Chapter 9 – Still Knowing Him

The house, which had been full of laughter just an hour ago, had suddenly become quiet.

Everyone had left for wedding shopping.

Only Poornima and Veeresh remained at home.

Poornima was sitting in the living room with a book in her lap, though she wasn't really reading it.

A few minutes later, Veeresh came downstairs.

Without saying a word, he walked into the kitchen.

She quietly watched him from the living room.

He switched on the stove and prepared himself a cup of tea.

As he took the first sip, he muttered to himself,

Veeresh: "No breakfast too... I don't eat poha. Everyone knows that... still."

He shook his head.

Picking up his phone, he ordered khichdi.

Within a short while, it was delivered.

He took the bowl, sat at the dining table, and slowly started eating.

Poornima watched everything from where she was sitting.

Inside her mind, the complaints began.

"Asshole..."

"He won't tell anyone he's in pain."

"Can't he even ask if I wanted tea?"

"He ordered khichdi... couldn't he just tell me? I would have made it in ten minutes."

"No... Mr. Ego will order food instead."

"Such an egoistic man."

She looked away, pretending she wasn't paying attention.

But the truth was...

She noticed everything.

Even after their divorce, she had quietly kept track of his life.

She knew that while living in New York City, he had stopped eating spicy food because of recurring acidity.

She knew he had switched from coffee to tea after his doctor advised him to reduce caffeine.

She knew he often skipped breakfast whenever he was stressed.

She even knew he still preferred simple meals like khichdi whenever his back hurt or he wasn't feeling well.

She had never asked him directly.

She had simply learned these things over the years through Aradhya, Rudra, and the occasional updates she heard from family.

Looking at him now, eating alone at the dining table, she sighed silently.

"You still don't know how to ask for help, do you, Veer?"

Across the room, Veeresh finished his tea without looking in her direction.

Neither of them spoke.

Yet both of them knew the other was watching.