Chapter 48: Distance That Hurt More Than Words

The next morning came, but it did not feel like a new day.

It felt like something unfinished was still hanging in the air.

Syed stood outside the school, holding Aryan’s hand as they waited.

Aryan looked quieter than usual, but he stayed close.

A car stopped nearby.

Veeresh stepped out.

His eyes immediately searched for Aryan.

And then for a moment, they met Syed’s.

Veeresh walked toward him, guilt clearly visible on his face.

“Paps…” he said softly. “I am sorry.”

Syed did not let him continue.

“Do not say that, beta,” he replied gently.

Veeresh shook his head.

“I really did not know she was alive,” he said, his voice heavy. “If I knew…”

Syed placed a hand on his shoulder.

“It is okay,” he said. “Things happen for a reason. What matters is how you solve it.”

He looked at him with calm strength.

“We are all together,” he added.

Those words stayed with Veeresh.

Before he could say anything more, Aryan saw him.

“Abbu!” he shouted and ran toward him.

Veeresh immediately bent down and picked him up, holding him tightly.

“I missed you,” Aryan said, his voice soft but full of emotion.

“I missed you too,” Veeresh replied, hugging him closer.

He pulled back slightly and asked,

“How is Mannat?”

Aryan’s face fell a little.

“Ammi cries every day,” he said.

Those words hit Veeresh hard.

But he did not show it fully.

“I will solve everything,” he said firmly. “Do not worry.”

Aryan nodded.

“Okay, Abbu.”

He went inside after that, turning back once to look at him.

Veeresh stood there for a moment longer, then left.

Meanwhile, in the house next door, Poornima sat quietly.

The room felt too empty.

Too silent.

She missed Aryan.

She missed Mannat.

But more than that…

She missed him.

Her hand slowly moved to her stomach.

A secret.

One she had wanted to tell Veeresh first.

A moment she had planned with happiness.

But now…

She could not.

Not like this.

Her eyes filled again.

But this time, she did not cry loudly.

She just sat there.

Holding onto something that no one else knew.

At the company, Veeresh was not himself.

Files were open in front of him, but he was not reading them.

Rayan stood near the desk, explaining something about the ongoing project.

“…and the investors are waiting for your confirmation,” he said.

No response.

“Sir?” he called again.

Veeresh snapped back slightly.

“Yes… what?”

Rayan paused.

“You are not listening.”

Veeresh leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment.

“I cannot focus,” he admitted.

That itself was rare.

He got up suddenly and walked toward the glass window.

The city moved as usual outside.

But inside him…

Nothing was steady.

He remembered Poornima’s voice.

Her calm trust.

The way she had kissed him even in that moment.

The way she walked away without blaming him.

He ran his hand through his hair.

Frustration.

Helplessness.

Anger.

All mixed together.

“I am losing control,” he muttered.

Rayan stepped closer carefully.

“Sir… you will fix this,” he said.

Veeresh looked at him.

But his voice came out quieter than usual.

“I do not care about anything right now,” he said. “Not the project. Not the deal.”

He paused.

“I just want my family back.”

And for the first time in a long while,

The man who controlled everything

Had nothing under his control.