Chapter 38: The Cost of Cruelty

The doctor’s words fell like stones.

“She is under observation.
Right now… nothing can be told.”

Veeresh folded his hands instantly, desperation pouring out of him.

“Doctor, please,” his voice cracked,
“she has already suffered too much. Take care of her. Please.”

The doctor nodded and walked away.

Veeresh didn’t wait.

Something inside him snapped.

He went straight to the house.

The moment he saw Sahana, rage overtook him.

SLAP.

The sound echoed through the walls.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” he shouted.
“You knew exactly what you were doing!”

Sahana staggered back, shocked.

Veeresh turned to his mother, his eyes burning.

“Mom,” he said, his voice trembling with pain and fury,
“you are a woman. How could you do this to another woman?”

No one spoke.

“I LOVE her,” he continued, tears spilling freely now.
“For God’s sake, I married her on the mandap, and she didn’t even know what was happening. She was just a guest!”

His voice rose.

“Her parents disowned her. Her character was assassinated. She lost everything—everything—because of me.”

He pointed toward the door.

“She was healing.
She was smiling again.
She was accepting me slowly.”

His chest heaved.

“And you people destroyed it all in one moment.”

His mother tried to defend herself.

“But we didn’t—she trapped you—”

“SHUT UP!” Veeresh roared.

“Stop blaming her!”

He struck his chest hard.

“It was ME.
MY mistake.
Not a single fault of hers.”

His voice dropped, hollow and broken.

“From today, I disown this family.”

The room froze.

“I will never come back here again,” he said firmly.
“Mom… today, you lost your son.”

He turned and walked out—without looking back.

At the hospital, the corridors felt colder than before.

Veeresh ran to the ICU doors.

The same doctor stood there.

“Sir, we are trying our best,” the doctor said gently.

That was all it took.

Veeresh collapsed onto the bench, his body shaking violently.

He cried like a madman.

Not caring who watched.
Not caring who heard.

“She trusted me,” he sobbed.
“She stood by me when she hated me.
She stayed when she could have left.”

His hands clenched together in prayer.

“Please,” he whispered to the walls, to God, to fate itself.
“Take everything from me—but not her.”

He pressed his face into his palms.

“I can’t live without her.”

Outside, machines beeped steadily.

Inside, Veeresh’s world hung by a fragile thread—
waiting for Poornima to breathe her way back to him.