Akansha went berserk hearing Rathi... Why does that man wanted to meet her  ? Did he get suspicious seeing Siya  ? God her daughter is a replica of her father but at first sight it's difficult to say, only people who knew Shaurya in and out could notice the antics, the chances of Shaurya noticing the similarities are low but still Akansha got scared. She hyperventilated terrified at the probable scenarios. He is the chief minister, he had the power, what if he challenges her in the court for his daughter's custody  ? God! His blind followers would even kill her to take away her daughter.

Thinking all these things, Akansha took sharp breaths, her anxiety increasing with every passing second...

"God! Akansha... What's happening  ?", Rathi asked getting worried

"N... Nothing... I am not feeling well... Pl.. Please get siya here.... She can calm me... Please", Akansha fumbled trying to make her point as clear as possible...

"Sure... Just give me a moment... Till then have some water", Rathi said, and after giving water to Akansha, she rushed to the ground where the annual day function is taking place.

She knew Akansha from the past 3.5 years, never did that she sound so helpless and soft. She was always the arrogant, stubborn, rude and strong headed woman. She genuinely felt bad for her suffering, whatever may be the issue with her health, she prayed for her to get well soon, not knowing it would never get fine until Shaurya kept coming into their lives.

Rathi walked back to Shaurya's row hesitantly...

"Sir...", she called hesitantly... How would she defy the chief minister? She observed Siya's little palm in Shaurya's palm with his other palm gently rubbing the little girl's back of the hand. Unconsciously, Siya is doing the same to his other palm...

"Yes Ms. Rathi  ?", Shaurya responded...

"Um... My sincere apologies but Siya's mother is unwell and she needed to see her daugh...", Rathi was still in the middle of her sentence when Siya jumped from her seat jerking Shaurya's hands in the process... Siya ran out without a second look at Shaurya and that for some unknown reason hurt Shaurya a lot. He didn't want the little girl to leave him any sooner...

"Mama bear...", he heard the little girl's sobs while running, he wanted to rush behind the little one but that would seem so odd... So he asked his security to see to it that the little girl doesn't fall on her way. Rathi assured him that she would take care of Siya and ran behind the little girl taking her to her mother. Rathi and Siya entered the staff room to see Akansha sitting on the floor with her palm on her chest trying to calm herself.

Siya ran into Akansha's arms breaking free from Rathi's grip.

"Mama bear... Mama bear", Siya started sobbing hugging Akansha...

It's as if Akansha's life returned to her when she felt her daughter in her arms...

"Sh... Siya bear... Ca. Calm down... Mama bear is fine...", Akansha said softly rubbing her baby's back kissing her cheek smoothly.

"Are you okay Ms. Akansha  ?", Rathi asked, Akansha genuinely felt her concern and so nodded in affirmation.

"Thank you for bringing siya and sorry for being rude before, please don't mind", Akansha said shocking Rathi...

"Huh... What  ?", Rathi replied, then realized Akansha just apologized to her. " Yeah... No worries", she added, Akansha nodded...

Rathi left from there to take care of her class children in the function while Akansha and Siya together packed and left for home after handing the responsibilities to other teachers present there.

On their way, Siya tried to talk to Akansha but she stayed calm, the little girl understood that her mother was angry. Honestly, Akansha never imagined her Siya would lie to her, would hide something from her. And Akansha very well knew there is her best friend's hand in this.

They reached home and Akansha helped her daughter freshen up...

"Mama bear... Sorry... Siya is so sorry", she said holding her ears but Akansha ignored her. After putting her toys and colors basket on the ground, Akansha silently left to the kitchen to make dinner leaving her kid to play...

She is upset with herself for not taking enough measures, she should have kept an eye on her friend who is known for her rebellious nature. Her whole body shivered even thinking about what would have happened if Shaurya would have seen her or he would have realized Siya is his... She needed to ask her daughter about her interaction with Shaurya... Only then she would know if there are any chances he would have doubted. But for now, she continued her act.

Soon her friend joined at the evening, she extended silent treatment to her friend as well. They had a very quiet dinner, with Richa and Siya's 'Sorrys' reverberating in the dining hall but Akansha ignored.

