"How are you going to disclose the news? And Shaurya, your time is up, when are you giving me the documents?", Akansha asked, as soon as she entered his study at his residence.
It's sunday and they both were at his residence, Akansha denied coming there considering the situations but Shaurya assured her, so she arrived there.
"Siya slept?", He asked and she nodded.
"Let's discuss before she wakes up, and then we'll leave early today", Akansha said
"Akansha, it's one day in 2 weeks I get, don't cut down hours here", Shaurya said earning a glare from her
"Cut down? You come to my place every alternative day to see your daughter, stop your drama and come to the topic", Akansha said making him sigh.
"I have planned a few things, social media pages, online platforms help us get the urban population prepared for the news, to reach rural areas, we need to take help from media, I have already talked to Dev regarding this...", Shaurya started
"Yeah... About that... Actually Richa saw...", Akansha started
"Dev told me, don't worry, he took care of it... Regarding the announcement, I need to talk to you about a few things...", He started, he wanted to clear her regarding their divorce before she got to hear it from someone else...
"Okay, go ahead... I'm listening", she said, observing him carefully, as seeing him, she knew there's something she would get mad at, the fear in his face is clear.
"I will be announcing about Siya and you before father's Day", He said
"Shaurya... The time is too less, I don't want Siya to suffer because of your impulsiveness", she said getting hyper.
"Relax Akansha, I wouldn't be revealing any pictures or name to the media, I have planned everything, trust me on this, they will just get to know that I have a wife and daughter", Shaurya said
"Oh... Wait what? Wife? Have you gone crazy?", she blasted... "Look Shaurya, if you think of hiding our divorce because being a divorcee would reduce your approval rate, that's your problem, not mine, don't play politics politics with me", Akansha warned
"I can't tell them we are divorced", he started and she was about to say something more when he gulped a glass full of water making her doubt him...
"Why can't you say we are divorced? We are divorced right? Shaurya, I need the divorce decree right now, search it right away", she said
"Akansha... We are not divorced... I have never submitted the papers you signed...", Shaurya said, it took a minute for Akansha to register what he just uttered.
"Are you f**king kidding me? Like seriously? I was married to you all these years? I mean... I am still married to you and I have no idea... You ba**a*d... You said we'll be divorced by the end of that week and I left after signing papers... Shaurya... How could you do this? What if I have dated someone else in these 5 years because I thought we are divorced? That would make me a disloyal wife, it would be cheating on you as well as the other person... It's disgusting Shaurya... It's a black mark on my dignity", Akansha shouted holding his shoulder... His heart dropped when he heard her talk about dating...
"D... Did you date someone?", he fumbled, her anger made his heart drop to stomach. Why is she so angry, as if she actually did... No no she would never ever love anyone else other than him... But she has all reasons to move on, what if she...
"That's all you got from it? You a**, how could you do this to me? First you give me divorce papers to me then you won't submit it? Why? Am I a doll to you?", Akansha shouted, he made her sit on the chair and gave some water, she wanted to throw it on his face but she felt more thirsty than she is angry with him, so she gulped the whole contents.
"I never wanted to divorce you, when I married you, it was for lifetime, there are many things you need to know about our marriage, let me start with this... My... My father planned to k.... kill you before I file the nomination, he didn't want me to disclose our marriage to the election Commission", Shaurya said shocking Akansha.
"Th.. Those might be empty threats... You know... He can't kill a person like that, your father was too much of a coward to kill me... Come on Shaurya", Akansha said, trying to make herself believe. He knew she would become like this... Akansha feared death so much, she feared getting hurt, despite of her strength, that's one of the reasons he hid about multiple attempts on her. He knew she would panic a lot.
"I wish they were empty threats, but no... So, I had to initiate divorce proceedings to stop him...", he said
------------------------------
"Sign these...", He handed her the divorce papers... And by then she already gave up on him and their relationship but still divorce is huge decision, and her condition and the child in her womb didn't let her sign those shi**y papers and throw them on his face.
"I need some time...", Akansha said
"You don't have much time, sign these and get out of my life", he said in his soft yet stern one, before walking away, shattering her already broken soul.
