Chapter 40

The Fear of Loving Again

The river breeze was cold, but the storm inside was colder.

“It hurts very badly, Poornima…” his voice cracked. “My mom left. I still don’t know why. Dad never told me. Mrs. Raisinghania… she is good, she tries… but I can’t call her mom. And she waits for that one word from me.”

He swallowed.

“The woman I loved… married… she betrayed me. With my own business partner. I heard them, Poornima. I heard everything.” His fingers dug into the sand. “I didn’t shout. I didn’t cry. I just walked away. I don’t know why. Maybe something inside me died that day.”

He looked at her, eyes red.

“And then you came. You… you are becoming my peace. And that scares me. I don’t know how to trust you. I don’t know how to trust myself.”

Before he could drown deeper in his own words, leaned forward and kissed him softly.

Not with desire.

With reassurance.

It silenced his chaos for a second.

“Veer… look at me,” she whispered, holding his face. “Take your time. Trust is not forced. First, trust yourself. You survived everything. You can survive love too.”

He shook his head. “It’s hard. It’s not easy.”

“I know,” she said gently. “Your pain cannot disappear. But it doesn’t have to live alone. Share it with me. Don’t think what I will think. Be broken. Be angry. Be scared. I am not going anywhere.”

His eyes searched hers. “What if someday you feel I’m not good enough?”

She smiled faintly. “Nobody is perfect, Veer. We all have flaws. Love is not about perfection. It’s about staying.”

Then she held his cigarette pack in her hand.

“And please… stop smoking and drinking like this. Do it occasionally if you must. But not every day. I want you alive. For Inayat. For this baby. For me.”

Something shifted in him.

No accusation.

No fear.

Just concern.

He pulled her into a firm embrace, burying his face in her shoulder like a man who had finally found somewhere safe to fall.

For the first time, his hug was not possessive.

It was grateful.

One line:
Kabhi kabhi pyaar dard ko mitaata nahi… bas usse akela rehne nahi deta.