Page 42 of When Love Trespassed

“From what I heard you say to that tree,” he began, “I figured it out. You’ve fallen in love again, haven’t you?

And now you’re scared to commit… because you think you can’t give her the life or the love she deserves.

You are scared to give it a name. Scared that it’ll hurt her.

Scared that you’ll fail her the way you failed in the past relationship. ”

Shaurya froze again, startled that Grandpa had heard him, but at the same time, he was also relieved. He hadn’t mentioned Nandini by name, and it seemed Grandpa was still in the dark about who he was talking about. He gave a small nod, unsure whether it was to confirm or deflect.

Grandpa sighed and gently pulled him toward the old two-seater wicker sofa on the verandah, just beside the mango tree. After a moment, he looked at Shaurya and said, “Now I’m going to ask you something and you’re going to give me an honest answer, alright?”

Shaurya stayed quiet, but Grandpa took the silence as permission to continue.

“Why do you think you can’t give her love and commitment if you already love her?” Grandpa asked gently.

Shaurya stared at the ground for a long moment, gathering the courage to speak. When he did, his voice was low and hoarse.

“Because I had my chance, Grandpa. In my first marriage... I had it all. A partner, a plan, a future. And I failed. I failed so badly that even now, I still don’t know how I made it out of that wreckage. I can’t go through that kind of failure again. I don’t think I’d survive it this time.”

Grandpa let out a long sigh. “And why do you think you’ll fail again?”

Shaurya looked away. “Why not? Deep down, I know my last marriage ended because of me. I was a workaholic. Always chasing deadlines, always buried in calls and meetings. I thought I was building a future for both of us. But in doing that, I ignored the present. I ignored her. And one day...” he paused, anger suddenly flashing on his face as he recalled that night when everything fell apart.

Grandpa saw that change in his expression and pressed his arm lightly to bring him back to the present. Shaurya gulped.

“That one thing... it destroyed us. And the truth is, nothing’s changed. I’m still that man. I am still obsessed with work.”

“No, Shaurya,” Grandpa interrupted. “Your workaholic nature isn’t the real problem. It’s your lack of trust in yourself. You don’t believe you can get it right this time. You’ve somehow convinced yourself that you’ll fail. That’s a bigger issue than your workaholic excuse ever was.”

Shaurya closed his eyes briefly, the truth sinking in deeper than he wanted to admit.

“Maybe you’re right. I don’t trust myself not to ruin this second chance.

The scars from my past… they still haunt me.

They’ve left me too scared to believe in love again.

I don’t trust myself anymore. Not when it comes to giving someone my heart again. Not after the way it was crushed.”

Grandpa reached over and patted his knee.

“Second chances are rare and precious, Shaurya. They’re God’s way of telling us we still have a shot.

That we still deserve to love and be loved in return.

But to embrace that, you need to trust your instincts.

Be brave enough to take the chance and turn it into the best moment of your life. ”

Shaurya looked at him, dazed, unsure how to process it all. Grandpa gave a small smile.

“And I’m not saying this just to make you feel better. I’m telling you from my personal experience.”

Shaurya blinked. “Personal experience?”

Grandpa nodded. “Ambika, Nandini’s daadi… she wasn’t my first wife. She was my second.”

Shaurya stared at him, shocked. “What?”

Grandpa continued.

“My first wife was the love of my life. We were young and deeply in love. But fate had other plans. We were only married for two years before she fell seriously ill and passed away.”

Shaurya sat quietly, the words hitting him harder than he’d expected.

“I was shattered. I vowed to myself I’d never move on. For almost two years, I lived in her memory, holding on to a love that would never come back.”

He paused, letting the weight of those words settle between them.

“Then Nandini’s daadi came into my life. It was an arranged marriage. I didn’t even meet her until the wedding day. I was bitter, angry, and grieving. She knew I still loved my first wife. But she stayed. Through silence, through the distance I created, through all my pain, she stayed.”

