Chapter 59 #3
"What will happen to your political career and your 'Lord Shree Ram' image if people see you speaking to your parents this way?", Shobha snapped.
Shaurya let out a humorless chuckle.
"And what will happen if the police prove you guilty of attempting to murder my wife and unborn child? Or if I prove the domestic violence case against you properly? People would rather feel proud of a Chief Minister who chose justice over blood relations", Shaurya said calmly.
Their expressions changed instantly. He wasn't merely threatening them anymore. He was openly talking about sending them to jail.
"Murdering a days-old child simply because she was a girl is a crime too, isn't it? I wonder what punishment the law gives for that", Akansha whispered while stepping closer.
The sheer horror in their eyes confirmed enough. It had always been their darkest secret. How did Akansha know?
Virendar immediately turned toward Shaurya.
"You told her?", he asked sharply.
"I did", Shaurya answered without hesitation. "She is my wife. She has every right to know the truth. And let me make one thing very clear — she knows everything she deserves to know."
Both Virendar and Shobha stared at him in disbelief. That truth alone had the power to destroy Virendar's political career completely. And it could affect Shaurya's image too.
"Remember one thing", Virendar warned coldly. "If I go down, I'll make sure you go down with me."
Shaurya merely smirked.
"Let's see."
The confidence in his tone unsettled Virendar instantly.
He knew Shaurya well enough to understand that his son would never issue threats without securing himself first.
Which meant Shaurya already had backup plans prepared. And suddenly, confrontation no longer seemed like a winning option.
"What do you want?", Virendar asked finally.
"What are you saying? We—"
"You stay quiet", Virendar snapped at Shobha before she could interrupt further.
Unlike her, he understood Shaurya's influence and power properly now. At least hearing his demands was the smarter choice.
"First and foremost, stay away from my wife and daughter", Shaurya said sharply.
Virendar nodded stiffly.
"Good. The rest, we'll discuss in my office later. Leave now", Shaurya ordered.
"Shaurya, don't forget we are your parents", Shobha warned furiously.
Shaurya looked at her with undisguised rage.
"A mother who killed my sister... who tried to kill my wife and unborn child."
His voice turned colder with every word.
"When you call yourself my mother, always remember that you were also my sister's mother once.
"And the day I learned about your crimes, I stopped looking at them as crimes committed against my sister, wife, or daughter.
"I took them personally."
A terrifying silence settled in the hall.
"So yes, you are being treated accordingly.
"Now leave. And remember one thing clearly — you are not welcome here."
"You are not welcome anywhere near my daughter either, Mrs. Shekhawat", Akansha added firmly. "If I ever see either of you near her again, I won't stay silent next time."
Though she had frozen in fear earlier, she knew she wouldn't react the same way again. The next time anyone tried touching her daughter, she wouldn't hesitate before retaliating.
"Don't fly too high because of my son's support. He can't stay beside you twenty-four hours a day. That's the reality", Virendar warned darkly.
Before Akansha could answer him, Shaurya let out a low chuckle.
"Time and again, you prove what a fool you truly are." He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering.
"It's the exact opposite, actually. She is my strength. She is the courage behind my voice today."
Virendar's expression darkened.
"The era of hidden wars ends today, Virendar Shekhawat. And if you can... then try saving yourself now", Shaurya said.
Humiliation burned visibly across Virendar's and Shobha's faces as they stormed out of the house. The moment they left, Shaurya turned toward Akansha.
"I'm sorry", he said quietly. "I never wanted you to face them again."
But Akansha barely heard him. Her mind remained stuck on the way he defended her openly. He had protected her for years, yes... but always from the shadows.
Today, hearing him stand for her publicly, unapologetically, gave her a strange sense of security she had never experienced before.
At the same time, her anger toward Virendar and Shobha only intensified. And somewhere... her anger toward Shaurya increased too.
"Why did you openly challenge them? Whatever you wanted to do, you should have done it silently", Akansha said sharply.
The tone alone told him how furious she still was over the security lapse. Shaurya looked toward Suraj, who immediately lowered his gaze.
"They need to know what's coming for them", Shaurya said quietly to Akansha. "And in their desperation to save themselves, they'll make more mistakes. I don't want to continue calling my living sister dead anymore. And for me to openly acknowledge that truth... those two need to fall first."
