Chapter 20: Lines He Drew for Himself

(Veeresh’s POV)

Veeresh stood in the glass-walled conference room, his leadership team seated around the table. Faces attentive. Professional. Expectant.

He cleared his throat.

“From today,” he said evenly, “any RBI-related project decisions will go through the compliance head first. I will not be part of direct negotiations beyond formal meetings.”

There was a pause.

His COO frowned slightly. “Sir, you’ve always led those discussions personally.”

“I know,” Veeresh replied. “This is a conscious change.”

No explanations. No personal justifications.

After the meeting, he called his PA into his office.

“I want my schedule tightened,” he said. “No informal meetings. No personal overlaps with government institutions.”

She hesitated. “Sir… is everything okay?”

“Yes,” he said honestly. “I’m making sure it stays that way.”

Alone again, Veeresh leaned back in his chair.

He thought of Poornima—not as a woman he desired, but as a woman who deserved clarity. He would not let confusion or power dynamics touch her life. Not even accidentally.

If something ever happened between them, it would be clean. Chosen. Equal.

He set rules for himself—silent but firm:

He would never use work as an excuse to see her.

He would never involve her children to reach her.

He would wait until she felt safe enough to speak first.

Wanting her was easy.

Protecting her dignity—that was love.

That evening, standing by the window of his penthouse, Veeresh looked at the city below and accepted the truth:

This wasn’t a story of young urgency.

This was a story of timing, patience, and earned courage.

And if love came back to him through Poornima Rai,

it would come slowly—

or it wouldn’t come at all.