Chapter 81: The Words That Broke Her

The soft beeping of the monitor continued.

Poornima had not moved from Veeresh's side.

Her fingers were still wrapped around his hand.

Suddenly...

She felt his fingers move.

Her eyes widened.

"Veer..."

His eyelids slowly fluttered open.

The bright hospital lights made him squint for a moment.

He looked around weakly before his gaze finally rested on her.

A smile of relief spread across Poornima's tear-stained face.

Poornima: "Veer..."

She immediately pressed the nurse call button.

Poornima: "You're awake."

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

She gently cupped his face.

Poornima: "You scared all of us."

Veeresh looked at her silently.

He could see the sleeplessness in her eyes.

The tears.

The fear.

He looked away.

His voice was weak.

Veeresh: "Poornima..."

She smiled.

Poornima: "Hmm?"

There was a long silence.

Then he spoke.

Veeresh: "Let's get divorced."

Her smile disappeared instantly.

She stared at him, unable to understand what she had heard.

"...What?"

He kept looking at the ceiling.

His voice remained calm.

Veeresh: "I don't want to become a burden."

Poornima blinked.

She thought she had misunderstood.

Poornima: "Veer..."

He continued before she could stop him.

Veeresh: "My health..."

He closed his eyes.

Veeresh: "You saw what happened today."

His voice carried guilt more than fear.

Veeresh: "I forgot my medicines."

Veeresh: "I ignored my body."

Veeresh: "Today it was a collapse."

He swallowed hard.

Veeresh: "Tomorrow..."

He couldn't finish the sentence.

A tear escaped from the corner of his eye.

Veeresh: "I don't want you spending your life looking after a man who keeps falling apart."

Poornima stood frozen.

He forced himself to continue.

Veeresh: "You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

His voice trembled.

Veeresh: "Not just to me..."

"...to my children too."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

Veeresh: "You gave them a mother."

Veeresh: "You gave me peace."

He looked at her for the first time.

His eyes were full of love.

Veeresh: "You're my home, Poons."

Another tear slipped down his cheek.

Veeresh: "That's why..."

He took a shaky breath.

Veeresh: "...let us end this before I become your responsibility."

The room became unbearably quiet.

Poornima's eyes filled with disbelief.

She slowly shook her head.

Poornima: "Are you..."

Her voice cracked.

Poornima: "...are you really saying this?"

Veeresh couldn't bear to look at her.

He slowly turned onto his side, facing away from her.

After several painful seconds...

He answered.

Very softly.

Veeresh: "Yes."

That one word shattered the silence.

Poornima stood there, unable to move.

Moments ago she had been thanking God that he had opened his eyes.

Now...

His first words after waking had broken her heart in a way she had never imagined.