Chapter 50
Just hours before their wedding ceremony, Shaurya and Akansha's haldi function was held in the same marriage hall.
Shaurya had personally arranged everything because he didn't want to burden Akansha or her family with the wedding expenses. Though Vasant had insisted multiple times, Shaurya convinced him eventually.
His family was present along with Aakriti and Dev.
Virendar Shekhawat looked least interested in his own son's wedding. Instead, his attention remained fixed on hosting Dev Bisht, Shaurya's political rival.
That was when he realized Aakriti was the link connecting those two rivals together. Otherwise, who would've imagined one of the strongest leaders from the opposition party attending Shaurya Shekhawat's wedding, a wedding that wasn't even supposed to be publicly announced anytime soon?
Virendar also noticed how pale and weak Aakriti looked. As if she was slowly dying.
That explained why Dev barely allowed anyone near her except Shaurya.
Both Dev and Shaurya hated bringing Aakriti there — among the very people who once tried to kill her and among those because of whom she had attempted to take her own life.
Shaurya had already ensured Dilip stayed nowhere near the wedding venue.
He wanted Suman kept away too, afraid that seeing her might trigger Aakriti again, but he couldn't bring himself to ask Akansha to keep her sister away from the wedding.
Ironically, Akansha herself made that decision.
After learning how Suman had manipulated the entire situation and intentionally made her lash out at Aakriti without revealing that Aakriti was present there, Akansha couldn't bear the guilt anymore.
What if Aakriti had actually died that day?
The mere thought that she could've become the reason behind someone's death still haunted her deeply. Not to mention what Shaurya and Dev would've gone through had they lost Aakriti forever.
Yes, Akansha hated Shaurya for marrying her under the guise of revenge. But she also knew he loved her. She could see it in everything he did. Then why was he doing all this? The question tortured her for the hundredth time.
"Careful."
Shaurya suddenly pulled her towards himself, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Akansha looked around in confusion but couldn't understand what danger he was talking about. Reading her expression, Shaurya explained softly,
"They left now... They were carrying iron rods for decoration. It could've hit you."
Akansha looked behind at the workers carrying decoration material around the marriage hall.
"Oh..." That was all she managed to say.
"Where's your attention? You could've gotten hurt. At least look around while walking, Akansha", he scolded gently while adjusting her dupatta properly so it wouldn't trouble her while walking.
The concern in his touch weakened her resolve again.
"Shaurya... what's all this? Tell me this is a lie... some prank", she whispered, her heartbeat turning erratic.
Deep down, she already knew whatever answer came out of his mouth would destroy her. Yet her stupid heart still clung to hope. Because it loved him.
"It's true." His voice turned frighteningly cold. "I don't love you. On the contrary, I hate you with my guts. Everything between us was an act."
Akansha froze. There was hatred in his eyes. Or maybe anger so intense that he himself mistook it for hatred.
"Shaurya... please don't joke about this. This isn't funny..."
Her voice cracked as she held his palm instinctively, searching for the warmth she always found in him. But at that moment his touch felt cold. Too cold. He jerked her hand away and stepped back.
"You destroyed my sister. Now it's your turn. I'm your destruction, Akansha." Every word stabbed deeper. "I played with your emotions exactly the way you played with my sister's."
Her heart physically hurt. Everything inside her went numb. The man she had imagined spending her entire life with was standing in front of her claiming he hated her.
She had dreamt about their future together. They had discussed children's names. She had trusted him more than she had ever trusted anyone. And now he was reducing all of it to revenge.
Still, despite everything, her heart refused to believe him completely. Because no one could fake love to that extent. Not him. Not the care in his eyes. Not the concern in his touch. Not the way he remembered every small thing about her. She stumbled back weakly.
Every time she lost balance earlier, his arms would catch her instantly. Today they didn't.
And just like her trembling steps, her trust in him shattered little by little. Unable to take it anymore, she walked away from there carrying the broken pieces of herself.
Akansha entered the bride's room, thankfully finding it empty. The moment she locked the door behind her, she broke down completely.
Meanwhile—
"Aakriti... what are you doing here? Go rest before the functions start", Shaurya said softly, trying hard to hide how broken he sounded.
"Shaurya... I... help me get inside the room", Aakriti whispered weakly.