But what her daughter and her best friend did next didn't let her ignore them anymore. She entered their room only to see her daughter and best friend on their knees with colors on their face and clothes holding big charts consisting 'Sorry' written colorfully.

"Mama... Siya is sorry...", Siya said trying to hold the chart with one hand and her ear with another hand like Richa taught her but the little girl couldn't balance so she held the chart with her neck supporting it with her chin and her one hand while holding her ear with another. Richa too was in the similar position.
"Yes Anshu... We are really sorry... And it's my fault, your Siya baby refused to hide it from you but I convinced her", Richa told her friend.

Looking at them like that, especially her daughter who looked so cute, a small smile formed on her lips...

"Both of you, freshen up and come, we need to talk", Akansha said, Siya smiled widley as her mother talked to her finally...

"Yes mama bear", she said and is about to hug Akansha but she shook her head.

"You have colors on you Siya... Take off your clothes and go the bathroom, your Richa aunty will give you a bath today", Akansha said and the little girl did as her mother asked her to.

"Make sure to rub off all those colors on her body or else you won't be spared", Akansha strictly warned her friend...

"Huh... Hitler", Richa muttered before storming to the washroom...

"What  ?", Akansha asked with hands on her hips...

"I said okay", Richa replied getting back to work...

After some time, Richa is done washing off colors from Siya's body, Akansha dressed her daughter up for bed while Richa went to take a bath.

"Siya... You'll not hide anything from mumma from now on, okay  ?", Akansha asked and Siya nodded with a promise.

"So... Siya bear, won't you share how was your experience  ?", Akansha asked casually, she felt bad and guilty for not being able to watch her daughter's first performance. She was more jealous than hurt about it that Shaurya, her daughter's a**h*le of a father got to watch it but she didn't.

"Mama... Everyone clapped for us s o loudly... All plaised(praised) us... You know I got scared before the p.. perfolmance(performance) started, my fliends(friends) palents clapped for them, I was sad that you weren't there, then that uncle clapped for me... He did like this (she showed her thumps up just like shaurya did it to her just before her performance to encourage her) and I wasn't scared anymore", Siya shared excitedly...

"Wh... Which uncle Siya  ?", Akansha asked hoping it wasn't Shaurya...

"I don't know... But I like that uncle... Everyone was scared of him", she giggled

"Why are everyone scared of him  ? Did he look scary  ?", Akansha asked to get some more information, by now she understood it was Shaurya only, she so waned to kill him, at the same time thank him for being with her daughter at her first performance and calming her down, he might not get to know about Siya ever but he just fulfilled a parent's responsibility by being there for his daughter though unknowingly.

"No... He is vely vely(very very) handsome", Siya said with a cute smile and Akansha for once smiled looking at her daughter...

"He is...", Akansha replied unconsciously but soon clipped her tongue... "Then why are everyone scared of him  ?", she added immediately before her daughter realized her 'He is' comment.

"Because there are big big men behind him, like this big", Siya stretched her hands to show how big they are but her hands didn't reach much far... " Bigger than this... Like this...", she tried and Akansha giggled at her daughter...

"Okay... I get it... And what did he say more  ?", Akansha asked

"He kissed me hele", Siya said showing her cheek and Akansha's eyes welled up. If things were any good between them, He would have loved his daughter so much... He always wanted a daughter, at least that's what he showed during his 'love' act with her. Sometimes, Akansha felt guilty and bad for her daughter. How harder she may try, she couldn't give the feeling a daughter gets from her father and her daughter would definitely feel that loss. Akansha hated herself for giving into her heart, and for her faults her daughter had to suffer. She shook her head throwing those thoughts away and shifting her concentration back to her daughter.

"He made me sit beside him... And...", Siya kept narrating everything and Akansha patiently listened to her excited daughter smiling at hrt sometimes.

"Looks like your daughter is the chief minister's favorite", Richa who came out just then said earning a glare from Akansha that's enough to shut her up...

"Okay Siya baby... It's time for your bed... Come on...", Akansha said and after making her daughter sleep, She took Richa to the hall.

"This is the last time you are doing something like this Richa... I trust you with my daughter, only you... Don't make me regret it", Akansha warned strongly...

