Chapter 7 — Forget Tonight

Veeresh’s eyes stayed on her as she grabbed his collar tightly, her fingers trembling slightly despite the boldness in her voice.

“Why?” he asked quietly.

Poornima laughed once, but it sounded broken.

“I need to forget everything.”

Her grip on him tightened more.

“My name. My family. My status. Everything.” Her voice lowered. “I want to be blank tonight.”

Veeresh didn’t interrupt.

For the first time since entering his penthouse, the arrogance in her eyes cracked enough for him to see the exhaustion beneath it.

“I don’t want to remember anything,” she whispered. “Just make me forget everything today… however you want.”

The room fell silent.

“Nobody will search for me tonight,” she continued softly. “And I know no one can touch me or trace me here.”

Her eyes locked onto his.

“So tell me, Salvatore Dreewan…” she murmured, almost challenging him now. “Is it possible or not?”

Veeresh stared at her for a long moment.

He had seen fear.

Seen greed.

Seen obsession.

But this?

This was a woman standing on the edge of emotional collapse, asking him for one night of silence from the world that had never loved her properly.

Slowly, Veeresh removed her hand from his collar, but instead of pushing her away, his fingers remained wrapped around hers.

“You think forgetting is easy?” he asked darkly.

“No.”

“Then why ask me?”

“Because monsters understand broken people better than saints do.”

That answer hit harder than she realized.

Veeresh exhaled slowly before lifting her chin gently, forcing her to look at him.

“You won’t leave tonight,” he said calmly. “And nobody will touch you while you’re here.”

Poornima’s eyes softened slightly.

“But,” Veeresh continued, his voice turning dangerously quiet, “tomorrow morning, when this night ends, you don’t get to pretend you didn’t walk willingly into the devil’s house.”