Chapter 5

Later that day, Veeresh Raj made his way to the staff room, his mind still half on the day’s lectures. As he entered, he noticed Poornima Rai sitting at a corner table, completely absorbed in a book. A few papers and notes lay neatly beside her, evidence of a mind quietly preparing, organizing, and reflecting.

Something about the scene caught him off guard. She looked completely at ease, yet focused—so different from the fast-paced, results-driven world he knew from business and economics.

Veeresh walked over, stopping a short distance from her. “Miss Rai,” he began, his voice carrying that calm authority he always seemed to possess, “I have to ask… why literature? From what I can see, you have the personality of someone who could dominate in law, or run a corporate firm.”

Poornima looked up from her book, her eyes meeting his with a soft, amused clarity. She closed the book gently and replied, “Thank you… but literature listens. Numbers don’t. People’s stories, their emotions—they speak to me. I can’t ignore that.”

Veeresh smiled, a small, genuine curve of his lips, intrigued by her answer. “I suppose that makes sense. Numbers are harsh. Literature…” He paused, glancing at the book she held, “literature understands the human side of things.”

Poornima nodded, her expression thoughtful but unguarded. “Exactly. Literature teaches you patience. It teaches you to observe, to listen… to understand the world in ways numbers never will.”

Veeresh’s smile lingered. He felt a subtle pull, a curiosity that went beyond mere professional interest. Here was a woman so grounded in her own principles, yet so quietly magnetic, that even someone like him—used to controlling situations, managing empires—found himself wanting to know more.

And in that small, ordinary staff room, two worlds—economics and literature, numbers and stories—brushed against each other for the first time.