The night was still, the air cool with the faint rustle of leaves outside Rathore Mansion. Poornima stirred awake, her mind restless, her body heavy with the weight of memories. She slipped out of bed quietly and walked to the balcony, the soft glow of moonlight washing over her pale face.

She stood there, staring at the endless sky, lost in thoughts she couldn’t put into words.

“Poornima.”

She turned slightly at the deep voice. Veeresh leaned against the doorway, his arms folded, his gaze softer than usual. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

“Sleep didn’t come,” she admitted, her voice fragile. Then, after a long silence, she looked at him with eyes full of questions she wasn’t sure she wanted answered. “Did… did Pavan tell you anything?”

Veeresh’s chest tightened. He understood what she was asking. Slowly, he walked closer, the weight of Pavan’s last words pressing against his heart.

“He loved you,” Veeresh said quietly. “Wholeheartedly. You and the baby—you were his entire world. He asked me to tell you he was sorry… for leaving you like this. He wanted you to know that he loved you until his last breath.”

Poornima’s face crumbled. She pressed her hands against her face and wept silently, her shoulders shaking.

Without thinking, Veeresh reached out, his strong hand resting lightly on her shoulder. His voice was steady, low. “You must be strong, Poornima. For the baby. That’s what Pavan would want.”

She didn’t answer, only cried quietly, letting her grief spill into the night. Veeresh stood with her for a moment longer, then stepped back. He knew she needed space more than words.

“I’ll be inside,” he said softly, and left her there beneath the moonlight.

Poornima wiped her tears, lifted her gaze to the starry sky, and whispered, “Pavan… be happy with your parents. I will raise our child happily, just like we planned. I’ll keep our promise.”

The wind carried her words away, as though delivering them to the heavens. With a deep breath, she returned to the room, laid down beside her new reality, and finally drifted into sleep.