A soft ray of sunlight filtered through the tall glass windows of Veeresh’s penthouse.

Poornima blinked awake slowly, her eyelashes fluttering as awareness returned.

Warmth.

A heavy, solid warmth around her waist.

She looked down—

His arm.

Still wrapped around her.

Still pulling her close.

Still holding her like she belonged there.

Her heart skipped painfully.

Veeresh Rathore—the cold, disciplined, untouchable man—was asleep.

Deeply.

His face was buried in her hair, his breath warm against her neck, his hold protective… almost scared.

For a second, she just stared.

He looked different in sleep—no walls, no coldness, no distance.

Just a man.

Just Veeresh.

But then reality came crashing back.

What was she doing in his arms?

How did she let herself melt last night?

Why did she still feel something?

Her chest tightened with anger and heartbreak.

She immediately pushed his arm away.

He groaned softly and, still half-asleep, pulled her back—tighter.

“Please…” he whispered, voice rough from sleep.

“Don’t go…”

Her heart cracked at the desperation in his tone.

It was so unlike him.

“Veeresh,” she said sharply, twisting to face him.

“Leave me.”

He finally opened his eyes—sleepy, confused, but soft.

Too soft.

She couldn’t handle that softness.

She slapped him.

A sharp, sudden sound.

He froze.

Her voice broke.

“I can’t hate you… I try every day… but I can’t!”

His jaw tightened.

His eyes darkened—not with anger, but guilt.

“Poornima…” he whispered.

She stood up from the bed, pacing, her hands shaking.

“Why are you doing this?” she cried.

“You ignored me for years, insulted me, broke me…

And now you pull me into your arms like nothing happened?”

“I didn’t know how to—” he started.

She cut him off.

“I didn’t ask you to accept my feelings immediately!”

Her voice trembled.

“I just wanted… respect. Answers. Something.

But you only insulted me.

And now I’m stuck—stuck with these feelings I don’t want anymore!”

Tears finally spilled from her eyes.

Veeresh sat up slowly.

He didn’t try to get off the bed.

Didn’t approach her like a predator.

Didn’t raise his voice.

He simply watched her with eyes that looked… shattered.

“Poornima,” he said softly.

“I don’t know how to love.

I don’t know how to express.

But last night, when you ignored me again…

I felt something I didn’t know existed.

It scared me.

It hurt.”

She sobbed harder, covering her face.

“I’m trying to move on,” she whispered.

“And I feel worse every time I speak harshly to you…

Because I’m still not over you.

And I hate myself for it.”

He stood up now.

Walked to her slowly.

Like she was a wounded bird he couldn’t risk scaring away.

He gently cupped her face.

His thumb wiped her tears without asking permission.

“Please don’t leave me,” he whispered.

“Give me one chance.

I don’t deserve it, I know…

But I’m begging you.”

She shook her head, crying harder.

“Why now, Veeresh?

Why when I finally learnt to stand alone?

Why when I came back stronger?”

He pulled her into his chest.

Not forcefully.

Not controlling.

Just… holding her as if he feared she’d disappear.

“Because I’m human,” he murmured.

“And I’m terrified of losing you again.”

Her fingers slowly clutched his shirt.

She didn’t hug him back fully, but she didn’t push him away either.

She was still crying.

Still hurting.

Still confused.

But Veeresh held her like the world depended on it.

Like she was the only thing he couldn’t let go of.

Like he finally understood what it meant to lose someone…

and wasn’t ready to lose her again.