Chapter 69 – Waiting for Her Return

The hospital room carried a heaviness that pressed on every breath. The faint hum of the machines, the soft rustle of the curtains, and the tiny cries of the newborn echoed in the silence.

Veeresh sat on the edge of Poornima’s bed, his fingers intertwined with hers. His other hand gently rocked the cradle beside him, where their son lay sleeping. He had not moved away from her side since the moment she slipped into the coma. His beard was unshaven, his eyes sunken from sleepless nights, but his grip on her hand never loosened.

His father stood quietly near the window, watching the son he once knew only as sharp, commanding, cold-hearted in business. Now he saw a different Veeresh—a man broken, yet stronger in love than he had ever been in power.

Raghav Raj closed his eyes, pressing his palms together in prayer.

“God, if ever you have listened to me… listen now. Bring my daughter-in-law back. Bring the mother of my grandson back. This boy doesn’t deserve to grow up without her.”

Veeresh’s lips trembled as he kissed Poornima’s hand softly.

“Appa… she’s my everything. I can fight empires, fight the darkest enemies… but I cannot fight this emptiness if she doesn’t wake up. She promised me, Appa. She promised she’d be with me when our son was born.”

His father walked closer, placing a trembling hand on Veeresh’s shoulder. “Son… I have seen you win wars in boardrooms and battles in silence. But this battle… this one, you can only win with patience. Don’t lose hope. She will hear you. A wife, a mother—her soul doesn’t abandon so easily.”

The baby stirred in the cradle, letting out a tiny cry. Veeresh immediately picked him up, resting the child against his chest, and with his other hand still clutching Poornima’s.

“See, Poornima… he’s asking for you. I can feed him, I can hold him… but only you can give him a mother’s warmth. Don’t punish him for our fate. Please… come back.”

The baby’s tiny fist brushed against Poornima’s arm as if reaching for her. Veeresh leaned down, placing the child on her chest again, his tears falling on both of them.

“This is your family, Poornima. Our son. Me. Your Veer. We are incomplete without you. Wake up, love… wake up.”

Raghav Raj turned away, wiping his tears, whispering another prayer under his breath. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t asking for wealth or success—he was begging for love to survive.