Chapter 58 #3
"I'll contest only from my home constituency. There will be no change in that. And I'll file my nomination on the last date. Now, please excuse me, I need some rest. I'll resume office from tomorrow", Shaurya said flatly.
The advisors exchanged stunned looks.
Shaurya was never dismissive when it came to work. Never. Especially not during elections.
"Mr. Sharma... Please", he added, gesturing for him to escort them out.
After they left, Mr. Sharma discussed a few urgent matters with Shaurya before leaving for the Secretariat as well.
The moment the door closed, Akansha folded her arms across her chest.
"Shaurya, I'm asking you for the nth time. What exactly is running in your head?"
Before he could answer, Dev walked inside. He had been waiting in the car near the back gate and entered only after the advisors left.
"What the hell, Shaurya?" Dev demanded the moment he entered. "Akansha told me you said you'll file your nomination on the last day. Why?"
Akash, who had been silently observing everything till then, finally spoke.
"Rajneetik Sanyas (Political Retirement)."
The room went silent. Akansha's and Dev's eyes widened simultaneously. Shaurya looked at Akash and took a slow breath. That alone confirmed it.
Akash's face visibly paled.
"What the f**k?" Dev cursed loudly.
"Shaurya, tell me that's not what I'm thinking. I swear I'll kill you, you a*s. Open your mouth."
He grabbed Shaurya by his collar in fury.
"Dev!" Akansha snapped instantly. "Calm down. Leave him."
Dev left his collar but looked seconds away from exploding again.
"Look at him and his crazy self", Dev muttered before glaring at Shaurya again. "So this is what's been running in your head all these days? Why would you even think of doing something this stupid?"
"You'll be the next Chief Minister", Shaurya said calmly, completely ignoring Dev's question. "No one else in the party can do justice to that position. The moment I step away, most of them will fall back into corruption. I want you to take charge, Dev. And I'll make sure you win this election."
Akansha stared at him in disbelief. So this was why he had been acting distant from politics these past few days. Shaurya had planned everything.
He intended to withdraw at the last minute so the party would have no strong replacement candidate. He was the face of the party; most candidates survived politically because of his influence. And he intended to use that same influence to push Dev into power.
"I asked why?" Dev repeated, this time more seriously.
Shaurya stayed silent.
"We started this journey together", Dev said, his voice turning heavier with every word.
"We sacrificed our friendship for this. We entered each other's houses like thieves at midnight just to meet.
There were months we didn't even see each other properly.
All for what? For the betterment of people. "
His eyes reddened.
"And now suddenly the Chief Minister of this state can't handle pain in his personal life, so he wants to walk away? Wah. Brilliant."
His laugh was bitter.
"You didn't just throw away your hard work with this one decision, Shaurya. You threw away mine too."
"I'm not abandoning our goal", Shaurya replied quietly. "To achieve it, power is necessary, but it doesn't have to remain with me anymore."
"I'll still help you from the backend."
Dev stared at him in disbelief.
"Do you even hear yourself? That's not just wrong, it's downright illegal."
His disappointment was far worse than his anger.
"Why, Shaurya? Why are you leaving me in the middle of this journey? I never even wanted politics. I was planning to take over Dad's business, remember? You were the one who inspired me to enter all this."
His voice cracked slightly.
"After watching dirty politics for years, we both decided to clean this mess. We decided to rebuild the system. And now you want to leave me alone in the middle of it?"
Years ago, Dev and Shaurya had realized that true reforms couldn't happen from one side alone. The system was too rotten. They needed pressure from both ends of the political spectrum to slowly close the cycle of corruption.
As a part of that vision, Shaurya had made Rajnath secretly fund the opposition party and gradually create space for Dev there.
Dev entered politics even before Shaurya did.
Shaurya had originally planned a slower, safer entry for himself, but circumstances forced him into active politics much earlier than intended.
And somehow, despite everything, he survived.
"I at least deserve answers from you", Dev said again, this time softer.
Shaurya shut his eyes briefly before speaking.
"I just can't continue anymore, Dev."
The exhaustion in his voice silenced everyone.
"What are we even doing? What am I doing?" he asked hollowly. "I gave more than a decade of my life directly to people... more than two decades indirectly working for the welfare of this state. I worked every second of my life for this."
His breathing turned uneven.
"But what about my family?"
Akansha's eyes welled up instantly.
"My wife was lying on the road at night... heavily pregnant... alone... terrified... injured... her water broke... and not knowing whether she and our child would survive."
His voice cracked badly at the end.
"And what was I doing then?" he laughed bitterly. "I was sitting inside an air-conditioned room playing CM -CM while my own supporters gave lifetime trauma to my wife."
Akansha lowered her head, hot tears slipping down her cheeks.
"And the worst part?" Shaurya continued. "Those same political activists later came to meet me and I rewarded them with power and positions."
His eyes turned red.
"I was even considering giving them party tickets."
The room fell deathly silent.
For the first time in years, Akansha heard her pain spoken aloud by someone else. By the very man she had blamed all these years.
Yes, he was one of the reasons behind her suffering. But was he the only reason? This time, her heart refused to say yes.
"I was never there for Akansha when she needed me", Shaurya whispered. "Yes, there were many reasons for the distance between us... but I still wasn't there" He wiped his tears roughly.