"I'll try, try for you my baby... I'll try until he breaks the last piece of my heart", Akansha whispered slightly caressing her stomach.
--------------------
"There's not much time for nomination day, have you given her divorce papers?", his father questioned him
"I did, she'll soon sign them... Don't waste your energy or resources trying to harm her, especially at this time when elections are near", Shaurya said
"I won't dirty my hands if I am getting rid of her without doing anything, but listen to me carefully, if you try to double play me, the first life I'll take is of your sister, and then of your wife, soon to-be ex-wife", Virendar warned and Shaurya sighed.
A fragment of doubt, and Virendar Shekhawat wouldn't take a minute to kill his wife and sister.
--------------------------------
"I'll just have to continue this drama for few days Dev... Once I get my hands on documents, I'll gain control over my father completely... Then I'll tell everything to Akansha... I'm hurting her too much, she is trying to talk to me, to save this marriage, but I have to act like I don't care... It's killing me Dev... How can I hurt her like this... Why did I marry her and brought her to this hell? I could never forgive myself Dev...", Shaurya expressed his pain to his best friend
"Calm down Shaurya, it's just a matter of few days... Ignore her till you get your hands on those papers, that way you don't have to be rude to her, once you solve all issues, tell her the truth", Dev said
"Yes, I can stop my father temporarily with those papers and till then election results would be out, and whether I win or you, power will be in our hands and I can control my father easily... Just a few days... Akansha wouldn't forgive me so easily Dev, she is too hurt, I can see, she is losing herself, now I don't find that love which she used to have before... I sometimes feel like she gave up on me and our relationship... If that's the case, I would die yaar... You know right! I have no other option Dev... Otherwise I wouldn't have hurt her like this... I had to keep her alive...", Shaurya muttered
"I know Shaurya... Relax, we'll find some or the other way, this is the time we need to be careful", Dev adviced and after some talks, they hung up.
-----------------------------
"I know you could never forgive me for the pain I have given you... A sorry wouldn't fix anything... But please know this, I was dying every second, every word I uttered, every attempt I made to push you away killed me Akansha... Every word of yours to save our marriage I pretended to ignore kept haunting me... But I was scared, scared to lose you, scared my father would hurt you", Shaurya said and Akansha sat there still.
"You handed me divorce papers just after I got to know about my pregnancy, the very same day", Akansha whispered shocking him... Tears slipped from her eyes going through the same pain again. Now that he told her the reason, it hurt her more, he gave her so much pain just because of his father's stupid threats.
Shaurya's heart clenched with ache hearing her. What was supposed to be one of the best moments of their life, specially for her turned out to be one of the worst. Just when she started experiencing the happiness of being a mother, he made her experience gut wrenching pain by making her realize a man like him was responsible for her child. Even the thought made Shaurya want to kill himself.
"I... I didn't know... My only priority was to keep you safe", Shaurya whispered, his eyes welled up.
"You kept me alive physically by killing me mentally", she whispered, almost to herself but the pindrop silence around them helped him hear it.
"No... Please don't say that", he pleaded.
"I don't know if your father is capable of taking my life, but you definitely did, your careless actions did", she said storming out of his study.
He sat down on the floor shutting his eyes. He knew she wasn't believing the seriousness of the situation, she didn't think his father would actually go to such extent because she didn't see that side of him which he did. According to her, all he did was an irresponsible and careless move, he partially believed his father's threats and acted impulsively without caring for her feelings. That's what she thought.
He wanted to tell her, how dangerous his father is, he wanted to detail her about the numerous attempts his father made to kill her but she didn't give him a chance, and will she trust him? Or dismiss his fears as careless move? And what if she got extremely scared and ran away again with Siya? And what if his father found them before he did and harm them? Numerous thoughts occupied his head.
It took him a few minutes to compose himself and then walked back to his room where he saw Akansha sitting on the bed beside his daughter who is sleeping peacefully unaware of the chaos between her parents.
"Can we please talk?", Shaurya slowly pleaded.