"Anshu... Calm down... Siya is very important to me, I love her like my own... Why would I do something that would hurt her... Did you see how happy she is after performing...", Richa argued

"I saw... But whatever I decide for my daughter is in her best interests... So next time, consult me before taking a decision... It's not like I don't take your opinion or listen to you right  ? I ask you every time and if I didn't get convinced and was stubborn, there might be some reason, so next time, don't go behind my back... I won't forgive you next time Richa... I'm damn serious", Akansha said and walked away leaving Richa to take deep breath...

Her friend is upset and she got it but Richa still thought she did right by getting Siya participate in the Annual Day function. She thought she knee why Akansha didn't want Siya to perform in front of the Chief Minister but she only knew 1% of the reason.

The next morning Akansha's school group is filled with pictures of the previous night and one particular photo attracted her. It was of her daughter in the Chief Minister's arms, him kissing her cheek on one picture and in the next one, both of them are smiling looking at each other. Akansha couldn't control the rush of emotions she felt in her... She saved both the pictures in her phone and decided to get them framed.

Maybe when her daughter gets old enough to understand her situation, she would tell them about her father and then show it to her. She might not have the recognition of being his daughter but at least she would have a fond memory. Also, she knew her daughter didn't deserve a father like him... Akansha convinced her heart but there's always a tiny part of it that accuses Akansha of being selfish in hiding the truth of his daughter from Shaurya.

-----------------------

Shaurya stayed awake the whole night to finish the files Mr. Sharma wanted him to sign till the next morning. He happily did the work, not for once did he regret attending the school function instead of working on these files. He was so glad instead as he got to meet the cutest little girl... Her smile provided so much peace to his heart, that was the best 1 hour of his life in the past 5 years.

He again opened his phone and watched her dance video for the nth time that night. His phone ran out of battery and only then, he concentrated on his work putting his phone to charge.

This continued the next day as well, and both his personal assistant and principal secretary noticed it.

"Sir... The school has sent the pictures yesterday night... I have selected these and gave it to the newspapers... Please have a look", Shweta said showing him the newspaper coverage of the event the previous night.

Shaurya quickly shifted his concentration to the newspapers and one particular photo in the collage drew his attention, him with the little girl in his arms...

"Good job Mrs. Shweta", he said, Shweta and Mr. Sharma's brows raised in surprise. He never thanked them for the PR job they did till then, in fact, he hated playing all these games to get a good image in people's eye. He liked his work to talk about him, not publicity stunts that's why he never got involved in selecting images and all, he asked Shweta do all these things.

The following hours, Shaurya got busy in his work but even if he got a single minute, he looked at the little girl's image, he was surprised with himself at how deep connection he felt with her in just an hour.

He was done with his work at midnight. After many years, he felt like talking to his bestfriend, to share his feelings with him. In these 5 years, he barely talked to Dev about his feelings.

"Hello...", Dev's sleepy tone greeted him, Shaurya shook his head at his hopeless friend.

"Come to my place, Now", Shaurya said into the phone...

"A**, it's 2:30 at night... And being a Chief Minister, you should know 'Right to Sleep' is a fundamental right... I can file a case against you", Dev said sitting on his bed, rubbing the sleep off his eyes...

"Sure... Do that tomorrow, for now, come to my place, let's talk", Shaurya said and hung up leaving Dev surprised.

"Is everything alright  ?", His wife Rachna asked him...

"Yeah... I guess... He just wants to talk... Huh... ", He told her...

"Dev... What if someone spots you at his place  ? Is it necessary to go  ? Talk to him on phone, I don't want trouble for any of you", She said but Dev shook his head.

"That idiot finally realized he needed to let his pain out... I am happy to hear him... I don't care about anything, I just want him to move on, otherwise I am scared his guilt would take his life one day", Dev said extremely worried about his friend...

"He won't, you won't let him... I have trust in you and your friendship", Rachna said kissing her husband who thanked God for giving such an understanding partner.

"Bye... Take care", Dev said kissing her head...

"You too...", she said with a smile...

-----------------

Dev entered the building through back door and sneaked into Shuarya's room through his balcony... And Shaurya helps him pass through the grills by opening the hidden door in between the iron grills...

"I feel like your f**king girlfriend... Can't we sit in your study downstairs  ? A**h*le", Dev cursed his friend.

