The night was quiet, but Poornima’s heart wasn’t.

She had waited all day — rehearsing words in her mind, over and over again.

“Tonight, I’ll speak to him… I’ll tell him everything.”

But when the clock struck eleven, the door opened and Veeresh walked in — tired, his steps unsteady, his eyes faintly red. The scent of alcohol lingered around him.

Poornima’s heart sank a little. He’s drunk… she thought sadly. But still, she couldn’t turn away.

Veeresh sat on the couch, loosening his collar, and looked at her once — his expression soft but distant. “I’ll talk tomorrow,” he mumbled and lay down on the bed.

Poornima stood there for a long time, just watching him. The man who had married her for change… who had unknowingly given her peace she hadn’t felt in years. The man whose one harsh word could still break her completely.

Her eyes blurred with tears as she whispered, “Mahadev, give me courage…”

Quietly, she walked to the bed and sat beside him. The moonlight streamed through the window, falling across his face — calm, tired, vulnerable.

And in that moment, the walls she had built around her heart began to crumble.

Poornima gently leaned closer, her trembling hands brushing away the strands of hair from his forehead. Then, slowly, she hugged him — resting her head on his chest.

At first, she thought he was asleep, but then she felt his hand twitch faintly against the bedsheet. She didn’t stop. She couldn’t.

Her tears soaked his shirt as she whispered into the darkness — all the words she had buried for years.

“I’m sorry, Veeresh… I’m sorry I couldn’t open up to you.”

Her voice broke, shaking.

“I’m afraid. Afraid of love. Afraid of being hurt again.”

Her breath hitched as she continued, her voice trembling.

“All my life, I was told I was a burden — my parents never wanted a girl. They married me off early, and I thought maybe my husband would love me… but Pavan never did. He humiliated me, called me unlucky, cursed me for everything that went wrong. And when he died, they all blamed me again — saying I brought death to him.”

Her tears came faster now. “I stopped expecting love. From anyone. I became numb, Veeresh. Even when Anand grew up, he never needed me. He blamed me for things I didn’t do. I just… shut my heart completely.”

She hugged him tighter, her voice barely a whisper. “But when you came into my life, you didn’t force me to talk. You didn’t push me. You just stayed — silent, steady, like peace I never knew. You made me feel warm again… and that scared me. I didn’t know how to handle it. I thought if I kept my distance, I’d be safe. But now… I don’t want that anymore.”

Her tears fell freely as she clutched his shirt.

“Please, don’t avoid me, Veeresh. Don’t turn away from me. I know I’m broken, but I want to heal. Just… don’t abandon me.”

For a long moment, there was silence — just the sound of her quiet sobs and his steady breathing.

Then, slowly, she felt his arms move — one wrapping around her shoulders, the other gently brushing her back. His warmth surrounded her like a promise she never asked for but always needed.

Veeresh whispered softly, his voice deep and quiet,

“Poornima… sleep now. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

She looked up at him through her tears — his eyes half open, his expression softened by wine and emotion. He brushed her hair gently and pressed a kiss on her forehead, tender and real.

Poornima didn’t say anything. She just held onto him tighter, feeling his warmth seep into her heart, melting away years of loneliness.

And that night, for the first time in her life, Poornima slept peacefully — in someone’s arms not out of duty, but out of love.