Chapter 27: The Truth She Carried Alone

Poornima’s breath broke before her words did.

Her fingers clutched his shirt tightly, as if letting go would make everything fall apart again.

“Veer…” her voice trembled, and then she broke.

Tears fell freely as she spoke.

“It was a love marriage…”

He didn’t interrupt.

He didn’t move.

He just listened.

“We dated for two years,” she continued, her voice uneven. “He… he used to ask for physical intimacy… but I always said after marriage.”

Her grip tightened.

“I trusted him.”

A pause.

“I never knew he was cheating… behind me.”

Veeresh’s jaw clenched slightly, but he stayed silent.

“I told my parents about him,” she went on, wiping her tears but failing. “They took time… but they agreed… I introduced Pavan… they liked him…”

Her voice cracked.

“We got married simply…”

The words slowed.

“He wasn’t the same.”

Silence.

“He was… toxic,” she whispered.

Veeresh’s hand tightened slightly around hers.

“I couldn’t live with him… but I didn’t understand it at first.”

Her breathing grew heavier.

“He cheated on me… many times… and I didn’t even know.”

Tears kept falling.

“He would come to the hospital… watch me… if I spoke to any junior… even normally…”

She shook her head.

“He would question me… create scenes… accuse me…”

Her voice dropped.

“I stopped working.”

The words felt heavier than anything else she had said.

“I gave up my job… just to avoid fights.”

Her hands trembled now.

“He controlled everything… what I wore… where I went… who I spoke to…”

She closed her eyes tightly.

“If I didn’t listen… he would shout… break things… throw whatever was near…”

A tear slipped down her cheek again.

“Once…” she hesitated, her voice barely coming out.

“He locked me inside the room… for hours… because I answered a call from a colleague.”

Veeresh’s grip tightened instinctively.

“He would grab my arm… tightly… leave marks…”

She pulled her sleeve slightly, as if she could still feel it.

“Not always visible… but always there.”

Her voice broke completely now.

“I was scared… all the time.”

Silence filled the room.

“I thought marriage was like that… that I had to adjust…”

She laughed faintly through her tears.

“But it kept getting worse.”

Her eyes finally met his.

“I lost myself, Veer…”

The words hung in the air.

Raw.

Unfiltered.

True.