Chapter: When Anger Bleeds, Love Heals

The news came like a slap.

Ridhima had filed a case—against Veeresh… and Poornima.

The moment Veeresh read the papers, something inside him snapped.

The room echoed with a sharp crash as his fist came down on the glass table. The sound of shattering glass filled the penthouse, fragments scattering across the floor.

“Veeresh—!” Poornima screamed.

Blood trickled down his hand, dripping onto the marble floor. He didn’t even seem to notice. He stood there, chest heaving, eyes dark with fury. Without thinking, he lit a cigarette, inhaling sharply as if trying to burn the rage away.

Poornima rushed to him and slapped the cigarette out of his hand.

“Stop it!” she cried, her voice shaking. “Stop hurting yourself!”

He turned to her, eyes blazing—not with anger at her, but with pain too heavy to contain.

“You don’t know what she said about you,” he burst out. “You don’t know how she insulted you. I stayed quiet because she’s a woman… because she’s the mother of my kids. I respected her, Poornima. But she crossed the line.”

His voice broke.

“I couldn’t bear it,” he said hoarsely. “I can’t bear anyone insulting you while I’m alive.”

Poornima’s anger melted instantly.

“Veer… please,” she said softly, taking his injured hand. “Show me.”

She made him sit. Carefully, gently, she picked out the tiny glass pieces embedded in his skin, her fingers steady though her eyes were wet.

“Does it pain?” she asked quietly.

He shook his head. “No.”

Then, barely above a whisper, “The pain is… I couldn’t do anything to stop her words.”

She tied the bandage around his hand firmly, protectively.

“I don’t care what she says,” Poornima said, lifting his chin so he had to look at her. “I don’t care what the world says. You are important to me. Only you.”

Something in his eyes shattered completely.

She leaned forward and kissed him—slow, grounding, full of reassurance. He responded instantly, pulling her closer, kissing her deeply as if clinging to her presence was the only thing keeping him steady.

She pulled back just enough to look at him. “Throw the cigarette.”

Without a word, he picked it up and dropped it into the sink, crushing it out completely.

Poornima wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him the way one holds someone who is breaking—but refusing to let go.

Veeresh buried his face in her shoulder, his arms closing around her, this time careful of his injured hand.

In that moment, anger softened into resolve.

They would face court.
They would face judgment.
They would face the world.

But they would face it together.