Chapter 5: Tears Between Two Heartbeats

Poornima cried until her chest hurt.

She refused the food kept near her, pushing the plate away as if even the sight of it made her nauseous. Hunger didn’t matter anymore—nothing did. Her fingers trembled as she held her phone, dialing the number she knew by heart.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

No answer.

She tried her mother. Then her father. Then again.

This time, the call connected.

But instead of comfort, words like knives poured through the phone—curses, accusations, rejection.

“Don’t call us again.”

“You are dead for us.”

“You brought shame.”

The call ended.

Poornima screamed.

She slid down the wall, clutching the phone to her chest as if it could somehow stitch her heart back together.

That was when Veeresh came in.

He stood at the door, watching her cry, watching the girl he had dragged into his life completely break apart. He didn’t speak. He didn’t touch her. He simply walked in and sat beside her on the floor.

Silent.

She laughed bitterly through her tears and looked at him.

“Happy now?” she cried. “You destroyed me.”

She didn’t wait for an answer. Exhaustion finally won. She lay down on the cold floor, curling into herself, and cried until sleep swallowed her whole.

Veeresh stayed there for a while, staring at her tear-stained face.

Then he walked out.

He lit a cigarette, the smoke burning his lungs as memories attacked him relentlessly—the wedding mandap, the thali, Poornima’s shocked face, her parents’ slap, the curses, the way she ran and fell, the way she cried like she had lost her soul.

I did this, he thought.

I have to fix this.

Suddenly, movement caught his eye.

Poornima.

She was sneaking out of the house, barefoot, her steps desperate and shaky.

Veeresh dropped the cigarette and rushed after her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back inside, closing the room door behind them.

“You’re not leaving,” he said firmly. “You are my wife.”

She laughed again—this time hollow, furious.

“My foot!” she shouted.

“I told you clearly—I hate you!”

She pushed him hard.

“I will never accept this marriage,” she screamed.

“I will never behave like your wife or your daughter-in-law. I will divorce you!”

Veeresh’s jaw tightened.

“We’ll see,” he said quietly.

“Now sleep.”

Her anger exploded.

She started hitting his chest continuously, her fists weak but full of pain.

“You’re bad,” she cried. “You’re my enemy!”

Hit after hit.

Tears after tears.

Her strength slowly drained away. Her hands weakened, her sobs turning shallow. Suddenly, her body sagged forward.

Her head fell against his chest.

She went limp.

“Poornima!” Veeresh panicked.

He caught her immediately, lifting her into his arms. She felt unbearably light, as if grief had hollowed her out. He laid her gently on the bed, covering her with a sheet.

He sat beside her and wiped the dried tears from her cheeks with trembling fingers.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“I will fix everything. Please forgive me.”

He lay down beside her, careful not to disturb her, instinctively wrapping an arm around her as if to protect her from the world he had thrown her into. His head rested against her chest, listening to her breathing—slow, fragile, real.

For the first time since the wedding, Veeresh felt calm.

Surrounded by chaos, rejection, and guilt—

He fell asleep holding the woman who hated him,

Unaware that their hearts, even in pain, were already learning each other’s rhythm.