Chapter 10 – Old Wounds

Veeresh picked up his phone again.

Poornima glanced at the screen.

He was ordering a stronger painkiller for his back.

She finally lost her patience.

Walking up to him, she took a deep breath.

Poornima: "Will you stop this?"

Veeresh didn't even look up.

Veeresh: "Go read your book. Don't disturb me."

She folded her arms.

Poornima: "If you order one more thing—"

He cut her off.

Veeresh: "I will."

He looked straight at her.

Veeresh: "I'll order lunch too because I don't want to eat what you made."

His voice grew sharper.

Veeresh: "You know very well I don't like poha... yet you made it."

Poornima stared at him in disbelief.

Poornima: "Asshole, Veeresh! I didn't prepare it."

For the first time that morning, he paused.

She continued,

Poornima: "Your mother and my mother made breakfast. I wasn't even in the kitchen."

Veeresh looked away for a moment.

Then, stubborn as ever, he muttered,

Veeresh: "Don't act, Poons."

The old nickname slipped out naturally, making both of them fall silent for a second.

Ignoring it, he continued in a colder tone.

Veeresh: "I can take care of myself."

Poornima's expression softened.

Poornima: "Then why are you pushing everyone away?"

Veeresh let out a bitter laugh.

His eyes met hers.

Veeresh: "Now why the concern?"

His voice carried years of hurt.

Veeresh: "When I needed you... you weren't there."

The words hit Poornima like a blow.

She opened her mouth to answer, but no words came.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Between them stood not just anger, but fifteen years of misunderstandings, silence, and pain that neither had ever truly faced.