Chapter 28: Veeresh Takes a Stand

After lunch, everyone gathered in the living room.

Raghav and Devraj were discussing business while Shirisha was busy with the twins.

Poornima went to the kitchen to help her mother.

Veeresh quietly excused himself.

Veeresh: "Appa, I'll be back in a minute."

Raghav: "Sure, beta."

Veeresh walked upstairs to look around the house he had visited many times during school and college.

As he turned into the corridor, he heard two familiar voices.

It was Riya and Aaravi.

They hadn't noticed him.

Riya: "Now that Poornima is married, she'll keep coming here."

Aaravi: "Of course."

"After all, she's also a daughter of this house."

Riya sighed.

Riya: "And if she keeps coming, tomorrow people will start talking about her share in the Rathore property."

Aaravi nodded.

Aaravi: "Exactly."

"Who knows what might happen in the future?"

Veeresh calmly walked towards them.

Both women fell silent.

Veeresh: "I see..."

"So both of you have a problem with my wife."

Neither answered.

Veeresh folded his arms.

Veeresh: "Why?"

Riya spoke first.

Riya: "She also has rights over this property."

"We're only thinking about the future."

Aaravi added,

Aaravi: "Yes."

"If she keeps coming here after marriage, people may misunderstand."

Veeresh looked at both of them for a moment.

Then he laughed.

A calm, confident laugh.

Veeresh: "You think my Chudail is after property?"

He shook his head.

Veeresh: "Do you even know her?"

"She has built a successful business with her own hard work."

"She owns multiple dessert shops across Jaipur."

"She earns with her talent."

He looked directly at them.

Veeresh: "She doesn't need anyone's property."

His voice became firmer.

Veeresh: "And as for coming to the Rathore Mansion..."

"This is her parents' home."

"She has every right to come here for as long as her parents are alive."

He paused.

"The day Appa and Amma tell her not to come..."

"I'll personally make sure she never steps into this house again."

"But until that day..."

"No one has the right to question her presence here."

The corridor fell silent.

Veeresh took one step closer.

Veeresh: "One more thing."

"If I ever hear either of you speaking badly about my wife..."

His voice remained calm, but there was unmistakable authority in it.

Veeresh: "...it won't be good."

"I respect both of you because you're her sisters-in-law."

"So I'm asking you respectfully."

"Give my wife the respect she deserves."

Neither Riya nor Aaravi could say a word.

Unknown to Veeresh...

At the far end of the corridor, Poornima had stopped after coming upstairs to look for him.

She had heard every word.

Standing beside her were Raghav and Shirisha, who had also arrived just in time to witness the conversation.

Poornima's eyes became moist.

She had expected Veeresh to stay silent.

Instead...

He had stood up for her without hesitation.

Raghav looked at his son-in-law with quiet pride.

He whispered to Shirisha,

Raghav: "I knew I had chosen the right man for our daughter."

Shirisha smiled through her tears.

Shirisha: "He didn't just marry Poornima..."

"He accepted the responsibility of protecting her dignity too."

Neither of them stepped forward.

They quietly turned back, leaving Veeresh unaware that his words had already reached the three people who mattered most.