EPILOGUE
Shaurya and Akansha finished making the coffee. They poured it into cups and placed them on a tray along with some snacks. Just then, Richa walked in.
"Hi... come inside," Shaurya greeted her with a smile, and she stepped in.
"Here..." he said, handing her a cup of coffee.
"Thanks..." Richa replied with a small smile, though it lacked warmth.
Shaurya immediately understood that she wanted to speak with Akansha, so he excused himself and picked up the tray.
"I'll send someone. They'll bring the snack trays," he said before leaving.
"That's okay... we'll come soon and bring them ourselves," Akansha replied.
Shaurya nodded and left.
"Ansha... why are you still hiding the truth from him?" Richa asked the moment they were alone.
"Because there is no point in revealing it. It benefits no one," Akansha said calmly.
"It does. It will benefit you. It will help you heal," Richa insisted.
"I am healed, Richa. Don't you see that?
Shaurya is trying so hard to keep Siya and me happy.
He is doing everything to make sure we feel loved and secure.
He was drowning in guilt, yet he never let me or Siya feel the weight of it.
Not just us—he had many other burdens too.
And knowing his suffering, I am not willing to add more to it by telling him this," Akansha said.
"His suffering? He didn't suffer even a fraction of what you did," Richa replied bitterly.
Akansha didn't understand her friend's hatred for Shaurya.
It had always been there. Richa had done everything she could to stop him from being elected Chief Minister again.
She didn't just hate him as the man who had hurt her best friend—she hated him as a person.
Their ideological differences had blinded her to the positive changes he had brought, whether in the state or in Akansha's life.
"I didn't know you knew everything about him," Akansha said sharply, folding her arms.
"Akansha..." Richa began, but Akansha cut her off.
"Richa... that man is doing everything possible to get along with you for my sake.
It was he who asked me to invite you tonight.
You are Siya's godmother, and he wanted things to remain that way.
He is grateful for whatever support you gave me, and no matter how you behave with him, he tolerates it because he feels indebted to you.
He treats you like family because you are family to me.
And who do you think proposed your name to Rajnath uncle for ground reporting?
Dev was against promoting you because he knew you would go to any extent to drag Shaurya down.
But it was Shaurya who convinced Rajnath uncle and got him to bypass Dev and sign your promotion order.
He fought for you, saying you deserved that position.
If you don't believe me, check your appointment letter.
It carries Rajnath uncle's signature, not Dev's.
I know this still may not change your opinion of him. But this is my decision, Richa, and you will respect it. I am choosing not to tell Shaurya the truth, and you will honor that. I am trusting you one last time. Don't break my trust again," Akansha said firmly.
Richa sighed.
"Fine. If that is what you want, I won't say a word," she said, taking a sip of her coffee.
The two friends spoke for some more time before walking back to the hall with the snack trays.
The party continued until early morning, after which everyone finally dispersed.
Richa still had not changed her opinion of Shaurya, but she had accepted one truth—he deeply loved Akansha and Siya, and he would do anything for them. For now, that was enough reason to remain cordial with him.
Between the two of them, he had always been the bigger person.
She had thrown dirt at him countless times, attacked both his personal and professional life, undermined his policies, and dismissed the work he had done for the state.
Yet he had always remained composed. Not once had she seen resentment or irritation on his face because of her.
He always treated her with respect. He always welcomed her into his home.
Ironically, it was Akansha who searched her for hidden cameras, confiscated her phone on arrival, and returned it only when she was leaving. Those checks were entirely Akansha's decision—Shaurya had never ordered them.
He had always trusted her.
And Richa realized that while liking him might still be difficult, being civil with him—for the sake of Akansha and Siya—would not be that hard.
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Days passed, and Aakriti continued staying at Shaurya's house. It had begun to feel like home to her. But she knew that sooner or later, she would have to return to her own place. Shaurya and Akansha always made her feel as if it was her home too, but she didn't want to overstay.
The day she told Shaurya that she would be moving back, his smile faded instantly. He recovered quickly and simply nodded, but she noticed it. Aakriti wanted to tell him she would stay a few more days, but the words never came out.
