He gulped, squeezing her fingers. “Him abandoning us was the best thing that happened to Keya and me. Our grandfather gave us the stability we lacked. We would never be the people we are today, never have reached where we have, if our father had stayed in our lives.”
Their grandfather had been strict, but fair. He’d demanded excellence from them and had been firm about it. But he had loved them as well. Cared for them.
“And now that man is back,” Akash finished quietly.
The signal turned green, but the cars ahead hadn’t moved yet. Shauna cupped his jaw and turned him to face her, her fingers warm against his skin.
“I’m so sorry for everything you’ve been through,” she said quietly.
He exhaled. He hadn’t realized how tightly he’d been holding himself together until her touch loosened something inside his chest.
“Don’t worry,” she continued softly. “We’ll figure it out. You’re not ten years old anymore, Akash. He can’t hurt you. He can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Her words calmed him. She was right. He wasn’t that scared little boy anymore. His father wasn’t in control anymore. He didn’t have the power to hurt him or Keya. Whatever happened, he would protect his sister from his father. That’s why he had requested Kabier to come alone to Janak’s place. He didn’t want Keya to know about their father. Keya was happy. She’d built a good life. He would never allow the shadow of their past to touch her again.
As for him, he was the managing director of a leading media company. He had the money and power to control the narrative of his own life, and he would ensure that his father never impacted him ever again.
The cars ahead began to move. He pressed the accelerator, merging the car into traffic, but he didn’t pull his hand away from hers. Her fingers remained intertwined with his, reassuring him. And for the first time in his life, he didn’t feel alone.
A few minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of Janak’s building in Bandra. The tall structure stood guarded and discreet, security stationed at the entrance as always. Shauna climbed out of the car at the same time as him, and together they made their way upstairs.
The moment the door opened, Keya came rushing toward him. “Akash!”
She threw her arms around him before he could say a word, holding him tightly.
He held her just as fiercely. He looked over the top of her head and addressed Kabier, “Why did you tell her?”
“I had to,” Kabier replied. “I couldn’t keep something like this from her.”
Keya pulled back, looking up at him. “This involves me too, Akash.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “But I don’t want you having nightmares again.”
Keya had suffered from nightmares for as long as he could remember. Over the years, they had become less frequent, surfacing mostly on days when she was stressed or anxious. But after marrying Kabier, a quiet contentment had settled into her life, and the nightmares had finally stopped.
Keya kissed his cheek. “I know you’re worried about me, just as I worry about you. I know what happens when you’re stressed. You won’t slee?—”
“I’ll be fine,” Akash cut in sharply.
He glanced to the side and saw Shauna watching them. She had already learned a lot about him in one night, and he didn’t want to place the weight of all his issues on her at once.
He turned to Janak, who was standing by the sofa, watching them all.
“Did you see the photo I sent you?” Akash asked him.
“You were right. It is him,” Janak replied solemnly.
“Why now, after all these years?” Kabier asked. “Why is he back?”
Keya ran a trembling hand through her hair. The sight of her unease sharpened something protective inside him.
“Don’t worry,” Akash told her gently. “I’m going to figure it out. You don’t need to be involved at all. I will never let him come near you.”
“I won’t either,” Kabier added, slipping an arm around Keya’s shoulders and pulling her close. “You’re safe.”
“I know that and thank you both,” Keya looked between them, her eyes shining with anger more than fear. “But I will face him if the need arises. I won’t let my brother deal with him alone.” She exhaled an angry breath. “I hate that he’s back. Why couldn’t he just stay away? Just when everything was finally going right, he had to show up and try to ruin it again.”
Akash looked over her head at Kabier. Kabier gave a small nod, and Akash knew that, just like him, Kabier would never let Keya face their father. They would protect her first, no matter what.
