Chapter 4: The Woman in the Cream Saree

The boardroom of the Reserve Bank of India, Bangalore, was bustling with energy. Top executives from multiple sectors were present for a high-stakes meeting between RBI and Suryavanshi Enterprises to finalize a financial technology integration deal.

Veeresh arrived precisely on time, crisp in a navy-blue suit, a calm force as always. His presence brought the room to a subtle hush — everyone knew who he was.

He took his seat at the long conference table, scanning the documents briefly—until the room shifted.

She entered.

Poornima Rao, Assistant Manager, RBI. Draped in a simple cream cotton saree, elegance flowing in every step, confidence in every movement, and grace that silenced even the noisiest minds.

The moment Veeresh looked up and saw her, something inside him clicked.

Her.

The woman from the hospital.

Poornima walked to the front with a file in hand, nodded politely, and said, “Let’s begin.”

Not a flicker of recognition passed her face. But Veeresh couldn’t look away.

She spoke with clarity, explaining policy reforms, integration strategy, cybersecurity protocols, and compliance models. Her tone was measured, her posture still. She didn’t raise her voice once. Yet every word carried power.

The men in the room—CEOs, officers, legal heads—sat with full attention. Not out of fear or hierarchy. Out of genuine respect.

One of the seniors leaned toward Veeresh and whispered, “Poornima Rao… one of the finest here. Lost her husband in an accident last year… yet handles everything with quiet strength. Single mother. Her daughter, Aaradhya… beautiful little girl.”

Veeresh’s head lifted slightly.

Aaradhya.

That name. The baby in his arms that day. The one who giggled. The one who smiled at Ayan.

His eyes slowly shifted back to Poornima.

And suddenly, everything looked different.

He wasn’t just watching a woman give a presentation. He was watching a mother who fought every day to stand tall, a woman who carried her heartbreak with dignity, and a professional who hadn’t let her personal tragedy define her.

She finished the presentation, opened the discussion for questions.

Veeresh asked a few, intrigued by her clarity.

She answered each one without faltering.

Finally, the agreement was signed. The deal was done.

But long after the papers were sealed, Veeresh kept staring — not out of curiosity, but out of something much deeper.

Something unexplainable.

Something stirring.

As Poornima thanked everyone and turned to leave, Aaradhya’s little giggle echoed faintly in his mind…

And Ayan’s voice from that day: “Appa… baby is smiling at you.”

Veeresh leaned back in his chair, silent, thoughtful.

What kind of storm hides behind such still waters?

And for the first time in a long time, he wanted to know more.