Chapter 17: The Decision He Made

Veeresh walked straight to the room.

His steps were fast, his face unreadable.

Everyone inside turned to look at him.

“Out,” he said.

No one argued.

One by one, they stepped out, leaving the room silent.

He closed the door.

She stood there, dressed as a bride, covered in jewellery, her eyes still holding everything that had just happened.

For a second, he just looked at her.

Then he walked closer.

Without asking.

Without explaining.

He reached out and started removing a few of her heavy jewellery pieces.

The long layers.

The extra weight.

Leaving only the simple ones.

Enough.

Not too much.

She didn’t stop him.

Didn’t question.

She just stood there, watching him.

“You’re marrying me,” he said.

Simple.

Clear.

No emotion in his tone.

But something in it felt certain.

He stepped back.

“I’ll be downstairs,” he added. “Come down.”

And just like that, he turned and walked out.

The door opened.

Then closed again.

She stood there.

Stunned.

Trying to understand what just happened.

But beneath that shock…

Something else rose quietly.

A strange calm.

A peace she hadn’t felt in days.

Her fingers lightly touched her neck where the heavy jewellery was gone.

She took a breath.

Slow.

Steady.

Her cousins entered the room moments later.

“What just happened?” one of them whispered.

“Are you blushing?” another teased.

She shook her head slightly, but a faint smile escaped.

They laughed, pulling her gently. “Come, come… groom is waiting.”

She walked with them.

Step by step.

Her heart beating… but not in fear this time.

When she reached downstairs—

She saw him.

Sitting there.

In a suit.

Calm.

Composed.

Exactly like him.

She looked at him for a second and thought quietly—

Typical him.

No change.

No drama.

She walked forward and sat beside him.

Without a word.

But this time…

Her silence felt different.