The Background Check

It was past midnight.

The screens inside Veeresh Rathore’s private war room flickered to life as files, videos, and surveillance footage poured in.

> "Poornima Singh.

Age: 25.

Profession: Registered Nurse.

Day shifts at St. Mary’s General Hospital.

Evening — free clinic in Shivaji Nagar.

Lives alone. Doesn’t drink. Doesn’t party. Doesn’t talk to press.

No police record. No contacts with criminals.

No boyfriends. No drama."

The silence in the room was eerie.

Veeresh leaned back in his chair. Smoke curling from his cigarette. His bloodshot eyes didn't blink.

She was exactly as Zain described.

---

One of his guards — Raghu — stepped forward with a tablet in hand.

> “Sir… there’s something else.”

He tapped a file. A video opened — grainy hospital CCTV from five years ago.

A loud bang in the ER — a car backfiring outside.

Poornima had dropped the tray in her hand and collapsed, visibly shaking, then fainted. Nurses ran to her side.

Raghu continued quietly.

> “She saw her mother die, sir. Shot in front of her when she was seven.

She’s had trauma since then. Gunfire sends her into shock sometimes.

But… she never stopped healing people.”

Veeresh watched in silence.

> A girl born in blood…

but chose to save instead of kill.

He tapped ash into the tray and stood.

> “Set up a meeting with Zain. Now.”

---

An hour later — An abandoned textile mill, outskirts of Bangalore

Two chairs. One table. Silence like steel.

Veeresh lit another cigarette, watching Zain arrive in silence, wearing a black trench coat like the ghost of an old warlord.

> “You sure about this?” Veeresh asked calmly.

“You know what this field is like. You know what I am.”

Zain sat, composed.

> “I know.

But I also know you, Veeresh.

You don’t mix emotion with business. You don’t let people too close.

And strangely, that makes you the safest man I know.”

Veeresh’s jaw tensed. His cigarette crackled softly.

> “Why me?”

Zain looked at the ground.

> “Because I’ve failed her.

And I don’t want her broken like me.

You… you’ll protect her. Not out of love, but because you live by rules.

That’s enough.”

Veeresh looked away for a moment, silent. The city lights from a distance blinked like distant gunfire.

He finally spoke:

> “Alright.”

Zain didn’t smile. He simply nodded.

> “Thank you.”

He stood to leave but paused at the door.

> “Just one request, Rathore.

Keep her away from guns.

Even if she’s bleeding, she’ll smile.

Don’t let the sound of our world break her.”

He walked into the darkness.

---

Veeresh stood alone. Cigarette dying in his fingers.

No emotion. No words. Just one name echoing in his mind now…

Poornima Singh.

He returned to his penthouse.

Threw the jacket aside.

Poured himself a drink.

And for the first time in years, he looked out the window…

not at the skyline or the enemies hidden in it…

…but wondering if a girl who loved chocolate could really live in the same world as him