Akansha looked into his eyes and saw the pain hidden there.
How much must it have hurt him all these years to declare his own sister dead in front of the very people responsible for destroying her life?
"Sir, your father used the crowd outside to pressure us. He threatened to create unrest outside the residence. I had no option, but I remained alert throughout—"
"Give me and my family protection, not excuses", Shaurya cut him off coldly.
The sharpness in his voice stunned everyone present. No one had ever seen Shaurya speak to Suraj that harshly before.
Suraj had worked with him for nearly five years, and even during disagreements, Shaurya had never once spoken disrespectfully to him.
Suraj would be lying if he claimed the words didn't hurt. But he also knew the fault was his.
Whatever decision he took earlier had been in Shaurya's best interest, and even Akansha understood that.
But Shaurya was beyond furious.
The image of his terrified wife and vulnerable daughter standing before his parents refused to leave his mind.
Without another word, he stormed toward his study.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again", Suraj apologized sincerely.
Jasmeet nodded silently beside him. Akansha looked at them for a long moment before speaking.
"I'm trusting you with my daughter. It's not easy for me... but I'm placing that trust in both of you. Please don't fail me again", she said politely.
But the anguish of a mother was unmistakable in her voice.
Suraj nodded, mentally cursing himself for allowing Shaurya's parents inside despite knowing how dangerous they were, especially toward Akansha and Siya.
"Ma'am, should I ask the party leaders and members to come tomorrow instead?", Jasmeet asked carefully.
"I'll speak to Shaurya and let you know", Akansha replied before walking toward Shaurya's study.
She eventually convinced him to protect his power until he destroyed his parents completely.
Only after that did Shaurya walk toward the foyer to meet the party members waiting outside.
Later that night, Akansha was feeding Siya dinner when she noticed the questions brewing in the little girl's mind regarding the earlier incident.
She silently prayed Siya wouldn't bring it up. Shaurya was already drowning in guilt. But eventually, Siya asked softly—
"Dadda... is she really my dadi?"
"No", Shaurya answered immediately without even pausing for a second.
"They are no one to you. They lied. They are bad people, and Dadda will never let them come near you or Mumma again", he said before pulling Siya tightly into his arms.
Akansha could hear the fear buried beneath his words.
"Dadda... okay", Siya replied softly before patting his back gently as if comforting him instead.
Akansha smiled faintly at the sight. At least now, perhaps he would feel slightly better.
She herself was still shaken after everything that happened and deeply upset with Shaurya too, but she decided to talk to him later after Siya slept.
Stress was the last thing he needed right now.
After dinner, while Akansha tried putting Siya to sleep, the little girl had entirely different plans.
According to Siya, it had already been "soooo" many days since she properly played with her Dadda. Akansha rolled her eyes at her daughter's dramatic complaints.
And when Akansha reminded Siya that Shaurya needed proper sleep because he wasn't well, the clever little girl immediately turned the tables.
"Then make Dadda sleep first", Siya replied innocently.
Shaurya instantly chuckled hearing that, but quickly controlled himself before Akansha decided to pull all his teeth out.
Siya excitedly started showing him all the unicorn items Dev had bought for her and announced that she wanted to try every single one of them immediately.
"Dadda... my fingers are little. Can I put these on yours, pwease?", Siya asked adorably while showing him the nail polish set Dev had gifted her.
Shaurya mentally cursed his best friend after noticing all the dark shades inside it. But refusing his daughter, especially when she made that puppy face, was nearly impossible for him.
Before he could agree, Akansha immediately interrupted.
"Siya, these nail polishes will suit my fingers much better. Put them on me instead", Akansha said, trying to rescue Shaurya.
After all, he had to return to work the next day, and even with removers, those darker shades would take time to come off properly.
"No, that's okay, let her put it on my fingers", Shaurya said immediately, knowing very well Akansha hated dark shades on her nails.
She rarely wore nail polish in the first place, and even when she did, she preferred subtle colors. Most of the time, she simply loved keeping her natural white nails as they were.
And honestly, anyone would if they had hands as beautiful as hers.
He loved her nails far more than he should. Especially when they used to dig into his bare back while he—
No, Shaurya. Don't even go there.