"She suffering alone on the road... injured... helpless... I keep seeing those images in my head. I can't get them out. It kills me every second."
Dev looked away, jaw tightening painfully.
"I'm not abandoning our dream", Shaurya continued after calming himself slightly.
"But it's time you take charge while I step away.
I want to take Akansha and Siya away from all this chaos.
Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere politics can't touch them anymore.
" He looked at Akansha briefly. "That's the least I can give them after everything I have done. "
"Looks like you've planned everything", Dev said bitterly. "Except telling me."
He glanced at Akansha before continuing.
"Please don't mind me saying this, Akansha. I have nothing against you." Then he turned back to Shaurya. "But when it comes to this woman, you completely forget the world." His eyes burned with old fear now.
"That day, you were ready to die for her.
" Akansha stilled. "You know what it felt like holding your bl**dy body in my hands?
" Dev asked shakily. "I was drenched in your blood, you ba***rd.
I was trying to stop the bleeding with my shirt.
.. with my handkerchief... I don't even know what I was doing. "
His voice trembled.
"I lost my mind that day. I was shivering throughout. I genuinely thought I lost you. And those few minutes on the way to the hospital were the most terrifying moments of my life."
"But did you think about me even once? Did you think about anyone apart from Akansha before nearly getting yourself killed?"
He dragged a frustrated hand through his hair.
"You didn't even let me stay back and care for you. You made me leave you alone in that hospital like an orphan because your wife needed protection, and you trusted no one except me, and I obliged."
"But what about my feelings, Shaurya, you a*s? Did you ever stop to think about me?", Dev questioned.
"I did... I know you may feel like I didn't, but I did", Shaurya admitted quietly.
"But yes, I was unfair to you, and I'm sorry, yaar. I can't possibly say anything beyond that."
"I was carrying too many responsibilities.
Every night, the guilt of hurting my wife, the guilt of not giving enough strength to my sister, the guilt of letting Raj uncle carry the blame of becoming the reason behind his wife's death, the guilt of pushing Aakriti's responsibility onto him.
.." He paused briefly, exhaustion evident in his face.
"And along with all that, countless doubts and questions regarding my work as the Chief Minister kept eating me alive. That familiar ache never truly left me."
He glanced at Dev with a smile
"But amidst all this, if there was one relationship that never felt like a burden to me, it was our friendship. I always knew you were there for me... with me. Maybe I took that for granted, and for that, I'm sorry, Dev."
A faint, tired smile appeared on his face before disappearing again.
"But yes, I have already made my decision. Still, I'll seek political Retirement only after you approve of it. I won't do anything without your yes", Shaurya said.
"Dad always trusted your decisions more than mine. Not just because you're mature or smarter, but because of how selfless your heart is."
"You know what's wrong with society? Kind people rarely have the resources to help, while privileged people rarely have the kindness. But you have both."
"The vision to build a better tomorrow, the capability to create the roadmap, the selflessness to give away, and the intelligence to outsmart all the hungry wolves for a greater cause."
"You were always the selfless one, so I had to become selfish for the both of us. You chose to protect millions of lives... so I chose to protect yours", Dev said softly.
Shaurya pulled him into a hug instantly, overwhelmed by his friend's words.
"It's as simple as that. And no matter what happens, I won't let you walk away from what you truly love", Dev added before pulling away and walking out.
Shaurya exhaled heavily and sat down on the bed, pressing his fingers against his forehead as the pain started building again.
Akansha rushed to him immediately, followed by Akash.
"Akash, call Dr. Chauhan", Akansha said while helping Shaurya lie down carefully.
"I'm fine... it's nothing", he murmured, but Akansha remained silent.
"Akansha... don't mind Dev's words. He never liked it when I went overboard for anyone.
He has always been a little possessive about me.
But you are not just anyone, you are my wife.
And what I did for you was the bare minimum.
Any man would go to any extent for his wife, especially if he has a wife like you. "
She can see the truth in his eyes.
"Dev is my best friend, so he naturally sees things from my side. That's why he couldn't fully acknowledge everything you did for this relationship; he only saw my perspective... But I know."
Love. Admiration. Honesty in his eyes.
"If I can love you this deeply... then imagine how much love I must have received from you."
His voice softened further.
"Jaan, you kept trying to save our marriage despite my indifference.
I can only imagine the hell you must have endured every single day in my house.
I'm sorry for it." he took a deep breath "I tried so hard to protect you from pain, yet I ended up becoming your biggest pain myself and I don't even know the full extent of what you endured during those four years yet"
"I'm so sorry... words simply aren't enough to describe what you went through or how deeply sorry I truly am", he whispered.
"I know you are sorry, Shaurya. But please stop drowning yourself in all this now. Our past won't do us any good anymore. It's time we leave it behind and start looking toward our future.", she said, helping him rest
"Now lie down calmly. Tonight or tomorrow, we'll invite Dev, Rachna, Rajnath uncle and Aakriti home and discuss everything properly, alright? And even after that, if you still wish to walk away from all this, then we will go... taking Aakriti with us."
"But things will take time to settle down, so be patient", Akansha said softly.
Shaurya nodded quietly, not wanting to worry her any further.
Dr. Chauhan examined Shaurya, and after running a series of tests, discharged him with strict instructions for proper medical care.