Chapter 10: The Lap She Chose

Poornima was sitting in her room, quiet, her thoughts heavy, when the door opened softly.

Lakshmi walked in.

“Poornima…” she called gently.

The moment Poornima saw her, her control broke.

She immediately got up and went to Lakshmi, sitting beside her and resting her head in her lap. Tears started falling.

Lakshmi was taken aback for a second, then her hand moved to Poornima’s head, stroking her hair gently.

Poornima was always closer to Lakshmi than her own mother Riya. And in that moment, she didn’t hold back.

“Beta… what happened?” Lakshmi asked softly.

Poornima cried for a few moments without speaking.

Lakshmi didn’t rush her.

Then slowly, she asked, “Why did you say you don’t want to get married?”

Poornima lifted her face slightly, her eyes filled with pain.

“Ma… Pavan is very controlling,” she said.

Lakshmi’s expression changed.

Poornima continued, telling everything clearly—how he told her not to work after marriage, how he wanted her only as a housewife, how he didn’t like her working in Veeresh’s company, how he wanted her to wear saree always.

“I don’t like it, Ma,” she said, her voice shaking. “I don’t feel right.”

Lakshmi listened quietly, her heart feeling heavy.

After a pause, she said softly, “Sorry, beta…”

Poornima looked at her.

“But your father Siddharth has promised your hand to him in your childhood,” Lakshmi said. “Even I did not like it… but nobody can go against your appa.”

Tears rolled down Poornima’s cheeks again.

Lakshmi held her closer.

“I also pray that this marriage gets stopped,” Lakshmi added quietly.

Poornima looked at her, surprised.

Lakshmi gave a faint smile, but there was pain in it.

“Now don’t cry… sleep,” she said gently, placing Poornima’s head properly on her lap.

Poornima didn’t say anything.

She just closed her eyes, still holding Lakshmi’s saree slightly, like she didn’t want to let go.

Within minutes, she fell asleep in her lap.

Lakshmi kept stroking her hair slowly.

Her eyes softened as she looked at Poornima.

In her heart, she had always wanted Poornima to be part of this house.

Not like this.

Not forced.

And somewhere deep inside, she had always wished…

Poornima and Veeresh.

She looked up slightly and closed her eyes.

“Please Mahadev… make this marriage stop,” she prayed silently.

Her hand remained on Poornima’s head as she sat there, hoping for something that only fate could change.