Page 60 of When Love Trespassed

Shaurya’s Villa – An hour later

Shaurya paced the length of his living room, phone clenched tightly in one hand, and anxiety simmering just beneath the surface. His eyes darted towards the clock for what must have been the tenth time in the last five minutes. He was waiting for Nandini’s message.

He hated not being there for her. He hated that urgent work had pulled him away from seeing her off before the most important meeting of her career.

He had sworn both to himself and her, that he would never put work above their relationship again.

Not after everything he had lost. And yet, today, he wasn’t by her side on the one day that mattered most. That guilt burned like acid in his chest.

What made it harder was knowing who she was meeting.

Rhea .

Her soon-to-be investor. His ex-wife.

Shaurya had spent the entire morning trying to prepare himself for what that meant.

That Rhea, the woman who had once gutted his heart and walked away, would now be a permanent fixture in Nandini’s professional life.

That he’d have to see her more often than he wanted to, and still stay polite and civil.

And he was willing to do all of it. For Nandini. Because she was worth it.

But tonight… tonight was the real test. In a few hours, Nandini would be flying to London with her grandfather.

She’d be gone for weeks, and Shaurya had no idea what that separation would bring.

What her family might say. What doubts and misconceptions they’d plant in her head against him.

But he held on to his faith in her, and in their love.

Just then, as if summoned by that very thought, he felt her presence before he even saw her.

He turned, and there she was. Nandini . Standing at the entrance of his villa, framed in the golden light of the afternoon sun.

Neither of them moved at first. They just stared at each other, like two hearts reconnecting after days of quiet longing and distance.

Ever since that disastrous Valentine’s night, when their entire world had come crashing down, they had only spoken through late-night calls and stolen glances from across their balconies.

But now, she was here. Up and close.

And he didn’t wait another second.

Shaurya crossed the room in long strides, and she met him halfway, dropping her iPad and purse onto the couch as she walked straight into his arms. The moment they touched, it felt like breathing again after being underwater for too long.

He held her tightly, as if afraid the moment might slip through his fingers. And she held on just as hard, as if reassuring him she wasn’t going anywhere either.

After a few seconds, he pulled away just enough to press a kiss to her forehead.

“Congratulations,” he said softly, brushing his fingers against her cheek. “How did the meeting go?”

She smiled faintly, tucking back a stubborn strand of his hair that had fallen onto his forehead. He hadn’t used gel today, hadn’t cared to. He was too distracted. Too consumed by her.

“It went well,” she said. “Really well. But…”

“But?” he echoed, his brow furrowing. “What happened?”

“I didn’t sign the contract,” she said quietly. “I never intended to.”

Shaurya pulled back just enough to search her face, stunned. “You didn’t sign?” His voice dropped in disbelief. “Nandini, why? I told you to go ahead, and I meant what I said.”

She nodded. “Yes, you did. And that showed me just how much you love me, Shaurya. Because despite knowing that your ex-wife was stepping in as my investor, you never once asked me to walk away.”

“That’s because you matter more to me than my hatred for her,” Shaurya said, his voice rough.

She placed a hand on his chest. “And you matter more to me than my dreams, Shaurya.”

That took him by surprise. His breath hitched slightly, but she went on.

“I don’t want to build something if it costs you your peace,” she added. “If it makes you question where you stand in my life. You’ve already lived through betrayal once. No opportunity is worth more to me than your comfort and well-being.”

He stepped closer, cradling her face in his hands. “With you beside me, I can face my insecurities and my fears. I can fight through them.”

She smiled through misty eyes. “And with you beside me, I can rebuild my dreams. As many times as it takes.”

“But Nandini, you’d been searching so long for the right investor. This was a golden opportunity. And you gave it up for me?”

“So what if I did?” she said plainly, then added with a faint smile, “It’s not like they were the last investors left on the planet. I’ll find another one. And this time… I have a much stronger idea for my pitch. All thanks to you.”

He blinked, caught off guard. “Me? What did I do?”

She chuckled softly. “You don’t even realise it. Remember the other day when I came here to give you those chocolate muffins? I was so stressed out, and vented about how I’d brainstormed everything under the sun but still couldn’t find that one unique hook for my brand.”

