Chapter 54 #2
She suddenly slammed her phone on the counter with a loud thud and glared at him sternly, startling him completely.
He immediately looked away, embarrassed after getting caught staring again with all those emotions shamelessly reflected in his eyes.
"If you do that one more time, I'm seriously not sparing you, Shaurya. I'm already pissed at you", she warned sharply.
"I genuinely can't help staring at you when you're in front of me", he admitted helplessly.
"I try really hard not to... but I just can't."
The embarrassment on his face only made Akash's grin widen because unfortunately for Shaurya, that was the exact moment Akash walked back into the kitchen.
Judging by the smirk on Akash's face, both husband and wife instantly realized he had heard everything.
"You dumb man! I was talking about the invitation you sent Richa", Akansha snapped furiously before storming toward the other side of the kitchen to continue her work.
Shaurya cleared his throat awkwardly while Akash burst into laughter at the sight of the usually confident Shaurya Singh Shekhawat looking utterly confused and embarrassed.
The trio prepared the cake before heading to wake Siya up.
Siya whined sleepily at first when her sleep got disturbed, but the very moment she noticed the decorations around the room and saw her Dadda, Mama Bear, and Mamu standing with her cake, all traces of sleep vanished from her tiny face.
The three of them began singing the birthday song, forwarding the knife toward Siya, but the little girl didn't cut the cake immediately. Meanwhile, the rest of the family joined through a video call to wish the birthday princess.
Siya suddenly stretched both her palms toward her parents.
Shaurya hesitated.
He wanted to hold his daughter's hand while she cut the cake.
It would be his first time sharing that moment with her, and even the thought of it felt unreal, almost sacred.
Yet somewhere deep down, he still questioned whether he deserved it.
A part of him wanted Akansha to have that moment alone with Siya, but when Akansha silently gestured for him to hold their daughter's hand, his heart soared.
"Every year it's Mama Bear and Siya Bear, right? So this time, Dadda will hold your hand, okay Siya?" Akansha said softly.
The smile on Shaurya's face faded instantly. She wanted him to hold Siya's hand, but not together with her.
Understanding her unspoken boundary loud and clear, Shaurya quietly pulled his hand back, intending to let Akansha handle it alone, but Siya immediately tightened her tiny grip around his palm while extending her other hand toward her mother.
"Mama Bear... come fast. Everyone is waiting for the cake... and it looks so yummy," Siya said impatiently.
"Yes, we all want cake!" everyone chorused dramatically from the video call.
Not wanting to create a scene in front of everyone, Akansha stepped forward and joined them. But Shaurya still understood the truth beneath it all. She was doing this only for their daughter. Nothing more.
And somehow, that realization only deepened the guilt suffocating him these days.
Together, Shaurya and Akansha helped Siya cut the cake. Akansha fed the first piece to Siya before kissing her forehead gently.
"Many, many happy returns of the day, my Siya Bear. I can't believe you're already five," Akansha whispered emotionally.
Siya giggled happily hearing that she was finally five years old.
"Wish you a very happy birthday, my magic unicorn. Dadda is blessed to have you. He loves you the most," Shaurya murmured, pulling his daughter into his arms before pressing a kiss against her crown.
Then, leaning closer, he whispered softly into her ear, "And your mumma too."
Siya burst into loud giggles before immediately covering her mouth with both palms.
It was their secret.
Well... the same secret she had once loudly revealed in front of her entire school during Father's Day celebrations, earning her Dadda a long lecture from her Mumma afterward.
Everyone on the call wished Siya lovingly, and the little girl glowed under all the attention. She loved being the center of everyone's world.
Just then, Richa called Akansha's phone to wish Siya personally. She lovingly wished the little girl before apologizing for not being able to come there in person. Soon after, she hurriedly disconnected the call, citing some urgent work.
Akansha shook her head helplessly. Her best friend and her obsession with "sensational news."
"Dadda... my gift? Mama Bear... Mamu... give fast!" Siya demanded excitedly, looking at all three of them expectantly.
Shaurya and Akansha exchanged a brief glance before showing her the car keys attached to a tiny unicorn keychain.
"CALLLL!" Siya squealed in excitement.
"It's car," both her parents corrected simultaneously.
"Yes, a magic car for my magic unicorn," Shaurya added fondly.
Overjoyed, Siya hugged both of them tightly before kissing their cheeks noisily.
