Page 61 of When Love Trespassed

He closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. “Please. Give me a sign. Something. Anything.”

And then, as if the tree had been listening all along, a small mango leaf broke free from the branch above him. It floated down gently through the air, as if guided by something unseen, and drifted toward the invisible boundary separating the Raichand and Ahuja villas.

Grandpa watched in confusion as the leaf fluttered until it caught the breeze again and landed straight into Shaurya’s pool. He blinked, unsure why something so small struck him so deeply.

He wasn’t the type to chase after falling leaves.

But this one… something about it compelled him to follow its path.

Slowly, he got up from his chair and walked to the edge of the pool.

He stood there for a long moment, silently staring at the water, watching the single leaf float without a care in the world.

And just as he turned to head back to his house, a movement caught the corner of his eye.

A cab pulled up near Shaurya’s villa, and Nandini stepped out.

But instead of turning towards Raichand Villa, she walked directly to Shaurya’s front door, her steps steady and certain.

A pang of hurt flared in his chest. He had asked her to stay away from Shaurya. And yet here she was, returning to the very man he was trying to protect her from.

Without another thought, he followed her, determined to bring his granddaughter back.

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

Present – Shaurya’s Villa

Grandpa stormed into Shaurya’s villa, unannounced.

His eyes blazed, locking instantly onto Nandini and Shaurya, who stood frozen in place.

Nandini instinctively stepped back, pulling away from Shaurya as a rush of shock and guilt surged through her.

She hadn’t expected her grandfather to be here, especially not like this .

“Daadu,” Nandini gasped, taking a step forward, instinctively reaching out, but he raised his hand to stop her.

“I knew something was wrong when you left this morning to meet the investor. Something was bothering you. There was no spark in your eyes, no joy, even though your dreams were one step away from becoming a reality,” he said, his voice shaking with shock.

“I thought it was because we are flying to London today, against your will. But I didn’t expect… this.”

Nandini’s throat tightened.

“So, Shaurya’s ex-wife was the investor, and that’s why you didn’t sign the deal with her company today?” Grandpa asked, piecing it together.

She nodded slowly, her gaze dropping to the floor.

“And you didn’t think I deserved to know that?

” he demanded, his voice heavy with hurt.

“My Nandu, the same girl who couldn’t keep a single secret from me, is now hiding something like this?

I thought you would come home with good news.

That you’d signed the contract. That your startup was finally ready to take off.

But the truth is, you never planned to sign it at all. You went there just to say no.”

Shaurya stepped forward, instinctively ready to speak in her defence. But before he could utter a word, Grandpa turned to him sharply. “No. Not a word from you. This is between me and my granddaughter.”

Shaurya stilled, clenching his fist as he stepped back. He could’ve argued. He could’ve stood his ground and defended Nandini right there. But he also knew doing that would only make things worse.

Nandini finally found her voice. “Daadu… I was going to tell you, but—”

“But what?” he snapped, cutting her off. “You thought I’d stop you from backing out? That I’d force you to choose your business over everything else?”

She shook her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want to make things harder than they already are.”

“What rubbish,” Grandpa snapped.

Her hand reached for his arm. “Please, Daadu… calm down. Don’t strain yourself. Your health—”

“Enough with this health excuse,” he interrupted gruffly. “I’m not as weak as you think. I am fine.”

Then, he turned towards Shaurya again. “And you… you knew Rhea was her investor, didn’t you? And still, you encouraged her to go ahead with the deal?”

Shaurya let out a heavy breath, steadying himself.

“Yes, I knew. And I still told her to go ahead because her happiness matters more to me than my resentment and insecurities. My past with Rhea isn’t above my present with Nandini.

And if supporting her meant swallowing my pride, I was ready to do that. ”

He glanced at Nandini briefly and then continued, “But the way you’re reacting right now… it feels like you’re not even trying to understand us.”

Grandpa’s expression darkened. “ I wouldn’t understand?” he repeated, incredulous. “I’ve lived nearly four decades longer than both of you. You think I haven’t known love? That I haven’t endured pain or made sacrifices? That I don’t know what it means to give something up for someone else?”