Shaurya nodded slowly, the memory resurfacing. “Yeah, I remember. But what about it?”

Her eyes softened as she said, “You told me to look within myself. To tap into the part of me that never lets me down. And that’s exactly what I did.”

He tilted his head, curious. “And what did you find?”

Nandini’s face lit up, her whole energy shifting as she explained, “I found Daadi. I remembered how she always used to talk about mango trees—the pulp, the leaves, even the bark. She believed mangoes had healing powers. She used to make all kinds of natural skincare blends from them. From scrubs, face packs, oils to heritage recipes and generational secrets.”

Shaurya’s lips parted in awe. “Your Daadi used mangoes for skincare?”

Nandini nodded, her enthusiasm palpable.

“Yes. That’s when it all clicked. I started researching the benefits and the formulations, and I’ve already begun working on the ideas.

If it all comes together, mango-based skincare will be the signature of my brand.

That’ll be my hook… my identity. Not some borrowed credibility or an investor’s name. ”

Shaurya smiled, genuinely impressed. “You really are something else,” he said, pulling her gently into a proud embrace. “You’ve got it all figured out already.”

“I always have everything figured out,” she replied with a soft giggle.

He tickled her playfully before pulling away. “Okay, Miss ‘everything-figured-out,’ what are you going to tell your grandfather about today’s meeting? Does he even know who the investor was?”

Nandini pulled back slightly and sighed. “No. I haven’t told him. I couldn’t—”

Before she could finish, a deep, familiar voice cut through the room like a whip.

“Couldn’t tell me,” it said sharply, “or never intended to?”

They both turned, frozen in place.

Standing at the threshold of the villa’s living room was Grandpa. His eyes swept across the room, narrowing at the sight of their joined hands and at the closeness between them. He stepped inside without a word, his eyes flicking between the two of them.

Shaurya and Nandini were caught completely off guard by his sudden appearance.

Of all places, of all moments, why now? They never expected him to show up at Shaurya’s villa, let alone find them together like this.

And given his firm disapproval of their relationship, seeing them together, this close, was bound to hit him hard.

***************

A Few Minutes Earlier

Grandpa sat on the wicker sofa beside the mango tree, his fingers loosely wrapped around the curved handle of his wooden cane.

His eyes were fixed on the vast expanse of the sky visible through the canopy of leaves above him.

He sat still, as if waiting for a response to the conversation only he could hear.

He looked up at the branches swaying ever so gently, and whispered, “Ambika… tonight, I’m leaving for London. With Nandini.”

His voice faltered slightly.

“You know I’ve never left you behind during mango season. Not even once. But this year... I have to. Taking her away from this place feels like the only option I have left.”

He paused, the silence around him long and heavy. There was no rustling of leaves, no breeze whispering through the branches. Even the tree, which he liked to believe held his late wife’s spirit, seemed unwilling to speak to him today.

His eyes dropped to the roots near his feet, and he asked, quietly, almost to himself, “Am I doing the right thing?”

There was still no sign… no answer.

He let out a deep sigh and carried on, as if pouring his heart out might somehow give him the answer he so badly needed.

“Shaurya is… a good man. I can see that. I can feel it. And I know he loves Nandini. There’s no doubt about that.

But how can I give our granddaughter to him?

How can I hand her over to a divorcee who has already failed at love once? How can I allow that, Ambika?”

His voice cracked slightly, but he continued.

“But then… it’s killing me to see our Nandu like this. She’s holding herself together just to keep me from falling apart. She’s agreed to come to London, but her heart is still here. And no matter how far I take her, I know it won’t change the way she feels about him.”

A beat passed. Then another.

“I thought distance would make it all right. That a little time apart would make her forget him. But now… I’m beginning to wonder. Was it ever a solution, or was it just me running away from the truth I don’t want to accept?”

His shoulders sagged in dejection.

“She’s our baby girl. We promised we’d never let her cry, remember? But here she is… hiding her tears just to protect me. And I… I’m the one standing in the way of her happiness.”

He turned back to the tree, his eyes almost pleading.

“If you were here, Ambika, you’d know exactly what to do. You always brought clarity, even when I was too stubborn to see it. Tell me, would you have supported me in this? Or would you have stood by her?”

Still nothing. Only silence.