The next second, she sprinted toward the hall and froze in excitement upon spotting the beautiful toy car decorated with unicorn designs.
She climbed inside immediately and began driving around the entire living room with unmatched enthusiasm.
In fact, she refused to step out of it until Akash threatened that he wouldn't give her his gift unless she got down right now.
Siya loved her parents' gift so much that she kept thanking them repeatedly throughout the night before eventually drifting off to sleep clutching her car keys tightly in one hand and the stuffed horse toy Akash had gifted her in the other.
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Since it was already quite late, Shaurya asked Akash to stay back for the night.
Akash glanced at his sister instinctively, and after receiving a small nod from her, he accepted the offer.
After showing Akash the guest room, Shaurya returned to his bedroom and helped Akansha put Siya back to sleep. The next day was going to be extremely hectic for their little girl, and he wanted her to enjoy every second of it.
The following morning, Akansha and Shaurya together got Siya ready in a beautiful traditional lehenga. Akansha carefully made her wear the jewelry Shaurya had bought for her.
Soon, Akansha and Shaurya too got dressed in traditional attire before the three of them descended the staircase and walked toward the puja room.
The priest was already waiting there. Akansha gave Shaurya a surprised look. She hadn't known he had arranged for a priest.
"Since it's her birthday, I thought we could have a proper puja at home for her well-being. Hope you don't mind," he whispered, leaning slightly toward her.
"No... of course I don't," Akansha replied softly, visibly touched by the gesture.
The priest asked Shaurya and Akansha to sit in front of the havan while Siya sat safely behind them, away from the direct heat.
Just then, Akansha's family arrived. Mrs. Sudha helped them settle comfortably on Shaurya's instructions while he and Akansha remained occupied with the rituals.
"Now think about the purpose of this puja... pray for your wishes to be fulfilled soon and offer these into the havan kund," the priest instructed.
Akansha looked at her daughter lovingly before shutting her eyes and praying silently for Siya's happiness and well-being.
Beside her, Shaurya closed his eyes too, praying for his wife and daughter's safety and well-being.
Once done, the two of them together offered the ghee, grains, wood shavings, and herbs into the sacred fire for the purnahuti.
After the puja concluded, both Akansha and Shaurya sought blessings from the priest before offering him dakshina.
Once the priest left, they walked toward Akansha's family.
Shaurya immediately apologized to Vasant for not welcoming him personally earlier due to the puja, but Vasant simply shook his head with a smile.
Meanwhile, Siya squealed excitedly seeing Harsh.
Vasant handed Siya the gifts they had brought for her, and within seconds, the little girl dragged Harsh away excitedly to show him her toy car while the elders settled down to talk.
Suman and Jaya sat awkwardly while Vasant, Shaurya, Akansha, and Akash continued conversing naturally. Sensing her mother and sister's discomfort, Akansha silently gestured Akash to take care of them.
She still couldn't offer comfort herself. Forgiveness remained far away.
Jaya had insisted on attending despite Vasant's reluctance because she didn't want to miss her granddaughter's birthday, and eventually, he had unwillingly agreed.
A little later, Rajnath and Aakriti entered through the back entrance. They first met Siya, who immediately showered them with hugs and kisses after seeing all the gifts they had brought for her. Only afterward did they join everyone in the hall.
After some time, everyone dispersed to the rooms assigned to them to get ready for the grand lunch party hosted for Shaurya and Akansha's colleagues, political associates, and acquaintances.
Soon, the party began in full swing.
Akash too stepped in to help with hosting duties since most of the guests already knew he was the Chief Minister's brother-in-law.
Meanwhile, Rajnath and Aakriti stayed away from the formal gathering. Even Akansha's parents chose to remain inside, spending time with Siya instead.
Dev arrived with his family shortly afterward, and Shaurya and Akansha welcomed them politely.
Truthfully, Akansha still wanted to break Dev's teeth for relentlessly teasing her the previous night during the group video call while Siya was cutting the cake. Every time she tried to make Siya sleep, Dev deliberately kept talking to the child just to irritate her.
"Akansha... smile. You look like you're planning to murder him," Shaurya whispered near her ear.
She instantly forced a polite smile onto her face. Soon, Akash brought Siya outside for the cake-cutting ceremony.
This time too, her parents held her hands while she cut the cake.