"I don't drink in my study...", Shaurya said shocking Dev.

"You want to drink  ? Like hard drinks  ?", Dev asked and Shaurya nodded... Shaurya never had alcohol from the time he took the CM's office. Even before that, he wasn't a fan of it. He had it only when his friends forced.

"I'll fix a peg", dev said walking towards Shaurya's collection... "Damn man... You have such a fine collection... All this is for decoration huh", Dev commented... "I was thinking...", he started but Shaurya cut him off...

"Don't even think about it... They are mine...", Shaurya quickly cut him off as he knew what his friend wanted... No way he is giving him his finest collection, Rachna would chop his head if he did.

"F**king ba***rd", Dev cursed making their drinks...

He handed one glass to Shaurya and took one for himself settling on the bean bag...

"You wanna talk about it  ?", Dev raised the topic, expecting hsi friend to talk about his guilt, his pain, about his love for his wife, Akansha...

"Yeah... I am so happy today... And I always shared it with you", Shaurya said confusing Dev, but mostly he was pleasantly surprised to see his best friend happy after a long time.

"What is it that made my friend so happy  ?", Dev questioned...

"This little girl...", Shaurya said showing the dance video of Siya to Dev, Dev took the mobile but Shaurya couldn't control himself and peaked into the phone watching the video for the nth time... No matter how many times he watched it, his heart craved for more...

"Awe.... She is such a cute baby... I have seen her pictures in the news paper, she is the one in your arms right  ? Despite the photo being a small part of the collage, this little girl stood out", Dev said recollecting reading the news paper.

"Just watching her face gives me so much peace yaar... I don't know why... I always loved kids and enjoyed attending these events but never felt such strong attachment with a kid in such a short span before... She is something...", Shaurya said with a smile... Dev is happy to see his friend happy though he was disappointed that Shaurya didn't call him to talk about his past...

"You share your happiness with me, I would have happier if you would share what's hurting you too with me", Dev said

"Dev... Don't talk about it now... Please... I am happy after a long time... Let me be...", Shaurya said staring at his phone and the video again...

"I think it's her first stage performance... Every child had their parents and they were all encouraging their children but her parents didn't come... She was so scared but calmed down as soon as I wished her best of luck... She smiled at me so cutely... Her smile is so precious... She did so well... I am so proud of her", Shaurya said

"You are reacting as if it's your daughter's first dance performance", Dev said and Shaurya's smile disappeared. Dev immediately regretted saying it. "Um... Why didn't her parents come  ? Are they that busy  ? Who would ignore such a cute baby yaar  ?", Dev diverted...

"Apparently, her mother didn't want her to participate in the dance performance it seems... For reasons unknown. So, they didn't know", Shaurya said... "That little one is so scared of her mumma, at the same time loves her so much... When the teacher informed about her mother not feeling well, she rushed towards her, without even bidding a bye", Shaurya said the last sentence in a complained tone...

"Awe Shaurya Singh Shekhawat is upset that the little girl ignored him for her mother huh... By the way what's the name of this little one", Dev asked and Shaurya's face paled.

"Siya... Siyakriti", Shaurya said and now it's Dev's face that turned pale. Dev thought Shaurya was upset because it has his sister's name but he was upset because it was the same name he and Akansha planned to name their daughter...

"I want to see her again yaar... Tell me a way", Shaurya asked his friend

"Abbe... What do you take me for  ? And are you crazy  ? If the press even gets a hint of it, they wouldn't waste a second in making the little girl your daughter... The first one to do that is Richa Upadhyay... So for now, stay away from it...", Dev advised

"God, that woman... It's good to see her zeal to report the right content to the people but she needs to do fact checking", Shaurya said

"Yeah... You advised her, let's see if she takes up your advice", Dev said

"She seemed stubborn, the chances are bleak", Shaurya said smirking...

"Can't argue on that", Dev said lifting his glass and gulping the remaining contents.

Both the friends spent some amazing time after a long gap.

Precap - Shaurya meets Siya. Akansha in trouble. Akash comes to her rescue.

Note - hey guys... I have been posting reels about the spoilers of my books, The Royal BEAST and HIS Retribution & Rue. Do follow me on Instagram for more updates.

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