Page 21 of When Love Trespassed

Shaurya stepped closer, his composure slowly wearing thin. “Believe me, I didn’t come knocking on your door this morning hoping to be your knight in shining armour. But your granddaughter screamed for help. And unlike you, I don’t turn away from people in need of help.”

Nandini flinched. Grandpa’s face went red.

“You’re lucky I’m injured,” Grandpa muttered, seething.

“You’re lucky I got you here in time,” Shaurya bit back.

“If I’d waited for the ambulance like any sane person would, you’d be arguing from a hospital bed two floors down in critical care.

But I didn’t. I carried you to my car. I drove like hell.

I broke two signals, got flashed by a traffic cam, and probably racked up a fine for speeding, just to make sure you made it here in time.

And trust me, you got lucky. It’s only a minor ankle fracture. ”

His chest rose and fell with the force of the words he’d held back… until now.

Just then, the door opened and Dr. Harish stepped in. He’d been their family doctor for years. He stopped by the bedside, having caught the tail end of Shaurya’s outburst.

“Shaurya is right,” he said after checking Grandpa’s vitals. “Had he waited for the ambulance, there’s a very real chance this fracture could have been worse. You might have needed surgery. He saved you from that.”

Grandpa didn’t reply. Not immediately.

There was a faint twitch of his fingers, the barest flicker in his eyes. But pride was a stubborn thing. He looked away, pretending to read the hospital wall chart instead.

Nandini stared at Shaurya, stunned, not because she disagreed, but because no one had ever stood up to her grandfather like that and still managed to look like a hero doing it.

And dear Varun just stood beside him, visibly impressed by his friend’s outburst.

Dr. Harish crouched down to inspect the cast. “Complete bed rest for at least three weeks. That’s non-negotiable. Since that means you’ll have limited movement, I’ll arrange for a nurse or a male attendant to help out around the villa.”

“No need,” Grandpa said almost immediately, waving off the suggestion. “The last time I agreed to that, the male nurse nearly drove me to insanity. Always telling me what to do, what not to do, hovering over me like he was auditioning for a role of a doctor. I’m not doing that again.”

“Daadu,” Nandini interjected gently, “let the doctor send someone. You’ll need help.”

“I have you,” he insisted. “And Lakshmi. You two are enough.”

“But—”

“We’ll manage,” she finally told the doctor with a small, apologetic smile. “If we need help, we’ll let you know.”

Dr. Harish nodded and exited the room.

Shaurya stood in silence, arms crossed, watching the interaction between them. He couldn’t stop the gnawing feeling in his chest.

How could the old man not realise how much pressure this would put on Nandini? A full-time caregiver role wasn’t something she could or should take on alone. But of course, Keshav Raichand’s comfort took precedence.

Or maybe… maybe it wasn’t just pride anymore. Maybe age had blurred his ability to see reason. Maybe he didn’t realise that his stubbornness was going to leave his granddaughter physically exhausted and emotionally drained.

Shaurya’s jaw clenched as he watched Nandini nod along, trying to be agreeable when she clearly looked exhausted, like she hadn’t slept a wink.

He knew old age could make people irrational, forgetful of the emotional toll they placed on others.

But it didn’t excuse the blind spots. Especially not when those blind spots fell squarely on someone like Nandini.

And the realisation, that she was being overlooked, taken for granted, somehow, made Shaurya fume all the more.

The other doctor left with a few final instructions, confirming the discharge for later that evening.

“Honestly,” Varun piped up, ever the mood-lightener, “with the spirit this man has? I give it five days max before he marches out with that cast like a war hero. Grandpa’s built different.”

To everyone’s surprise, Grandpa actually cracked a smile at that. He turned to Nandini and said, “Add him to the list. This mango season, even Varun gets his share.”

Shaurya stood still, his fists clenched at his sides.

Seriously?

He was the one who carried him, drove him here, risked a fine… hell everything, and Varun gets the mangoes?

His jaw ticked as he felt the sting.

Across the room, Nandini’s eyes met his.

There was understanding in them. A silent apology. Maybe even guilt. But she said nothing. That was enough for him to snap.

Without a word, Shaurya turned on his heel and stalked out of the ward.

Varun blinked, then turned to Nandini. “I’ll… just check on him.”

Grandpa barely glanced up. “Go ahead. The windbag probably needs company.”

“And mangoes,” Varun muttered under his breath, already rushing after his friend.

“Daadu!” Nandini scolded lightly.

“What?” he shrugged. “Don’t assume he’s upset just because he’s not getting any of our mangoes. The man barely cares about that tree. Why waste the good ones on someone who sees them as a nuisance?”

Nandini didn’t argue. Not because she agreed, but because the exhaustion of the day, of the fall, the hospital chaos, the guilt of the kiss, had dulled her usual spark.

Once the door shut behind Varun, without another word, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around her grandfather, pressing her face to his chest, holding on tighter than she meant to.

“I was so scared,” she whispered. “I thought… I thought I was going to lose you.”

Grandpa’s expression softened and he patted her head gently. “I’m not going anywhere, Nandu. Not until I see my great-grandchildren running around our villa and the mango tree. That’s a promise.”

Nandini laughed through her tears, lifting her head to look at him. But the smile faltered just as quickly as it appeared.

Great-grandchildren.

Her mind jumped to that argument she had with Shaurya the other day—the one over the brass cake stand when he’d said, “They’ll have you married to me and pregnant with twins before February if they ever find out it was you in my villa that night.”

And then, her thoughts spiralled to last night’s heart-thudding, soul-stirring kiss. Then came the aftermath. The way he’d pulled away and said it had been a mistake. That he’d thought she was someone else.

And just like that, her mood was sour again. But she forced herself to push those thoughts away.

Whatever happened with Shaurya could wait.

Right now, her grandfather was safe. Healing. Breathing.

And she would leave nothing undone to ensure he was back on his feet soon, hale and hearty.