Chapter 70 – Between Life and Silence

The doctor’s words hung in the air like a curse.

“Her organs are bleeding internally… if she doesn’t wake up within twenty-four hours…”

He didn’t finish. He didn’t have to.

Veeresh’s entire body went cold. He turned slowly, his eyes falling on Poornima—his wife, his strength, his everything—lying lifeless, her breaths mechanical, her warmth fading. The steady rhythm of the monitor mocked him, reminding him that time was slipping away.

He walked to her side like a man defeated, yet clinging to hope by the last thread of his heart. With trembling hands, he slipped into the bed beside her, ignoring the wires, the machines, the world. Carefully, he pulled her against him, pressing her limp body to his chest.

“Poornima…” his voice cracked, breaking into sobs. “You can’t leave me. You can’t leave our son. You can’t leave like this.”

Tears fell freely onto her hair, her face, her neck as he kissed her everywhere, desperate to pour life back into her with every touch. His strong shoulders, always steady, now shook violently as he buried his face in her neck.

“I never begged for anything in my life… but I’m begging you now. Wake up. Hit me, scold me, fight with me, smile at me—just don’t stay like this. I can’t breathe without you. I can’t… I can’t raise him alone.”

From the corner, his father, Raghav Raj, stood frozen. He had seen his son conquer business empires, silence rooms with a glance, break men with a single command. But today, Veeresh was broken himself—crying like a child, yearning, shaking, holding on to the only woman who had ever tamed him.

Raghav’s own eyes brimmed with tears as he whispered, “God… take my years, take my breath, but give her back to my son. Please.”

Veeresh kept whispering into her ear, his tears soaking her pillow.

“Poornima… come back to me. For our baby. For me. You promised me forever. Don’t let that promise break.”

The machines beeped steadily, indifferent to his pain. Yet Veeresh refused to let go, holding her tighter, as if his embrace alone could anchor her soul back to him.