The airport buzzed with passengers, announcements echoing across the spacious terminal. Poornima clutched her trolley bag, following Veeresh through the crowd. He walked ahead, tall and composed, his black suit immaculate, his face calm and unreadable.

At the boarding gate, they took their seats on the plane. Veeresh leaned back, eyes closing almost immediately. His expression was stoic, but subtle tension in his jaw and fingers betrayed a hint of discomfort from the long journey and the hectic wedding day.

Poornima watched him silently, her heart softening despite the fear and lingering resentment. She noticed how tense he looked — the man who could command rooms and silence people with a glance was vulnerable in this small, human way.

Gently, almost instinctively, she reached over and pulled his head onto her shoulder. Veeresh stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into her warmth. She adjusted herself to support him, feeling the rise and fall of his chest as he drifted into sleep.

For a few long minutes, the rhythmic hum of the plane, the soft shuffling of passengers, and the gentle weight of Veeresh against her created a strange sense of calm.

A small smile curved Poornima’s lips. London will be perfect, she thought to herself. A place to start everything anew.

Her mind wandered, recalling the pain and mistakes of the past — the bullying, the insults, the secrets, and the misunderstandings. Redemption, she whispered silently. Redemption for everything I did to Veeresh… and maybe even for myself.

She tightened her hold just slightly, feeling the warmth of his presence. I’ll learn him, understand him, and maybe… change him. But I’ll stay by his side. Forever.

Veeresh remained asleep, calm and unaware of her thoughts, but the small shift — resting his head on her shoulder — marked a subtle first step in their slow, complicated journey together.

Poornima closed her eyes, letting the gentle motion of the plane lull her. For the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope amidst the fear and tension.

London awaited — a city of new beginnings, of silent vows, and of a marriage that was no longer just about revenge, but about surviving, learning, and maybe… finding a bond neither of them expected.

And as Veeresh slept quietly against her, Poornima promised herself:

No more looking back. The past is gone. The present — and him — is all that matters.