Chapter 51 Pieces of Us

Veeresh stood there for a moment, watching her try to understand something she could not remember.

Then slowly, he reached into his pocket and took out his phone.

His fingers paused for a second on the screen.

Memories sat inside it.

Fragments of a life she had forgotten.

He opened the gallery and moved closer to her.

“Can I show you something?” he asked softly.

Poornima nodded.

He sat beside her carefully and turned the phone toward her.

The first picture.

Her.

In a cream saree.

Smiling slightly.

Looking straight at the camera.

He felt a small ache in his chest.

“She asked me to take good pictures,” he said quietly, almost to himself.

Poornima looked at the photo, her brows knitting slightly.

“That’s… me,” she said.

He nodded.

“Yes.”

He swiped to the next one.

Both of them together.

Standing close.

Her eyes softer.

His expression calmer.

Another.

And another.

Moments.

Smiles.

Silences captured in still frames.

Poornima kept looking at them, her fingers slightly tightening over the bedsheet.

“I don’t remember any of this,” she whispered.

“I know,” he said gently.

He didn’t rush.

Didn’t push.

He just stayed there.

Then he spoke again.

“Yes… I was engaged to your elder sister.”

Her eyes shifted to him.

“But she ran away,” he continued calmly.

“And… we got married.”

He didn’t look away from her.

Didn’t hide anything.

Poornima listened quietly.

There was no shock.

Just confusion.

And curiosity.

“How?” she asked softly.

Veeresh exhaled slowly.

And then…

He started.

Not everything at once.

Not overwhelming her.

Just… one piece at a time.

“You were angry,” he said, a faint, painful smile touching his lips. “Very angry.”

She looked at him, surprised.

“I slapped you,” he added.

Her eyes widened slightly.

“I did that?”

He nodded.

“Yes.”

A small silence passed.

Then he continued.

“You thought I ruined your life.”

Her gaze lowered slightly.

“And maybe… I did, at that time,” he admitted quietly.

“But you didn’t stay quiet.”

He looked at her.

“You fought me.”

That felt familiar to her somehow.

She didn’t say it.

But it showed in her eyes.

“You shouted… you told me your dreams… your pain…”

His voice softened.

“And I listened.”

He paused.

Watching her.

Making sure she was okay.

Then slowly, he went on.

“You made me salty tea.”

A faint smile appeared again.

“And spicy food… very spicy.”

Poornima blinked, confused but slightly amused.

“And then?” she asked.

He looked at her for a moment.

Then said softly,

“You felt bad.”

A pause.

“And you kissed me.”

Her breath caught slightly.

Even without memory…

That felt different.

He didn’t say more about it.

He just let it stay there.

Simple.

Gentle.

He continued again.

“You started caring,” he said. “Even when you said you hated me.”

Poornima listened quietly.

“You trusted me,” he added.

His voice dropped slightly.

“That mattered the most.”

Another picture appeared on the screen.

Her smiling brightly.

Holding something.

“The gift,” he said.

“You liked it a lot.”

She looked at it closely.

There was something in her expression.

Not recognition.

But connection.

As if she wanted to remember.

As if something inside her was trying.

Veeresh noticed it.

And for the first time since everything happened…

There was a small hope.

He didn’t rush her.

Didn’t force anything.

He just sat beside her.

Showing her pieces.

Telling her slowly.

Giving her time.

Because even if she didn’t remember…

He would remind her.

Gently.

Patiently.

Until one day…

Maybe…

She would remember him again.