Chapter 59 #2
A state should never depend entirely on one man to function. That was dangerous for any region aspiring toward rapid growth and long-term development.
Lost in those thoughts, Shaurya eventually drifted to sleep. But even in sleep, his mind refused to quiet down. He kept tossing and turning restlessly, a deep frown etched across his face.
Akansha, who was working on the sofa nearby, immediately noticed his discomfort.
Quietly getting up, she settled herself on the other side of the bed with her laptop. While reviewing a document, she absentmindedly moved the cursor with one hand while the fingers of her other hand gently ruffled through his hair.
She knew that always calmed him.
"Jaan...", Shaurya muttered in his sleep, sighing softly in contentment.
Akansha's fingers stilled for a brief second.
That one word... Before, just hearing it from him used to soothe her instantly no matter how distressed or broken she felt. And perhaps, some things never truly changed.
Shaurya's restless movements gradually stopped after that, and he slipped into a peaceful sleep.
Somehow, news about Shaurya's health got leaked among party members and MLAs. Soon, party workers and leaders started arriving at the house to meet him, but Suraj and his team stopped them outside.
Well, even under normal circumstances, district heads or party leaders arriving unannounced usually had to wait for hours before meeting Shaurya.
And today, Akansha had strictly informed Suraj that Shaurya was sleeping and absolutely needed uninterrupted rest.
Suraj understood the gravity of it and managed the growing crowd carefully.
At that moment, Akansha silently thanked the architecture of Shaurya's house.
The large foyer, the vast garden area, and the long pathway leading toward the main entrance helped keep the chaos far away from the actual house. Even with a large crowd gathered outside, the inside of the home remained peaceful.
That was precisely why Akansha allowed Siya to continue playing in the hall. The crowd was still far away near the outer gates and wasn't permitted inside.
Akansha was in the kitchen preparing Shaurya's meal as per the doctor's instructions when suddenly she heard Siya call her.
"M... Mamabear..."
The fear in her daughter's voice instantly drained the blood from Akansha's face.
She rushed out of the kitchen toward the hall, but the sight before her made her feet freeze in place.
Shobha Shekhawat and Virendar Shekhawat were standing inside the hall.
And Shobha Shekhawat wasn't merely holding Siya's arms — her fingers were tightly wrapped around the little girl's forearms.
The smile on the older woman's face looked affectionate on the surface, yet it carried something so venomous underneath that it sent chills down Akansha's spine.
Her grip wasn't gentle either.
Suraj and Jasmeet stood nearby despite Virendar repeatedly ordering them to leave the family alone with their granddaughter.
"Suraj... you are crossing your limits. We are the Chief Minister's parents, not criminals. And I'm the party president", Virendar said coldly.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Shekhawat, but I'm only doing my duty. My loyalty lies entirely with the Chief Minister. I have nothing to do with the party", Suraj replied firmly.
His stance was crystal clear. The very moment Siya started crying, he had been prepared to throw them out if necessary.
Virendar Shekhawat glared at him furiously. How dare a mere security officer speak to him in that tone?
Akansha hurried toward Siya.
"Leave my daughter", she said sharply, storming toward them.
Despite trying her best to control herself and avoid exposing the bitterness between them in front of the staff, the harshness still slipped into her voice.
But before she could reach Siya and free her from Shobha's grip, Virendar deliberately stepped into her path.
"Akansha... my daughter. How are you? It's been years since I've seen you", Virendar said with fake affection dripping from his voice.
The disgust that rose within her nearly made her nauseous. Akansha was this close to a panic attack. Every fear she had buried from the past returned with terrifying force.
The same woman who once tried to kill her unborn child was now holding her daughter.
"Leave... Siya. She is not comfortable with strangers", Akansha said, trying to move past Virendar again.
But he blocked her path once more. Suraj, Jasmeet, and the house staff were all standing there.
Akansha didn't want to create a public scene, so she was forcing herself to remain calm despite her trembling hands.
"We are not strangers. We are her dadi and dadu. You should have told her about us", Shobha Shekhawat said sternly.
Her tone slightly frightened Siya, but hearing the word dadi immediately caught the little girl's attention.
"Mama bear...? Is she my Dadi?", Siya asked innocently while looking toward Akansha.
Though Siya wasn't comfortable with the older woman's grip and had initially tried pulling away, hearing the word dadi made her stop resisting.