"I don't want to see your face, Shaurya, go away", Akansha said... She was feeling the betrayal all again. The fact that she is still his wife and she was kept in dark all these days fueled her anger.
"Please...", he requested again, she sighed and got up and stormed towards his study. It's important she let go of her frustration, why should she suffer for the things he did? She would let go all her anger... But a part of her also got worried for him, felt his pain, he might had felt miserable seeing his father threaten his wife's life, though not completely serious. It would have hurt him right?
She wondered how can she still feel compassionate about this man who made her life hell. Why did she still love him? Such an idiot she is.
"Why didn't you tell me all these days? Why was I kept in dark? Tell me one good reason Shaurya, one reason that could convince me, I'll leave this matter", Akansha asked looking him in the eye making him look away in fear.
"I... I was scared... I still am", he said, yes, that's the truth, he was scared of his wife and her reaction.
She looked at him incredulously. She knew he is telling the truth, he is scared of her but she didn't want to leave the matter.
"Scared? Do I have horns or do I look like a devil that would drink your blood? Stop giving excuses like your 4-year old daughter, in fact, she is braver than you", Akansha said
"No... She is equally scared of you", Shaurya was offended when Akansha said Siya is braver than him.
"Are you even hearing yourself? You are comparing yourself with your 4-year old daughter? Shameful", Akansha said and Shaurya looked down and sideways, not knowing how to react to his wife's scoldings.
"I'm sorry", He apologized, he didn't know what else to do, he wanted to tell her about them still being in marriage but was afraid of her reaction, so he was waiting for the right moment, he was waiting for her to soften up a bit but she hated him the same even today, not her fault though.
"Hell with your sorry, Shaurya", she dismissed, glaring at him.
"Akansha, I never wanted to divorce you, I couldn't even think of doing something like that, but I had to, to save you, please trust me", he pleaded
"How should I trust you, Shaurya, when you broke it badly... Now everything you utter seems like a lie to me... Or worse one of your plans... I completely lost trust in you. Even if I feel like trusting you, I shake in fear of the consequences, because I have already faced them", Akansha said, this time there is no anger, just pain, her pain, the fear of suffering again.
"I understand...", he said gulping his pain. The disbelief in her eyes clearly indicated that she won't trust anything he says. It's better to discuss what she wanted rather than hurting her more with the past, thought he.
"Let me detail you how I am planning to proceed. I'll be tweeting in 'X' and the very same evening, will hold a brief press conference, until the day of revelation, social media pages and the media channels with Dev's help will keep speculating several possibilities, and this will dilute the impact to major extent, I'll just announce about my marriage, and having a daughter, I won't be revealing your names, so you can be worry free, at least for now", Shaurya said
"And what if they question your morality? You didn't disclose it to the election Commission, what if opposition demanded legal action on you or worse your resignation?", Akansha asked
"Do you really think I will occupy such a respectable post in dishonorable manner? Why should I hide about you Akansha? I proudly declared about my marriage and my wife while filing nomination", he said shocking her.
"Then how the hell the whole world perceived you to be a bachelor?", she questioned, confused about the whole fiasco.
"I have asked the Election Commission to keep it low, I have no idea of your whereabouts and I can never trust my father completely, he didn't know I declared my marital status and about you, there are chances he would harm you if he did. My men gathered some concrete evidence proving the threat to your life, showing the same, I convinced the commission to keep this news to themselves. I have also filed a petition in the court, everything was carried in a legal way", Shaurya said
"I have never stopped searching for you, I was sure you might have shifted states, but you surprised me. I couldn't disclose about you until I found you due to the threats to your life, so I was unable to even use full force to search, I was concerned for your safety, every second that passed without knowing if you were safe or not was like inhaling poison. I know it must be hard for you to believe, but unfortunately this is the truth Akansha", he said, and regret was evident on his face and in his tone.