He paused and took a deep breath. “I am not just speaking from experience, Shaurya, but from wisdom that comes with age.”

His gaze shifted to Nandini now, whose eyes brimmed with emotion, a single tear escaping down her cheek. His voice softened just slightly.

“When I first found out about this so-called relationship of yours, I told myself it was temporary. Just a phase. I thought that two neighbours drawn together by proximity would eventually drift apart. That life, age, and your differences would pull you both in different directions.”

Shaurya and Nandini looked at each other, not sure where this was headed.

“But I was wrong,” Grandpa said quietly, looking at Shaurya. “Today, I sat under that old mango tree and asked her Daadi if I was doing the right thing by taking Nandini away from you. I begged her for a sign.”

He smiled faintly, almost to himself. “And that’s when it happened—a single leaf fell from above.

It floated down from the mango tree and landed right in your pool, Shaurya.

I don’t even know why, but I got up to follow it, and that’s when I saw Nandini step out of a cab and walk straight to your door.

It felt like the universe, my wife Ambika herself, had answered my plea for a sign.

She had guided me in the direction I needed to go. ”

He looked at them both, his eyes soft but firm.

“She gave me that sign. She led me here, to Nandini. And thank God she did. Otherwise, I would have never known it. I would have never seen it with my own eyes. The sacrifices you two were willing to make for each other. How you were both ready to give up parts of yourselves, just to protect one another. This kind of love… it’s not temporary. It’s not just a phase.”

He gave a soft, unexpected smile to Shaurya.

“You were ready to set aside your pain, to let go of your bitterness towards your ex-wife, to put it all in the back corner for Nandini’s sake.

All because you knew doing so would be the best for her future, for her dreams. And Nandini…

today, she chose to hold back those very dreams, because she knew going forward with it would cost you your peace.

If that isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.

And I’d have been an old fool to keep standing in its way. ”

Shaurya turned to Nandini, stunned. She looked just as shaken, as though unsure if they’d heard him right.

“Love,” Grandpa said, his own eyes tearing up, “isn’t about grand gestures or dramatic declarations.

It’s about sacrifices. It’s about standing by each other when it’s easier to walk away.

It’s about holding on when everything weighs you down.

True love is built on compromise, resilience, and unwavering belief in each other. ”

He smiled again, this time with warmth in his eyes. “And you two… you’ve proven that what you share isn’t a fleeting emotion. It’s real. It’s deep. It’s worth fighting for.”

He nodded slowly, realisation settling in. “I was wrong. This wasn’t some temporary infatuation. What you two have… it’s real. I see your love now. It’s strong, the kind people strive for. You two are meant to be together, and you have my blessings.”

That was all it took for Nandini to break. A choked sob escaped her lips as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her grandfather. “Daadu…” she whispered, clutching him tightly. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

He held her close with quiet affection, his earlier anger melting into acceptance, his hand gently stroking her hair.

Shaurya stood frozen, too overwhelmed to move. He could barely process what had just happened. His heartbeat echoed in his ears. After everything, after all the silence and resistance, Grandpa had finally given them his blessing.

When Nandini finally pulled back from their embrace, Grandpa reached up and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. His touch was tender, almost hesitant, as if he was still coming to terms with what had just unfolded between them.

“All these days,” he continued, “since your relationship came into light... I’ve been struggling, Nandu. I couldn’t make peace with it. My fears, my instincts as a parent—they kept holding me back. My love for you, and my desire to see you with the absolute best clouded my judgment.”

He looked between her and Shaurya. “But today... I see things clearly. No man could ever love my Nandu the way you do, Shaurya. And she—” he paused, his eyes softening, “—she’s your sunshine.”

He reached out and patted Shaurya’s arm with tender affection. “You’re both lucky to have found each other.”

Shaurya’s chest swelled with disbelief and gratitude. His lips curved into a smile, relief evident on his face.

Grandpa chuckled and added, “Well, what are you waiting for? Come here and give me a hug, son.”