Chapter 3

The Widow

The ICU monitor had gone silent.

Veeresh stood still for a moment… then turned to Rayan.

“Call Poornima,” he said.

Rayan hesitated. “Sir… she’s pregnant. I think this will be too much for her.”

Veeresh’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t react immediately. For a brief second, he remembered Akash’s last words.

Take care of my wife…

He inhaled slowly. “Finish all the formalities,” he ordered instead.

“Yes, sir.”

By evening, the body of Akash Shekhawat was brought to the Shekhawat mansion.

The once-grand house stood silent.

When Poornima saw the ambulance outside, confusion crossed her face. She stepped forward slowly, her hand resting unconsciously on her stomach.

“Rayan? What is happening?” she asked softly.

No one answered.

The white cloth was lifted.

And her world shattered.

“A… Akash?” Her voice trembled.

For a second, she stood frozen.

Then everything went black.

Before she could hit the ground, strong arms caught her.

Veeresh.

He held her firmly and carried her to the sofa, making her sit carefully.

Her face was pale. Her breathing uneven.

When she opened her eyes, the first person she saw was him.

“How…?” she whispered. “How did this happen?”

Veeresh’s face was unreadable. His voice cold, controlled. “He met with an accident. He called me to the hospital to speak.”

The words hit her like knives.

She slowly stood up, her steps weak but determined.

She walked toward Akash’s body.

Knelt beside him.

Her trembling hands touched his face.

“No…” her voice cracked. “Akash… please wake up.”

Tears streamed down uncontrollably as she held his lifeless hand.

“Please come back… I can’t do this.” She sobbed harder. “Our baby needs you… I need you.”

Her cries echoed through the mansion.

Servants wept silently.

Rayan looked away.

But Veeresh stood there, watching.

Something unfamiliar twisted in his chest.

This wasn’t business.

This wasn’t rivalry.

This was a broken woman begging fate to return her husband.

And for the first time in years, Veeresh Raisinghania felt helpless.

Because he had promised a dying man.

And now that promise had a face.

A tear-stained, shattered face named Poornima.