"I wanted to go as far as possible from you but I was pregnant and didn't have enough money to survive in another state... Actually no money so I shifted to the state capital. I didn't think you would win the elections and become the chief minister. When you took charge as the CM and shifted to the capital, Siya was just a few weeks old, I wanted to leave this city but I didn't want to suffer my daughter, also I was afraid what if she couldn't adjust to the weather there? So, I stayed back but was determined not to meet you, I wasn't sure but I had an inkling that you would be searching for me, maybe your retribution wasn't fulfilled yet, so I never used my Ph. D Or Post graduation in psychology to secure job", she said
"You really thought I would search for you, to fulfill my retribution?", he asked, his eyes begging her to deny. And she looked at the vulnerability in his eyes but she chose to utter the bitter truth that would shatter him, just like his betrayal shattered her.
"Yes, that's one of the possibility I was considering...", Akansha said harshly and his heart bled, but he knew he deserved it, every piece of it.
"D... Did I ever harm you, or made you feel unsafe?", he asked, it's important he knew how he made her feel. If he really made her unsafe, it's better he stayed away from her, he bl**dy didn't deserve to even breath the same air as her.
No, he never felt like a threat to her, in contrast, he always made her feel safe, despite the bitter truth of their marriage, he didn't let his mother or anyone for that matter hurt her, he was there to protect her everytime he knew his mother taunted her or troubled her but how much did he actually know? He thought he was doing a fine job in protecting Akansha from his mother and that was the case until his mother got to know about the intimacy between them.
Till then she used to trouble Akansha through taunts or pathetic acts, but when she discovered the closeness between her son and Akansha, her actions intensified. Akansha never complained to him thinking he wouldn't care, while he was unaware of everything happening at home. Mrs. Sudha who he handled the responsibility of Akansha, was mostly outside as his mother made sure she wasn't there to protect Akansha.
"No, but unfortunately physical harm is not the only way of harming a person Shaurya... No matter your reasons, no matter how many truths were hidden from me, how and why you did all this, you can never justify the pain and torture I went through in your house... There are many things you didn't know, many instances I haven't shared with you, but I definitely would have if you married me out of love, not for retribution... I tried... I still tried to make our relationship work, because I knew or so I thought, that you loved me, what a fool I was", She said and tears made their way from his eyes, which he wiped harshly.
"I felt like telling you everything, how your mother troubles me, crying in your arms but I didn't... You used to ask me everyday, to tell you if I faced any problems but you knew me na Shaurya... You knew I wasn't someone to share my problems that easily, I need to be pushed, despite how much I loved you and how comfortable I felt with you, I never shared a single thing about my parents, then how did you think I'll share about your mother to you, if you just ask me, that too for namesake?", Akansha asked
"Not for namesake, I genuinely wanted to know, yes I had many complaints against you for what you did to Aakriti but I could never let someone else or myself for that matter trouble you, hurt you. I asked you so that I could solve any issues you were facing", Shaurya trailed but she held his collar, while angry tears slipped from her eyes.
"Then you should have asked with love Shaurya, you should have sat beside me, and asked me like a responsible husband, like a man who loved and wanted to protect me, I wouldn't have told the first time but you shouldn't have given up, Shaurya. Why did you give up? You made me feel like an obligation, not your wife", she screamed at him.
The anger, the complaints she hid all these years started to come out but this is only a start.
"I'm sorry... But I really love you... I love you so much...", he said cupping her face, with tears in his eyes but she jerked his palms off her cheeks.
"No... You didn't... You didn't love me, and the day I left you after signing divorce papers, I too stopped loving you, I realized you didn't deserve to be present in my thoughts even", she said, Shaurya shook his head...
"Please don't say that... Akansha... I didn't marry you for retribution... Please hear me out", Shaurya started
"Really! Now say you didn't approach me for retribution", Akansha mocked, Shaurya lowered his head cursing himself, his betrayal has wiped out all the trust she has in him, he knew it's hard for Akansha to trust someone, yet he went forward with his step, that momentary anger, frustration and hate had wiped out all the things he did for her out of love.
"I can't waste my time with you anymore, if you have anything else to talk about Siya, then do, otherwise I'm leaving", She said and waited for a few minutes, when his head didn't rise, neither did he say a word, she silently walked away.
