till then, get ready", he said before leaving the cottage allotted to them.
The moment he left, Akansha's gaze unintentionally shifted towards her handbag again.
A strange urge rose within her to wear her wedding chain. It was a sacred occasion after all. She was going to take a holy dip with her husband and daughter. No matter how much she refused to acknowledge him emotionally, the truth remained unchanged.
He was still her husband. They were still married.
And despite everything, these past few days he had fulfilled every responsibility towards her carefully, without crossing boundaries or making her uncomfortable.
Maybe... it wasn't that difficult.
She could simply wear it for a few hours, thinking of it as just another chain, and remove it once they returned to the room.
Simple.
At least that's what she tried convincing herself. And maybe... maybe it would do something good for him too. The constant attacks on him had started scaring her far more than she wanted to admit.
Suddenly, she remembered a conversation from a few days ago.
The entire team sat in the canteen during lunch break. Everyone was busy eating except Savitri Ji, who sat quietly without touching any food.
"Savitri Ji, where's your lunchbox?", Mr. Khan asked curiously.
Akansha and Rashid Khan usually preferred having lunch with the non-core staff who worked under Mrs. Arora. Even though both of them belonged to the core staff and directly reported to the CM, they enjoyed spending time with this group more.
As Mr. Khan liked to say — less discussion about work, less mood swings, more peace.
"I'm fasting for my husband today", Savitri said with visible worry on her face. "His health hasn't been good lately, so I'm observing a vrat for him."
"Yeah, you told us earlier. I thought he was recovering well after the surgery?", Mr. Khan asked.
"He was... but his condition started deteriorating again. I don't know what to do anymore." Her eyes turned emotional instantly. "But I trust Mahadev. He'll take care of my family."
Akansha looked at her curiously.
"What kind of vrat is this?"
Savitri smiled faintly.
"They say Mata Parvati observed this vrat for Shiv ji. Whoever observes it with devotion, Mahadev blesses their husband with a long and healthy life."
She then started explaining all the rules of the fast.
"Oh... now I understand why you've started wearing your mangalsutra and sindhoor regularly these days", one of the ladies commented.
Savitri unconsciously touched her nuptial chain.
"Earlier I used to think all these things were superstitions.
I used to wonder how wearing a mangalsutra or vermilion could possibly protect someone's husband.
" A helpless smile appeared on her lips.
"But when someone you love is suffering.
.. you start doing everything possible for them, even things that don't make logical sense. "
Her fingers tightened slightly around the chain.
"And honestly... ever since I started wearing these symbols again, I feel positive somehow. I feel like my husband will recover."
She looked down quietly.