Chapter 21: She Came

Time moved painfully slow.

One by one, Veeresh’s colleagues arrived—laughing, dressed up, calling out to each other. Couples walked past him, some teasing him, some asking casually, “Your wife hasn’t come yet?”

He smiled and nodded, pretending calm.

But inside, his chest felt tight.

Minutes passed.

She didn’t come.

Veeresh looked at his phone again—no message, no missed call.
A familiar heaviness settled in his heart.

“You shouldn’t have hoped,” he told himself.
“You knew this.”

Just as he turned to walk inside, ready to face it alone—

“Veeresh.”

He froze.

That voice.

He turned slowly.

Poornima stood there.

She was wearing a simple green salwar, no heavy jewellery, no makeup—just herself. Her hair neatly tied, bangles soft against her wrist. Nothing extra, nothing forced.

And she looked… beautiful.

Not because she was dressed up—
but because she had come.

For him.

Veeresh’s face lit up instantly, relief washing over him.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, a little breathless.
“I had a presentation in college today.”

He shook his head quickly, smiling.
“It’s alright. Really.”

For a second, he just looked at her, as if confirming she was real and not something his hope had imagined.

“Come,” he said gently.

She nodded.

Side by side—not touching, not distant either—Poornima walked with him into the office.

And as the doors closed behind them, Veeresh knew one thing for sure:

She hadn’t accepted him yet.
She hadn’t forgiven him yet.

But tonight, she had chosen to stand with him.

And for him, that meant everything.