"I love you, Akansha", he whispered to himself
------------------------------------
"I love him, bhai", Aakriti finally let something out in weeks.
Love failure was the reason she attempted suicide? Shaurya and Dev stood shocked.
"Who? Aakriti tell his name... Dev and I will talk to him", Shaurya said
Aakriti shook her head and leaned back staring into nothing, remembering what all that happened in her life in the past few months.
-------------------------------
"Di... Please help us... You are our only hope... Please", her sister Suman pleaded Akansha...
"Shut up Suman, if this guy really loves you, then he should have stayed away from Aakriti... I saw him flirt with her multiple times... I warned him too, I warned Aakriti as well", Akansha scolded her sister for what she was asking her to do.
Suman and Dilip (Aakriti's senior) loved each other and were in a relationship for the past few years. Akansha didn't know about it, but what she noticed was her student Aakriti had a huge crush on her senior Dilip.
Akansha never interacted much with Aakriti outside class, but she did know she admired her a lot. Akansha too wished well for her, like she did for any other student of hers.
She saw Dilip flirt with Aakriti multiple times, Akansha knew Aakriti was an innocent girl but Dilip wasn't, she knew he was just flirting with Aakriti and maybe even he too didn't know he was unintentionally rising the girl's hopes. So, Akansha decided to stop this nonsense. She called both of them to her cabin and warned them to stay away from each other. But they never listened, Aakriti respected Akansha and to some extent followed her advice but Dilip flirted with her whenever he saw her in the college and soon she gave in. Akansha issued multiple warnings to both of them but neither listened so she left it there. Both are mature adults, they can do whatever they want.
But after a few days, her younger sister Suman came to her with the same guy claiming him to be her boyfriend, but a girl with a powerful background was behind him. Akansha realized she was talking about Aakriti.
Now her sister wants Akansha to make Aakriti understand, without telling her that Dilip is someone else's boyfriend, because he is afraid Aakriti's family wouldn't leave him for rising her hopes when he is already seeing someone.
"Di... Please... Do this one favor, di you took our family's responsibility from years, you got me educated, have done everything, just this one help di, my life will be set, please", Suman pleaded holding Akansha's hands.
Akansha remembered working right from when she is in 8th standard. Till then as well, Akansha's mother ran the house mostly on scholarships and olympiads Akansha won. She was a bright child and Akansha's mother always depended on her for money.
She always dreamt of learning cooking from her mother, she is an excellent cook, everytime she saw her sister and mother cooking together in the kitchen, her heart sliced with pain, because her mother never let her enter kitchen, she always asked her to concentrate on earning money for the family and fulfilling her needs. Even when Akansha offered to help, she denied saying Suman would do it. Her mother always treated her like an ATM Card, and nothing else. But despite all that, if there's something she is crazy about, then it's her family, securing her parents future and setting her siblings' life.
Her Younger brother Akash was always interested in civil services and he is actually pretty serious about it, but it's her sister she is worried about. Neither is she interested in studies nor she developed any skill. The only thing she is trained in is being a good house wife.
"What's the guarantee that he would not leave you, after I solve his problem?", Akansha asked
"Di... We already told you, we are gonna marry soon... He loves me and I love him", Suman argued
"I don't trust him... If you want me to agree he has to assure me that he will marry you, I want to secure your future", Akansha said
"Okay ma'am, I'll bring my parents to your house, and we'll do roka, does that assure you?", Dilip spoke and Akansha nodded after thinking for a while.
"I hope you will stay away from Aakriti and rest all girls as well", Akansha warned him and left from there.
A few days later, Akansha called Aakriti to her cabin and told her that Dilip is just flirting with her, he wasn't serious about her, and also he is not a right guy. Akansha gave her genuine opinion about him to Aakriti, she never thought Dilip is a responsible guy but her sister loved him and wanted him as her husband, there's nothing she can do in it. She knew Suman very well, even of she denied their marriage, she would get married to him only and like always, her mother too sides with her, Akansha wanted to avoid that drama for this once. Her mother knew about her sister's affair and she is okay with it, so Akansha didn't interfere.