A week later, Aakriti moved back to Rajnath's place. Siya and Shaurya missed her the most. Still, with Suman, Harsh, and Akansha's parents around, the house did not feel entirely empty.
Shaurya resumed Operation C Minus—this time with even greater intensity.
Suraj and his team were able to detect and neutralize threats before they could reach Shaurya.
But they knew this would be an ongoing battle, and constant vigilance was the only way to keep him safe.
So they returned to work with full focus.
Meanwhile, Shaurya was doing his best to balance his responsibilities at home with the demands of his office.
The CR committee sent him the documents for Phase 4 approval, and he reviewed, approved, and returned them the very same day. Mrs. Arora also sent him a proposal regarding permanent recruitments for the CR committee, and as planned, Akansha applied for the position as well.
However, if Akansha secured the job, it could be seen as a conflict of interest. To avoid political controversy or any allegations of favoritism, Shaurya's advisors suggested that the opposition party be included in the recruitment panel. Shaurya appreciated the idea.
He sent official requests to Dev and his party MLAs, asking them to participate. After considering the proposal, Dev selected a highly educated MLA and formally replied that both he and one of his party MLAs would be part of the recruitment panel.
Once the panelists were finalized, Shaurya instructed Mrs. Arora to release the interview schedule to all candidates. Several applicants who were not currently part of the CR committee had also applied for the positions, and qualified candidates were called in for interviews.
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"Dev??? Like seriously? Dev is one of the panelists? Have you lost your mind?" Akansha scolded Shaurya.
The next day was Akansha's interview. The names of the panelists were not supposed to be revealed beforehand, but Shaurya knew exactly how irritated she would be on seeing Dev there, so he informed her in advance. He also knew his best friend well enough—Dev would definitely try to provoke her.
"Akansha... you are my wife, so naturally there is a conflict of interest. If you get selected, the opposition would accuse me of favoritism. To avoid all that, Principal Advisor Mr. Sharma and the other advisors suggested this move, and honestly, I think it's a smart decision," Shaurya explained.
"Smart my foot! Shaurya, Dev will leave no stone unturned to irritate me. That man... he is an idiot!" Akansha snapped.
"Jaan... he will try to irritate you, yes.
But you need to stay calm. A permanent position in the CR committee is not an easy job.
Along with knowledge, they need to see patience and composure too—and that is exactly what Dev will test tomorrow.
But I know you will succeed. There is no better fit for that position than you.
Without you, there would have been no CR committee.
I have complete faith in you. You will clear this interview with flying colors.
You should rest now. Tomorrow is a big day for you. And when you secure the position... I should be the first one to congratulate you. Will you allow me to do that? Please?" Shaurya asked softly.
She nodded and hugged him.
"I will not disappoint you, Shaurya. And you are right—I am capable. So why should I get irritated? Let Dev try whatever tactics he wants. I will stay calm and focused," she said.
He kissed her forehead.
"Tomorrow we'll drop Siya and Harsh at school, then leave for the Secretariat together," he said.
She nodded.
Akansha settled onto the bed while Shaurya went to bring hot water for her.
She had been dealing with a dry cough, and for the past few nights he had started giving her hot water before sleep so she could feel better and drift off before the coughing returned.
Neither of them liked taking medicines unless necessary, so they usually preferred natural remedies.
"Here..." he said, handing her the cup.
She began sipping it slowly.
"Feeling any better? Or should I give you some cough syrup tonight? You have an interview tomorrow, Ansha," Shaurya said, sitting beside her.
"Stop worrying over small things. I'll be fine," Akansha scolded him lightly.
By nature, he was a strong and fearless man. But when it came to her or their daughter, he worried too easily.
She placed the cup on the side table and lay down. He followed, still holding his phone.
"You still haven't finished your work?" she asked.
"I'm done. Just sending one email to Mr. Sharma," he replied.
He quickly sent it, checked a few messages, then kept the phone aside and lay beside her, pulling her into his arms.
"Shaurya... we need to wake up early tomorrow. Not today," she warned him.
But he only tightened his hold around her waist.