Chapter 44 – The Quiet Storm

The afternoon sun slanted through the classroom windows, casting long streaks of light on the desks. Poornima stood by the blackboard, holding a stack of notes, her voice calm and steady as she explained the new curriculum structure to Professor Pavan, who had joined recently.

Pavan listened attentively, pen moving quickly across his notepad, occasionally nodding with a cheerful smile. “That’s very clear, ma’am, thank you. You make the syllabus sound simple.”

Poornima smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “It will be easy once you spend time with the students. They’re responsive if you engage them properly.”

At that moment, Veeresh entered the corridor. He had just finished his lecture, books pressed against his arm, his stride confident as always. But his eyes landed on the sight inside the classroom—Poornima standing close to Pavan, explaining something with focus, her smile lingering, while Pavan scribbled away.

Something shifted inside Veeresh. A quiet, uninvited heat surged in his chest. He stopped mid-step, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. The ever-cheerful, harmless Pavan was merely learning—but to Veeresh, the sight felt too close, too familiar, too… unwanted.

He stood at the doorway for a moment longer than needed, eyes sharp and unreadable.

Poornima, engrossed in her explanation, didn’t notice at first. But as she turned her head slightly, her gaze met his.

That brief second told her everything. She saw it—the shift. The unspoken jealousy burning in his eyes, the way his grip tightened around his books, the stiff line of his shoulders.

Her breath caught. She understood instantly.

Without a word, Veeresh stepped inside, collected a few books from his desk with deliberate calmness, and turned to leave. He didn’t look at Pavan. His eyes flicked once more to Poornima, saying nothing but speaking volumes.

The silence left behind weighed on her. She quickly excused herself from Pavan, gathered her notes, and walked out after him, her steps carrying both urgency and hesitation.