Chapter 35

The door of the penthouse opened slowly.

Poornima stepped inside, her eyes taking in the space.

Clean. Sharp. Minimal.

Everything in its place.

She turned slightly, looking at him.

“Your house is also like you, gadha.”

Veeresh smiled.

“Perfect?”

She gave him a look.

“Controlling.”

He let out a quiet chuckle, closing the door behind them.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then his expression shifted.

Serious.

“I want to tell you something.”

She walked further in, placing her bag down.

“Go ahead.”

He didn’t sit.

Didn’t delay.

“I’m a businessman,” he said. “VR Group.”

She turned toward him.

“This college…” he continued, “belongs to my step siblings.”

A pause.

“I teach here for a reason.”

Her brows drew slightly.

“Spy?” she asked.

He didn’t deny it.

“Yes.”

Silence.

Not heavy.

Just processing.

“I’ll make you meet my family,” he added.

Poornima watched him quietly.

Then something crossed her mind.

“You told me about your sister’s baby,” she said. “Where is the child?”

“With my cousin,” he replied.

She frowned slightly.

“Not with you?”

He shook his head.

“No.”

A pause stretched between them.

She looked at him for a long second.

Then exhaled.

“Don’t tell me more,” she said.

He blinked slightly.

“I thought I was messed up,” she added, a faint, tired smile on her lips.

Then she looked straight at him.

“But we both are.”

There was no judgment in her voice.

No disappointment.

Just acceptance.

Raw.

Real.

Veeresh didn’t respond immediately.

He just looked at her.

Because in that one sentence—

She hadn’t stepped away.

She had stepped closer.

And somehow—

That meant more than anything else.