Aakriti believed in Akansha, when she said Dilip wasn't a right guy, Aakriti trusted Akansha blindly and stayed away from Dilip, though she loved him a lot. She wanted to ask her brothers to inquire about Dilip,maybe Akansha misunderstood him, and If Dilip was a good guy and wasn't playing with her feelings she wanted to go further with this as she couldn't forget him. But she found out through a friend that Akansha played a trick on her to keep her away from Dilip and instead get him married to her sister.
The very same day, she saw pictures of Dilip and Suman's roka. Dilip posted a picture of him, Suman and Akansha with the caption... 'Forever grateful to our cupid ð' . It didn't take a genius to understand what happened. But still Aakriti decided to confront Akansha and when she did, the later very casually dismissed her pain.
"Dilip loved Suman, he wasn't right for you anyway. Forget the love shav and concentrate on your studies. All these things are stupid and useless. Stop wasting mine and your time," Akansha strictly told her.
"These things are stupid in my case, but are they right for your sister?" Aakriti asked, getting furious at her.
"Don't forget you are talking to your professor. Go to your class right away", Akansha said, she hated explaining things to people and that day her mood was already bitter with the argument she had with her mother, and now Aakriti's accusations raised her temper.
But the final nail was hit by Dilip himself when he approached Aakriti to introduce Suman to her.
"It's high time you choose your idol correctly. Aakriti, you stopped talking to me just because Prof. Akansha told something against me... I'm grateful to her for what she has done to you, but still I would tell you something, she is not someone of high values like you used to think of her, for her family and her sister, she sacrificed the same values, think about it", Dilip said, Aakriti sobbed and ran away.
"What's the need to talk all this, Dilip?", Suman chided
"Shut up... it's important I show this girl her place, you didn't know how afraid I was till last week, she was behind me and I was scared her family would get me married to her forcefully", Dilip said
"But nothing of that sort happened, right? My di helped us, she made Aakriti leave you, but what did you do? You spoke against her, what if Aakriti complained to her family about my sister?", Suman asked
"Oh! now you are suddenly concerned for your sister? When did you start loving that rude woman huh?", Dilip mocked
"I'm just thankful for what she has done for me", Suman said with a sigh
"Don't worry, Your sister is strong enough to handle all this, if something like that happens", Dilip said... "this is just a small payback for all the torture she put me in this college", Dilip said with a smirk...
---------------------------------------------------
"The way she mocked my love, my feelings... I was betrayed by people I admired and loved the most... I want her to feel the same pain... I want her to realize how it feels when someone calls your love 'stupid' ", Aakriti finished
Shaurya and Dev's blood boiled but Shaurya was not ready to deceive a woman in love, he decided to go to any extent to stop Dev from executing this plan.
But then one day, Akansha stormed into the hospital, Shaurya was with Aakriti, but went to meet the doctor about her discharge. Akansha got furious knowing Aakriti attempted suicide, what she got to know is she was trying to stop Suman and Dilip's marriage.
"What's all this?", Akansha questioned entering inside...
"Leave from here, I don't want to see you", Aakriti said turning to the side.
"Stop with this idiocy, Dilip is marrying Suman and they both are happy, destroying someone's happiness may be easy but the sin won't leave you or your family, I didn't expect this from you Aakriti...", Akansha started...
"Please... leave from here", Aakriti said, fisting her palms... she is still not mentally strong to handle all this... but Akansha is too furious to understand this. Suman's engagement date is finalized and then she told them that Aakriti is doing all this to stop their marriage and Akansha's ill father collapsed with all the tensions looming around.
"I want to put a full stop to all this... Don't fall so low to break someone's home just to fulfill your stubbornness. Don't repeat this, if you do, next time I won't stop with a warning", Akansha warned and walked away...
------------- Warning: Mention of Self-harm, please don't read if it triggers you --------------
Aakriti fisted her palms, scratching herself to control the itch to hurt herself but in the end, her urge won, she grabbed the knife beside her and held the sharp edge with her palms. Aakriti sighed as the blood oozed from her palms...