She barely had the strength to stand properly. Her condition had deteriorated so badly that doctors had almost given up hope until a few days ago.
Then she overheard Shaurya talking about marrying Akansha as revenge. For the first time in days, she had shown a reaction. The idea that the people who hurt her would finally suffer gave her a reason to hold on.
"Sh... Shaurya... I want to l-live..."
Those trembling words still echoed in his ears. Even the doctor who came to check her that day had called it a miracle. That tiny hope had given her more strength than medicines ever could.
The doctor advised them to continue whatever had triggered that survival instinct in her. What he didn't know was that the hope keeping Aakriti alive was built upon destroying another woman. Not just any woman. The woman Shaurya loved more than his own life.
Yet to save his sister, he had to hurt the same woman brutally. Both Dev and Shaurya hated themselves for it. But at that point, it was the only option left.
Shaurya came out of his thoughts and slowly helped Aakriti into the nearby room, ignoring the unbearable ache in his chest.
After making sure she had fallen asleep, he stepped outside and checked his phone. Dev had informed him that Aakriti had grown suspicious after seeing him instinctively protect Akansha from getting hurt earlier.
Shaurya quickly typed a reply saying he had handled it before shutting his eyes in frustration. He had to act quickly then.
Which was why he had said everything harshly enough to convince Aakriti. But now, replaying those words in his head, he wanted to punch himself.
He had called his love an act. He had told Akansha he hated her.
Damn it.
He needed to fix this immediately. He couldn't even imagine what she must be going through right now. Without wasting another second, Shaurya walked towards Akansha's room.
The moment she opened the door and saw him, she slammed it shut on his face. He kept requesting her to open it because he desperately wanted to explain everything.
But fate had other plans. Before he could continue, her mother arrived there to get Akansha ready for the wedding rituals.
Shaurya stepped back helplessly. Thinking he would explain everything properly after the marriage.
But after that—
Everything went downhill.
"You didn't sleep?"
Akansha's voice pulled Shaurya out of his thoughts. They were finally going to her hometown after more than five years. Out of the three of them, Siya was undoubtedly the most excited.
The previous night, the moment Shaurya informed her that she was finally going to meet her grandfather, the little girl practically spent the entire evening jumping around the house in excitement.
She insisted on packing her own bag. And Shaurya, being Shaurya, allowed it. Which resulted in Siya stuffing every single piece of clothing she owned into her unicorn trolley bag without any logic whatsoever.
She refused to sleep too.
Only after Akansha threatened that she wouldn't take her to meet her 'Nanu' unless she slept immediately did the little girl finally surrender.
Once Siya fell asleep, Akansha repacked the entire suitcase properly with Shaurya helping her quietly.
Since they weren't planning to stay there for more than a day, she packed accordingly, adding both her and Shaurya's clothes into Siya's bag itself.
Shaurya had tried stopping her midway.
"What your daughter did isn't called packing. It's called dumping. And this isn't a dustbin", Akansha had deadpanned, effectively shutting him up.
Afterwards, she slept beside Siya. But Shaurya couldn't sleep at all. The entire night, guilt, regret, and painful memories kept him awake. Before he realized it, morning had arrived. He spent the whole night simply staring at his wife and daughter.
"I did sleep", he lied casually.
Akansha immediately caught him.
"Next time you lie to me, I'll pull that tongue out, Shaurya. And I'm serious."
Despite the threat, he smiled faintly.
"Sorry... Do you want to use the washroom first? Actually, scratch that, you take this one. I'll use the other room."
He got up instantly, but Akansha held his wrist, stopping him. Shaurya looked down at her hand before gently caressing her fingers around his wrist.
"You can go. I'll take time anyway. I need to arrange things... and take my thyroid pill."
She started searching for the medicine bottle near the side table.
"Here." Shaurya quietly handed it to her from the drawer. "Siya almost picked it up last night. I got scared she might accidentally swallow it, so I kept it inside."
"I understand. You don't have to explain", Akansha replied softly. "And don't worry, Siya knows she can't take this medicine. She just likes the shape of the bottle."
A small smile appeared on her lips. Shaurya's entire face brightened instantly. The simple normalcy between them felt priceless to him. For a few minutes, they talked quietly like a regular husband and wife.