Chapter 6: Mrs. Veeresh

Poornima was at her desk in the RBI office, finalizing some closing documents from the recent tie-up with Suryavanshi Enterprises. Everything was quiet — until her boss, Mr. Nandan, knocked lightly on her glass door and stepped in.

"Poornima," he said gently, "I need to talk to you. It’s… personal."

She looked up, slightly confused. "Yes, sir?"

He sat across from her, clearing his throat.

“Veeresh Suryavanshi... he approached me this morning.”

Her brows knitted. “About?”

“He’s serious about wanting to marry you.”

Poornima blinked, stunned. “What?”

“I know it’s sudden,” he continued, “but he seems certain. He said he’ll handle everything if you’re even slightly willing to consider. I told him I’d convey the message… only if you were comfortable.”

A long silence.

She closed her file, slowly stood up, and walked toward the window. Her mind spun. Flashes of her husband’s accident, the months of silence, Aradhya’s laughter, and Veeresh’s firm but calm eyes all collided in her thoughts.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she finally said. “Please tell him I’m not interested.”

Later that evening, as she was exiting the building, Veeresh was waiting near his car — composed, hands in his pockets.

She walked past him.

"Poornima," he called gently.

She stopped, turned reluctantly.

“Why me?” she asked directly. “You could have anyone. You’re Veeresh Suryavanshi. And I... I’m a widow. With a six-month-old child. You know what society would say.”

He took a step closer, looked straight into her eyes.

“I don’t care what society says. I saw you as a woman — strong, graceful, honest. That day in the hospital, when you trusted me with your daughter… that moment changed something.”

Her jaw tightened. “You’re forcing this.”

“No,” he said softly, “I’m giving you a choice.”

“But if I reject you, your project—”

“Yes,” he interrupted, with a slight smirk. “The project will take a hit. A personal one. Because now it’s not just a tie-up between RBI and my company. It’s between my heart and yours.”

She blinked, caught off guard.

“I’m not offering you pity, Poornima,” he continued. “I’m offering partnership. For life. You, Aaradhya, Ayan, me — a home that’s built, not forced.”

He took her phone from her loose grip gently, typed in his number, and saved it under a single word:

Husband.

Then handed it back to her.

“I’ll be waiting,” he whispered, his voice low and certain. “See you soon… Mrs. Veeresh.”

And just like that, he turned and walked away — leaving her standing in the golden glow of the streetlights, heart pounding, eyes wide, and mind completely shaken.