Days fell into a steady rhythm.

Morning to college, evening to home, nights with books spread across the bed.

Veeresh had taken it upon himself to make sure Poornima was not just allowed to study, but that she excelled. And true to his nature, he didn’t coddle—he instructed.

---

At College

Whenever they had breaks between classes, Poornima would find herself sitting in a quiet corner of the library… with Veeresh keeping a close eye. Sometimes he sat across the table, reading his own papers, and other times he simply stood near the shelves, his gaze occasionally flicking toward her to make sure she wasn’t distracted.

“Underline this. This will come for your exam,” he would say, tapping a paragraph in her notes.

“Yes,” she would reply softly, immediately doing as told.

But at college, something else had started happening.

She noticed Veeresh’s eyes darken whenever some boys glanced at her for longer than necessary—or when a male classmate stopped to speak to her. He never interrupted, never made a scene. But afterward, his jaw would tighten, his silence heavier than usual.

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At Home

Even at the haveli, he carved out time for her studies. After dinner, he would clear a space at the low wooden desk in their room, pushing aside his own work to spread her books.

“Read this chapter twice before sleeping,” he’d say, sliding a notebook toward her. “I’ll ask you questions tomorrow.”

His tone was still commanding, but there was something beneath it—a quiet pride, a subtle protectiveness.

---

The Unspoken Jealousy

One afternoon after class, Poornima noticed him unusually quiet on the drive back. She tilted her head.

“Did I… say something wrong?”

He kept his eyes on the road. “No.”

She thought for a moment. “If I hurt you in some way… I’m sorry.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. “Nothing. Go study when we get home.”

She nodded, smiling faintly. “Okay.”

But she didn’t miss the way his eyes softened for just a second when she said it.