Chapter 63 #2
One positive thing came out of the horrible meeting they had just attended — they got to witness Shaurya's level of professionalism. He didn't spare even his wife when it came to work. He proved that everyone would be treated equally, and that only motivated them to perform better.
At the same time, he never demeaned Akansha. He simply expressed his disappointment while also acknowledging her achievements and the hard work she had put into developing the project.
What impressed them even more was how calmly Akansha took his criticism as feedback and immediately began planning how to improve the project.
Mrs. Arora quietly admired the husband and wife's understanding as she watched Akansha discuss the Plan of Action for the coming days.
This was how partners grew together, Mrs. Arora thought.
Shaurya shut his eyes, feeling terrible for reprimanding her in front of everyone.
He could have let it slide for once. Damn!
He cursed himself. Deep down, he knew this situation was partially his fault too.
Akansha was trying to handle their daughter almost alone while juggling multiple responsibilities, and that burden shouldn't have been hers alone.
But at the same time, he wanted her to prioritize herself, to focus on the work that truly fulfilled her, and that was the CR committee.
Teaching was never her passion; it was something she took up for survival.
Now that he was there to shoulder the financial responsibilities, he wanted her to dedicate herself to the work that genuinely made her happy.
And he already had plans to make her a permanent member of the CR committee because he knew how much she valued financial independence.
Two hours passed, and Akansha worked nonstop, forgetting lunch entirely. Shaurya knew her too well. Whenever she got upset and buried herself in work, meals became the first casualty.
He quietly heated his lunch and sent it to her office.
"Dr. Akansha, you can resume work after lunch as well, let's go... I'm hungry", Mr. Khan said.
"You guys carry on, I'm not hungry", she replied without looking away from the screen.
"Guys? I'm the only one left who hasn't eaten apart from you. Everyone else already had lunch like sane people. It's 3 PM", Rashid complained.
Akansha only nodded absentmindedly.
"CM sir never reprimands you, right?", Rashid suddenly asked seriously.
"Never", she replied instinctively while typing. A second later, she realized what she had blurted out and glared at him.
Rashid looked victorious.
"See? I knew it. Your face itself is saying you weren't used to it."
"Come on, Dr. Dixit, at least accompany me for lunch. I hate eating alone", he added dramatically.
"God, such a nuisance you are. No wonder your children want to live separately", Akansha muttered.
Rashid rolled his eyes but accepted the insult peacefully because, despite her sharp tongue, she made a good friend.
"Ma'am... CM saab sent lunch."
The attendant placed a tray on her workstation containing lunch boxes, cutlery, water, and napkins.
Before anyone around could start teasing, Akansha silenced them with a sharp glare. Though the gesture warmed her heart, she refused to let it show.
She thanked the attendant softly and handed over her own lunch box.
"Please heat this for him too", she said quietly, knowing Shaurya hadn't eaten either.
Once the attendant left, she checked her phone to give him a piece of her mind and froze.
Fifteen messages.
"I'm sorry I hurt you."
"You okay?"
"I appreciate everything you're doing for our daughter and our family."
"I know it's partially my fault. I haven't been supportive enough lately."
"Please reply."
"Acha, have your lunch."
"Have you eaten?"
"Resume work after lunch."
.
.
.
.
.
"I'm sending lunch. Please eat."
"Did you receive it?"
That was the last message.
She chuckled despite herself. He was clearly worried sick but didn't dare call because he knew she would snap at him for disturbing her during work.
"Come, let's eat", Akansha finally told Rashid.
He gave her a knowing look. She rolled her eyes and walked ahead with her lunch.
"Come, let's heat the food...", Rashid began dramatically before adding, "Oops, forgot. You have a Chief Minister husband to do that for you."
"If you don't shut up right now, I'll strangle you. And yes, as you know, my Chief Minister husband will definitely save me from murder charges", she shot back.
Rashid immediately quietened down. After lunch, they resumed work. That evening, Shaurya came home early, shocking both mother and daughter.
"Daddaaaa!"
