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Days turned into weeks, and the city of London slowly began to cradle Poornima back to life.

The cold breeze from the Thames brushed past the hospital garden where she sat with her notebook, tracing little hearts and doodles while Veeresh stood nearby, half-watching her, half on his phone managing his empire from afar.

Her bandages had reduced, the scars fading, but the softness in her voice remained the same — the one that always melted his sharp edges.

Veeresh turned when he heard her giggle softly.

> “What’s so funny, Ruby?” he asked, slipping his phone into his coat pocket and walking to her.

She looked up at him with that teasing glint in her eyes.

> “I was just thinking,” she said, pretending to be serious. “You really deserve the Best Husband title, you know.”

Veeresh blinked, a little caught off guard.

> “Best husband?” he repeated, his tone half amused, half confused.

> “Yeah,” she said, grinning. “You cook for me, feed me my medicines, scare my doctors, and even sit through my boring college talk. You’re practically perfect.”

He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk.

> “Perfect? Ruby, I’ve done things that—”

> “Shh,” she interrupted, placing her finger on his lips. “You’ve done things… but you also saved me. You stayed. And that’s what matters.”

Her words silenced the storm inside him. For the first time in years, Veeresh didn’t feel like the man the world called a monster. He just felt like… hers.

He brushed her hair behind her ear and said softly,

> “You’re healing fast. Maybe too fast. I was starting to enjoy taking care of you.”

Poornima laughed, holding his hand.

> “Then I’ll keep pretending to limp for another week,” she teased.

He chuckled, shaking his head.

> “You’re impossible.”

> “That’s what you love about me,” she said with a wink.

Veeresh sighed but smiled anyway. The way she filled silence with warmth was something he never knew he needed.

Later that evening, they walked by the river, her hand tucked into his coat pocket, her head resting on his shoulder. The London lights shimmered across the water, painting gold ripples that seemed to dance just for them.

> “You know, Ruby,” he said quietly, “London suits you. But I miss you smiling back in India. With our guards… with the chaos.”

She chuckled.

> “Don’t worry, I’ll bring the chaos here too.”

Veeresh looked down at her, that rare softness lighting his face.

> “You already did.”

She smiled, tightening her grip around his arm.

> “Then I guess I’m winning the Best Wife award too.”

Veeresh leaned down, kissed her forehead, and whispered,

> “No competition there, Ruby. You already own it.”