"Are you my Dadda's mummy?", Siya asked Shobha cutely, momentarily forgetting her discomfort.
Akansha's eyes filled instantly.
Her innocent daughter was speaking sweetly to the very woman who once tried to kill her before she was even born.
The thought shattered something inside her.
Virendar continued blocking her path whenever she tried moving toward Siya again.
Akansha desperately wanted to shove him away, but her palms had already turned cold and sweaty.
She was terrified.
After learning the extent of their cruelty, her fear toward them had only multiplied. What if she angered them again? What if they held a grudge against Siya too?
"What are you doing here?", Shaurya's cold voice echoed from upstairs.
Everyone turned instantly. Shaurya quickly rushed downstairs after spotting his parents in the hall. How had they even entered inside?
His eyes briefly landed on Suraj before shifting back toward his parents.
A wave of anger surged through him seeing his mother's grip around Siya's forearms.
The moment Virendar got distracted by Shaurya, Akansha immediately rushed toward Siya, forcefully loosening Shobha's grip before pulling her daughter into her arms protectively.
Siya instantly buried her face in Akansha's neck.
"What do you mean, what are we doing here? We are your parents. You should have informed us about your hospitalization. We came to know about it from others", Virendar said.
Shaurya was momentarily surprised wondering how the news even reached him.
"Papa... I'm fine now. It's nothing serious", Shaurya replied firmly.
At the same time, he deliberately positioned himself in front of Akansha, shielding her from his mother's gaze.
"Dadda... is she—"
Siya started asking something, but Akansha immediately hushed her softly.
"Akansha... take Siya inside. She needs rest", Shaurya said gently, rubbing the back of her palm reassuringly.
The silent apology in his touch was obvious. mBut Akansha didn't react. She knew this wasn't directly his fault.
But at the same time, ensuring his parents stayed away from her and Siya was his responsibility.
Then how had they reached Siya so easily? The fear still trembling inside her slowly turned into anger.
Shaurya had very clearly instructed Suraj and his team to make sure his parents never got anywhere near Akansha or Siya.
And that was precisely why he glared at Suraj the moment he came downstairs.
But looking at the crowd gathered outside, Shaurya quickly understood how his parents managed to get inside.
His father might have threatened to create a scene in front of the party workers and leaders if they weren't allowed in. And that was exactly what had happened.
Shaurya never wanted his strained relationship with his parents to become public drama in front of party members, and Suraj had likely been left with no other option.
Still, despite Virendar's repeated warnings and pressure, neither Suraj nor Jasmeet left Akansha and Siya alone with them even for a moment. One wrong move from the older couple, and Suraj was fully prepared to throw them out.
"Wait. We need to talk to Akansha too. It's been a long time, hasn't it?", Shobha said.
Shaurya's fists clenched instantly. But before he could refuse, Akansha nodded and sent Siya inside with Mrs. Sudha.
As long as Siya was safe, she had nothing to fear. And in Shaurya's presence, she knew his parents could never harm her. She trusted him there.
Her only disappointment was that they had managed to reach Siya in the first place.
"Ask them to leave us alone, Shaurya. We are not your enemies. We are your parents", Virendar said while glaring at Suraj.
"Suraj is doing his duty, Papa. Anyway, tell me why you are here", Shaurya said flatly, making no effort to hide his displeasure.
"Why wouldn't you let us come see you? You stay here alone. I offered to come take care of you, but you never allowed me", Shobha said, pretending to sound like a concerned mother.
But now, everyone standing in that hall knew the truth.
"Mrs. Sudha takes good care of me. And I'm not alone anymore. My wife and daughter stay with me, and they are more than enough to take care of me. I don't need you, Mother", Shaurya said crisply.
The sharpness in his tone made it clear he was done pretending to be the obedient son.
Shobha gasped in outrage and instantly turned toward Akansha, ready to spit venom at her, but Shaurya stepped in front before she could even look at his wife properly.
"Leave this place and don't you dare come anywhere near my wife or daughter again. Next time, it won't just be my mouth talking", Shaurya warned coldly.
The older Shekhawat couple looked visibly stunned.
Until now, Shaurya had always attacked them indirectly. He created problems for them silently, from the shadows, and it had taken them years to even realize he was behind it.
But today, he was openly warning them to their faces.
And that infuriated them.