Shaurya walked to his sister's ward after his brief talk with the doctor, he was happy that he as the doctor allowed them to finally take Aakriti home. He entered only to see his sister losing consciousness with a satisfied smile on her face, tightly holding the knife.
--------------------- Warning ends-------------------
"AAKRITI... Damn...", Shaurya screamed and the next few hours went in treating her...
Shaurya got to know about a visitor from the receptionist and he watched the CCTV footage recognizing it to be Akansha. Dev and Shaurya fumed in anger.
"I'm sorry Sir... We have tried a lot, but the blood loss was too much, her condition is critical, there are many complications and we are trying to deal with everything, but know this, she will never be the same, physically and mentally", the doctor said and Dev followed him to his cabin to discuss Aakriti's case in detail, while angry tears flew from Shaurya's eyes.
"This is clearly an Abetment of Suicide, We can lock her under Section 306, just say a word Shaurya", Shaurya's police friend advised...
"No, I'll handle this in my way", Shaurya said and joined Dev and the doctor in their discussion.
"We need to make her fine mentally, she is suicidal, we need to bring her out of this first, make her happy, try to give her everything she needs, show her the beauty of living, only family can do this", doctor advised and Shaurya, Dev nodded and walked out of the cabin.
"My sister will get what she asked for", Dev told with determination...
"I will make her fall in love with me... I'll make her feel the same pain Aakriti once experienced, not you Dev... Maybe then, Aakriti will get fine", Shaurya said, a tear slipping from his eye. Dev understood, despite all this, he was still not ready to deceive a woman, he agreed with a heavy heart. "Akansha Dikshit will suffer for this... She definitely will, Dev...", Shaurya said with hatred.
Akansha later got to know that Aakriti really attempted suicide, and she wasn't trying to stop the engagement, in fact, she didn't have any idea about Suman and Dilip's engagement. After getting Aakriti's home number from her friend, she dialed to apologize and Aakriti and Dev's father, Rajnath Bisht picked up.
"Namaste... Can I talk to Aakriti please?", Akansha asked
" I'm Rajnath, Aakriti's father, May I know who is speaking?", he said
"I... I'm Akansha, her professor", Akansha said and Rajnath got furious hearing the name, he knew what all happened to his daughter, Dev and Shaurya detailed him everything.
"How dare you call here hm? Why did you call after what you did to my daughter? I hold enough power to send you to jail under abutment of suicide but I didn't want to spoil your life", Rajnath fumed
"Sir... I called to apologize... I had a misunderstanding, I deeply regret what happened, Please let me explain", Akansha requested
"I don't want to hear anything from you... Do not call here, thank your stars that my sons are not home, if they knew you called, they would destroy you and your whole family, do not take Aakriti's name from your filthy mouth from here on, do not try to approach her or my family, take this as my warning", he snapped and hung up.
--------------------------------------------------
"We'll leave after dinner...", Akansha told him and Shaurya nodded, holding his daughter close to his chest.
"Okay, Suraj will drop you", Shaurya said and Akansha nodded.
"Dadda... Can I stay hele(here), with you?", Siya asked leaning on his chest... Shaurya was laying on the bed and Siya was laying on him with her head on his chest.
"Then Mamabear will be alone na", Akansha responded instead, knowing Shaurya can never deny his daughter.
"Mamabear will stay hele(Mamabear will also stay here)", Siya said but Akansha shook her head, making the little one look at her father with puppy eyes.
"Dadda... Pwease(Please) tell mumma", Siya pleaded.
"My Siya don't want to go home?", Shaurya asked and Siya shook her head... "Why my bacha?", he asked again, kissing her forehead, he just wanted to hide his daughter so that his wife couldn't take her away but he couldn't do it, and he didn't want Siya alone, he wanted his wife equally. He struggled to understand why God had shaped his fate like this, he always had to stay away from the people he loved the most, first his sister, he still remembered how he used to sneak out of his house to meet Aakriti. He always dreamt of living together with his sister, in the same house but god never fulfilled his dream, and now he is dreaming of living with his wife and daughter but he had to stay away from them.