Siya practically launched herself at him. Shaurya caught her instantly, lifting her into his arms as she kissed his cheeks repeatedly.
"I missed you choooo much, Dadda... thichhh much(this much)", she said, stretching her tiny arms wide.
"Dadda missed you more", Shaurya whispered, kissing her forehead. "My magic unicorn didn't kiss me for so many days. Dadda forgot how to smile."
"Yeah, that explains the grim mood at the office these days", Akansha muttered from the couch.
Unfortunately for her, he heard it.
He narrowed his eyes at her while she glared back as if reminding him that this was home territory, not the Secretariat. Wisely, Shaurya shifted his attention back to Siya.
Later, after putting Siya to sleep with great difficulty and several promises about dropping her to school the next morning, Shaurya held Akansha's hand gently.
"Come with me."
She frowned in confusion but followed him quietly. He led her to the terrace.
The entire space glowed with warm fairy lights. Flowers were arranged around the seating area. The setup was elegant, cozy, and exactly according to her taste.
"I know I missed dinner... so ice cream it is", he said softly.
Akansha walked toward the low table and opened the thermocol boxes one by one.
Every single one contained her favorite flavors. And on one sundae, "SORRY" was written in chocolate syrup.
"So CM sir is apologizing?" she teased.
"No", he replied immediately, his voice deeper now. "Your husband is." That tone alone melted half her annoyance.
"Shaurya, you were right this morning. There was no need for all this. You already have enough work."
"This is the best thing I could do right now", he admitted honestly.
"My mind won't settle until I make it up to you.
" He paused before continuing. "I wasn't speaking as your husband there.
I was acting as your boss, and I had to say what I did.
But as your man... I need to make up for hurting you. "
Her heart betrayed her a little at the way he said "your man."
"I know you're handling too much right now. Siya, the school, the project... and on top of that, you're helping Aakriti with the party symbol designs too."
"It's okay. You're busy too", she replied softly. "And speaking of the symbol, Aakriti and I finalized the samples. You need to choose one."
"We'll do that together later. Right now, I want to talk about you."
He handed her her favorite ice cream flavor first, clearly trying to soften her before bringing up something serious.
"I know you love being independent, and I respect that.
But your real passion lies in research and curriculum development, not teaching.
Why don't you apply for a permanent research position under the government?
Or even better, become a permanent member of the CR committee once it's established as a permanent wing? "
Akansha listened silently. Seeing no reaction on her face made him nervous.
"Say something, please", he urged gently. "I want you to do what truly makes you feel alive. We'll handle the house together. Government positions are secure too. Even if someday I become jobless, you can still run the house."
She raised a brow immediately.
Jobless?
The man had enough wealth to sustain generations.
Apart from the generational wealth inherited from his grandfather, which he had multiplied several folds through brilliant investments, he also had his own savings, multiple tax-saving funds, and stakes in several successful businesses.
His London investment firm would welcome him back overnight with double or triple the pay and endless benefits if he ever chose to return.
And then there were his investments.
Along with Dev, he had invested in multiple startups that worked toward improving people's lives in one way or another.
His biggest investment was in an AI firm that was now considered one of the best in the industry.
Shaurya wasn't called a visionary without reason.
He had invested in AI long before most people even understood its future potential, and today, he was reaping the rewards of that foresight.
But what truly impressed Akansha wasn't how much money he had.
It was how he chose to spend it.
Shaurya never believed in dependency-based welfare.
He believed in empowerment. If he funded old-age homes, he also created income opportunities for the elderly who were physically fit enough to work.
He tied up small-scale businesses around them and ensured the residents could contribute comfortably from within the old-age homes themselves.
Some painted pottery, some worked on handicrafts, while others helped artisans with packaging and raw materials according to their capability.
He didn't just provide shelter and food. He gave people dignity.
The same applied to many of his welfare models.
He focused on helping people rise above the poverty line by increasing their purchasing power instead of making them dependent on endless freebies.
His policies boosted local businesses, created employment opportunities, and strengthened the state economy simultaneously.
Every implementation of his was carefully planned, practical, and designed for long-term sustainability.