Chapter 65 #2
"You tell me," Akansha replied with a small smile, earning a warm, heartfelt laugh from the elderly lady.
"Shaurya deserved your love and trust, a good decision. But more than Shaurya, you deserve his love, care, and attention," Mrs. Sudha said before leaving.
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From day one, Shaurya's life in politics had been full of challenges; not a single day felt easy, yet he enjoyed every bit of it.
He had to remain alert at all times, never finding a moment for himself, but that constant engagement helped him cope with personal loss.
Every minute at the secretariat was a learning experience, and his dedication, intelligence, and presence of mind made working with him a life-changing experience for his colleagues.
Yet today felt like the toughest challenge he had ever faced—he was going against the very foundation on which his political journey had begun.
Shaurya had entered politics as Virendar Shekhawat's son.
Within no time, he carved out a name for himself through exemplary work, but now that foundation was about to shake.
If mishandled, this could threaten his political career, because the opposition and other parties would not sit quietly; it was his father, after all.
He had to tread carefully. Dev alone couldn't control the opposition, and if Dev tried to intervene, it wouldn't take long for people to realize whose side he was truly on. Shaurya couldn't risk that.
"All done, sir. We are waiting for your 'Go Ahead'," said the Superintendent of Police, head of the CBI state unit.
Shaurya took a deep breath and gave a small nod.
Everyone else sensed the difficulty of the decision—acting against his own parents while carrying an emotional connection—but only Shaurya knew the truth.
That deep breath, that subtle nod, had been years in the making.
He burned like a wildfire, consuming a forest every time he saw his father enjoying every comfort while his wife suffered.
From the day Virendar Shekhawat attempted to kill his wife, Shaurya never let him rest in peace; he disrupted everything his father cherished, snatching away any sense of comfort.
Yet, seeing that man continue to live comfortably while his wife struggled for even the simplest necessities filled Shaurya with an inexplicable anger—and a deep, gnawing hatred for himself.
Finally, the day had arrived. The peace he felt now outweighed the worry, tension, and sleepless nights required to make this moment possible.
Public sentiment might suffer, enemies could rise, and his political career might face turbulence, but none of that mattered.
The satisfaction of seeing his parents brought to justice was far greater.
Yes, the court might impose a lesser punishment than what he could deliver personally, but for people like Virendar and Shobha Shekhawat, stripping them of respect was far more torturous than slow poison.
Humiliation in front of those who once admired them would bring a thousand deaths, and He knew his wife well enough to know that was the justice she desired.
He would ensure she would get it, no matter the personal cost.
The Superintendent of Police nodded, saluted, and left to execute the plan.
After the necessary discussions, Shaurya decided to go upstairs to brief his wife on the situation before leaving for the CM's office.
He wanted to stay with his wife and daughter, at least in the same building as theirs, but it's important for him to stay in the CM office during the time of crisis, so he had to go, but he arranged tight security at his residence.
"Dadda... I know you'll be here. Come, let's play... Mamabear... I won!" Siya exclaimed, beaming at her father. Akansha tried to explain that he couldn't play right now, but Siya's logic was simple: if her father had made her skip school, it had to be for a good reason.
"Dadda is sorry, my little unicorn. I have to go to the office..." Shaurya began, but Siya's frown deepened.
"Then why did you make me skip school, Dadda?" she asked, her voice sharp, earning a quiet glare from her mother. Akansha tolerated mischief, but not disrespect.
"What's with that tone, Siya bear? You do realize you're talking to your Dadda, right?" Akansha asked, her voice calm but firm.
"Sorry, Mama," Siya whispered, still upset but subdued.
"I wanted to play with my Siyu all day, but work came up suddenly.
Dadda is really sorry, my little magician.
I'll make it up to you, I promise," Shaurya said, kneeling to meet her gaze.
No matter how hard Siya tried to emulate her mother's firmness, she melted at her father's puppy-like expression.
"Okay, Dadda... Go and work. Mama bear says work is impoltant," Siya said.
"Important," Akansha corrected gently, as Shaurya hugged his little one with deep affection.
He cherished every moment with his daughter; she was like a little magician, transforming his black-and-white world into a colorful one.
Siya had become the bridge between him and his wife, the hope that one day Akansha would forgive him and they could live a normal life.
What had once seemed distant now felt within reach, all thanks to their daughter.
His love for Siya deepened daily—not just because she was his child, but because without her, Akansha would never have given him a second chance.
After their little discussion, Shaurya sent Siya to play and detailed the ongoing situation to Akansha.
"Please don't step out of the house. The security is tight, but we must take every precaution. Don't even go to the garden. We need to be careful for a few days, until things normalize," he said.
"Have the arrests begun?" she asked. Shaurya simply nodded.
"In an hour or so, my father will be taken into custody by the S.P.-led CBI team," he said.
"Don't call him your father, especially when you hate it," Akansha said, seeing the pain in his eyes every time he referred to Virendar and Shobha Shekhawat as his 'parents'. It was a punishment to him.
"We can't deny the facts. The pain I feel every time I call them my parents is only a fraction of what you've endured because of them.
It's okay," Shaurya replied. Akansha sighed, distressed at his suffering.
After knowing the truth, she understood he bore more pain than he deserved.
It was time they both moved toward healing.
"It's not okay, Shaurya. We need to heal—and soon.
We don't have to rush, but we can't waste time.
Age isn't just a number. People say the 20s and 30s are the best years, and we must give Siya her best time with her parents.
Punishing yourself for things beyond your control only delays the process.
Take a step toward healing. You deserve it.
We deserve it," Akansha said, tears glistening as she shared a vision for their family's future.
Shaurya gently pulled her into a hug. Akansha rested her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around him.
"Thank you. I'll do everything to match the vision you have for our family.
I won't disappoint you again... I won't break your trust again.
.. I'm sorry for everything, Akansha. I.
.. I love you," he said, his deep voice carrying the weight of his promise.
She nodded silently, understanding the sincerity in his words.
Forgiveness wasn't immediate, but with the Shekhawats' downfall, that journey would surely accelerate.
"I hope so, Shaurya. Because this time, if we face a problem, I can't run away from you or block you out of my life, not because I can't live without you, but because your daughter can't live without you," Akansha said.
Her words didn't hurt him... or maybe they did, just a little.
But he understood the fear and pain behind them.
"I won't even dare to do anything stupid now.
Maybe you and, to some extent, even our daughter are strong enough to live without me, but I'm not.
I can't live without you both," Shaurya said, gently pecking her forehead.
She stilled... not rigid against his touch, yet not completely soft either.
She simply stayed there, allowing him to feel her warmth, allowing him to comfort her, to reassure her with his presence, with his love. And it worked.
"Take care. Let me know once your family reaches here. Bye," Shaurya said, before walking away.
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Protests began against the central government as well as Shaurya's government, but the damage was not severe. Most of the potential troublemakers who could incite violence had already been taken into custody or placed under house arrest.
At 11:15 a.m., the CBI took Virendar Shekhawat and Shobha Shekhawat into custody.
Shaurya personally requested all media houses not to sensationalize the arrests, as innocent lives were at stake and such news could trigger violent protests.
The police, along with NSG commandos, were on high alert, and most potential disruptors had already been identified and detained.
Still, it was impossible to predict when an ordinary loyalist, supporter, or follower might turn violent after seeing their ideal leader taken into custody by the CBI.
Shaurya wanted to avoid such situations at any cost, so he appealed to the media houses.
A few agreed, but most refused. Maintaining law and order and controlling public reaction was the government's responsibility, they said, while delivering news to the public was the media's role.
That was the stand they conveyed to Shaurya, respectfully.