Grandpa smiled, a little wistful.

“Over time, something changed. She slowly found her way into my life… into my heart. I started to notice her. I started to smile again. I laughed. I loved again. Not because I forgot my first wife, but because life gave me another chance. And this time, I had the sense and courage to take it with both my hands.”

He looked at Shaurya with clear, steady eyes.

“Life doesn’t come with guarantees,” he said softly.

“But it offers moments. Chances. And if you keep choosing to live in the shadow of your past, you will never truly live in the present. If I had stayed stuck in my past, I would have missed out on decades of love and happiness. Nandini’s daadi didn’t just fill a void…

she became my whole world. All because I was willing to give love another chance. ”

Shaurya sat still, absorbing every word. There was a storm brewing quietly behind his eyes.

Grandpa noticed, gently patting his arm. “Whoever she is, if you love her, don’t hurt her because of your fear and doubt… because you don’t trust yourself. Life’s unpredictable, Shaurya. Yes, you might fail again. But wouldn’t it be far worse to live with the regret of not having tried at all?”

Shaurya remained silent. But this time, his silence was no longer one of fear. It was the silence of someone who had just seen a door crack open and realised he still had a choice to walk through it.

“Don’t let her go,” Grandpa added softly. “Not if she means so much to you.”

Shaurya’s eyes welled up. Without another word, he leaned in and wrapped his arms around Grandpa. The hug was tight, desperate, and uncharacteristically vulnerable for someone like Shaurya. But he didn’t care. The tears in his eyes had already betrayed him.

The old man’s words had cut through every layer of fear and doubt. He was right. Living with the regret of never trying again was far worse than the fear of failing.

“You’re right…” Shaurya whispered. “I’ve been letting fear make my decisions for me. And that’s not how I want to live anymore.”

Grandpa gave a soft smile and patted Shaurya’s back proudly, happy he had finally realised that. After a long moment, he pulled back slightly and studied Shaurya’s face.

“Tell me something,” he said. “That woman we saw leaving your villa secretly on Christmas night… was that her?”

Shaurya stilled. He’d forgotten about that. A few of Grandpa’s friends had caught a glimpse of someone slipping out his back door that night. But they hadn’t known it was Nandini. He nodded slowly.

Grandpa gave a knowing smile. “Next time she visits, don’t sneak her out like a secret. We’d all like to meet her.”

Shaurya hesitated, torn. Should he tell Grandpa the truth that the woman he loved was Nandini, his own granddaughter?

He wasn’t afraid of Grandpa’s reaction, but right now, none of that mattered as much as talking to Nandini herself.

He needed to clear the air, lay everything bare.

He needed to apologise. He needed to explain why he’d pulled away, why fear had made him act like a fool. That mattered more than anything.

He took a breath, straightened up, and said, “Thank you, Grandpa. For everything. I really needed this clarity.”

Grandpa smiled. “You’re welcome. But if you really want to thank me, then do me one favour.”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Clear your schedule for lunch tomorrow,” Grandpa said. “I want you here with us.”

Shaurya nodded. “Sure. But what’s the occasion?”

“My son’s friend’s boy, Rohit, is coming over for lunch,” Grandpa replied casually. “I’d just like you to… get a read on him.”

Shaurya frowned. “Get a read on him? Why would I need to read your son’s friend’s son?”

Grandpa chuckled. “Because he’s coming to meet Nandini. As a potential suitor.”

The words hit him like someone had just punched him. Shaurya’s heart dropped, and the blood drained from his face. What? Nandini was meeting someone else?

He sat frozen, anger and jealousy flooding in fast. So much had happened, and now she was… moving on? Or was she being forced to move on?

No. That couldn’t happen. He wouldn’t let it happen. Not when he’d just realised how much she meant to him.

Not when he knew without a doubt that she was the one.

There was no way in hell he was letting someone else step into the space he had once held. Nandini was his.

And now, he was going to fight like hell to win her back.