"I want to sleep hele(here) with you and mumma", Siya said pointing towards his chest. Shaurya smiled at his daughter's cute wish.
"If my Siya wants to sleep here, she would... Chalo, today Dadda will go with you and mumma", he said and Siya jumped on him in happiness, Shaurya winced but laughed at his daughter's excitement...
"Siya... Dadda will get hurt", Akansha said, holding her daughter's forearm and Siya got worried for her father, but Shaurya smiled at her.
"No, I'm fine... I'm not hurt", he said
"Tooth?", Siya asked
"What? Tooth, which tooth baby?", Shaurya asked his daughter, Akansha chuckled at the innocent father-daughter.
"Truth? Are you telling the truth?", Akansha helped him understand and Shaurya chuckled at his daughter.
"Yes, I'm telling tooth", Shaurya said and Siya giggled at her father's mispronunciation.
"You know, every time I think I have learned your language, you and your mumma prove me wrong", Shaurya said and Akansha smiled, while Siya failed to understand but giggled as he pinched her nose cutely.
"Okay, now let's go, let's have dinner and leave for home, what's say? Today Dadda will tell you another Unicorn story", Shaurya told his daughter...
"Yayyy... Uniconn... Yayy...", Siya jumped again, and this time Shaurya didn't wince, though it hurt, fearing his wife would make his daughter get down from his arms...
"Dadda, can we eat hele(here)?", Siya asked
"Bilkul(absolutely)", Shaurya agreed to his daughter and asked Mrs. Sudha to send their dinner upstairs.
Akansha watched the father-daughter... After the food arrived, Akansha started feeding her daughter, while Shaurya started telling the story.
"Dadda... What's the name of this stoly(story)?", Siya asked
"Um... Phony: Unicorn & The Magical Adventure... Today we'll discover Phony's magical Adventure", Shaurya said and Siya jumped from her chair getting excited.
"Phony was a normal horse, it lived with...", Shaurya started with his story and Siya listened to her father interestingly eating her meal happily.
After that, Akansha and Shaurya had their dinner as well, and started to their home.
"You know... You don't have to fulfill Siya's every demand", Akansha whispered when Siya was distracted in playing with Suraj on their way.
"Her demands weren't unreasonable... They are fair, I already failed to give her a normal childhood for 4 years, now I want to do my best, I want to fulfill everything that comes out of her mouth", Shaurya said
"What if one day, she starts making unreasonable demands, then?", Akansha asked
"She won't, because you are doing her upbringing...", Shaurya said
"I wish, Shaurya, but some things are beyond upbringing, kids learn equally from their friends, and when your daughter gets to know what power her father holds, she might ask for something unjust, or maybe not by herself, her friends would make her ask for something that's unreasonable, you need to learn to say no to her... You will say 'No' to her right?", Akansha asked
"You'll be there, you will refuse her...", Shaurya said and Akansha glared at him...
"Dadda... Suraj uncle is cheating", Siya complained, Siya from the back seat is playing hand cricket with Suraj who is sitting in the passenger seat.
"Suraj... How can you cheat in a game, play fair", Shaurya said sternly, making Siya giggle. Akansha glared at him...
"Did you cheat?", Akansha asked, Suraj shook his head, Akansha glared at Shaurya and then at his daughter.
"Uncle is winning alwaych(always)", Siya complained
"That doesn't mean he is cheating, he knows to play well which you don't", Akansha told her daughter with a horrific face at how her daughter accused poor Suraj and her stupid father is siding with her. Siya hid her face in her father's chest trying to avoid her mother's scoldings.
"She'll understand in a few years, let her be", Shaurya said and by the way Akansha is glaring at him, he knew he would hear for this later.
Precap - Shaurya's Aashiqui roop... The announcement finally!
Note - Some past is revealed, What do you think? Akansha is at fault, what Shaurya did is not justified, but was this the complete truth.
By the way, Phony: Unicorn and the magical Adventure is a real story book that I have written for my niece. If any if your kids are interested in unicorn, do give it a try, it's in kindle.
Note - Parts 39-48 are now available in stck.me. Links are in my message board and in Instagram profile as well.