The first day at Rathore Industries was chaotic. Poornima walked through the corridors with calm authority, but inside, her mind was racing. Every manager, every director, every report held a puzzle she had to solve.

Sahana, aware of her presence, lingered in the boardroom with a smug expression. She tried subtle digs: questioning Poornima’s decisions, reminding the staff of her “superior experience,” and undermining her authority.

Poornima didn’t react outwardly. She smiled politely, thanked Sahana for her input, and focused on the real problems — the production delays, unhappy clients, and demotivated employees.

Throughout the day, Veeresh’s voice occasionally reached her via phone calls and messages.

“Poornima, status?” he would ask.

“Client X issue — resolved. Production schedule — on track. Staff morale — improving. I’ll send detailed report tonight,” she would reply.

He rarely offered advice, but his subtle words carried weight:

“Good. Keep it tight. Don’t let Sahana manipulate the staff. You know the company better than anyone.”

His trust, even from thousands of miles away, strengthened her resolve.

Over the next few days, the challenges mounted:

Sahana tried to push back on Poornima’s decisions, insisting her way was better.

Several senior employees resisted changing long-standing processes.

One client threatened to cancel a major contract, citing delays under Sahana’s leadership.

But Poornima faced each obstacle head-on. She held late-night meetings, devised contingency plans, personally called clients to reassure them, and motivated employees with her calm confidence.

Every evening, Veeresh checked in. Short messages, sometimes calls. “Are you eating properly?” “Don’t overwork yourself.” “Report me if she interferes.”

Each message made her heart flutter — the distant husband, cold and controlled in London, was concerned about her.

By the seventh day, the tide had turned. Production was on schedule, clients reassured, and staff morale significantly improved. Sahana, frustrated and defeated, finally withdrew from interfering openly.

Poornima leaned back in her chair that evening, exhausted but victorious. She picked up her phone and smiled at Veeresh’s latest message:

“Status?”

She typed back confidently:

“Seven days. Everything is back on track. Company stabilized. Returning soon.”

She set the phone down and whispered to herself, a quiet promise:

London, Veeresh… I’m coming back to you. And this time, I’ll stay in your arms.