Chapter 7 — The First Morning

The next morning, Poornima slowly opened her eyes.

For a few seconds, she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling before remembering where she was.

The wedding.

The Qureshi residence.

Veeresh.

Her expression immediately became dull.

She sat up quietly and looked around the room.

Veeresh was not there.

The other side of the bed had never been touched.

Poornima frowned slightly.

She got up and walked toward the bathroom to freshen up.

Meanwhile, Veeresh had spent the night in his study.

He had deliberately avoided sleeping in the bedroom because he did not want Poornima to feel uncomfortable around him after everything that had happened.

After freshening up, Poornima returned to the bedroom and opened the wardrobe.

She stared at the rows of clothes inside.

Her eyes eventually fell on a saree.

She took it out.

She had worn sarees before, but only a few times, and she had never been particularly good at draping them.

Still, she had no intention of asking anyone for help.

After struggling with the saree for several minutes, she finally managed to wrap it around herself.

Unfortunately, the pleats were uneven, the pallu kept slipping from her shoulder, and the entire saree looked as though it might come undone at any moment.

Poornima looked at herself in the mirror.

She sighed.

Poornima: "Perfect. Just perfect."

She adjusted the pallu one more time and left the room.

She slowly made her way downstairs.

The house was already beginning to wake up.

A few members of the family were sitting in the living room, while the servants moved around preparing breakfast.

Poornima kept her eyes lowered as she walked toward the dining area.

At that exact moment, Veeresh came down the stairs from the opposite side.

He had changed into a crisp shirt and trousers, his expression as unreadable as ever.

His eyes immediately fell on Poornima.

He stopped.

His gaze moved over her saree.

The loose pleats.

The slipping pallu.

The uneven drape.

His eyebrows drew together.

Veeresh: "If you don't know how to wear a saree properly, then don't wear one."

Poornima's eyes immediately snapped toward him.

She looked down at herself and then back at him.

Her irritation from the previous day returned instantly.

Poornima: "You should have married someone who knew how to wear one."

Veeresh stared at her.

Poornima folded her arms carefully, trying not to disturb the saree any further.

Poornima: "I don't know how to wear a saree. What do you expect me to do?"

Veeresh looked at her for a moment.

Then he walked toward her.

Poornima took a small step back.

Poornima: "What?"

Without answering, Veeresh turned around.

Veeresh: "Come with me."

Poornima frowned.

Poornima: "Where?"

Veeresh: "My room."

Her eyes widened.

Before she could say anything, Veeresh started walking upstairs.

Poornima reluctantly followed him.

Neither of them noticed that Mrs. Qureshi had just stepped out into the corridor.

She watched Veeresh take Poornima upstairs toward their room.

A small smile appeared on her face.

She quietly shook her head.

Mrs. Qureshi: "These two..."

Inside the room, Veeresh closed the door.

Poornima immediately looked suspiciously at him.

Poornima: "Why did you bring me here?"

Veeresh pointed toward the mirror.

Veeresh: "Stand there."

Poornima looked at him as though he had lost his mind.

Poornima: "Why?"

Veeresh: "Your saree is coming undone."

Poornima looked down.

The pallu had slipped almost completely from her shoulder.

She quickly grabbed it.

Poornima: "I know."

Veeresh sighed.

Veeresh: "Then why didn't you fix it?"

Poornima glared at him.

Poornima: "Because I don't know how."

Veeresh looked at her.

Veeresh: "Exactly."

Poornima's eyes narrowed.

Poornima: "Don't start."

Veeresh walked toward her.

Veeresh: "Turn around."

Poornima immediately stepped back.

Poornima: "What?"

Veeresh: "I am going to fix the pleats."

She stared at him suspiciously.

Poornima: "You know how to do that?"

Veeresh: "Obviously."

Poornima rolled her eyes.

Poornima: "Of course you do. You probably know everything."

Veeresh ignored the comment.

He carefully gathered the loose pleats of the saree and began arranging them properly.

Poornima stood stiffly, watching him through the mirror.

After a few seconds, she spoke.

Poornima: "How do you even know how to do this?"

Veeresh continued fixing the pleats.

Veeresh: "It's not difficult."

Poornima looked at his reflection.

Poornima: "For you, maybe."

He adjusted the pleats again.

Poornima suddenly frowned.

Poornima: "Wait."

Veeresh looked at her through the mirror.

Veeresh: "What?"

Poornima gave him a suspicious look.

Poornima: "For how many women have you done this?"

Veeresh's hands stopped.

He slowly looked at her.

Poornima immediately realized how the question sounded but decided not to take it back.

Poornima: "I am just asking."

Veeresh stared at her for a few seconds.

Veeresh: "No one."

Poornima raised an eyebrow.

Poornima: "Really?"

Veeresh: "Really."

Poornima: "Then how do you know?"

Veeresh calmly returned to fixing the saree.

Veeresh: "I have sisters and relatives. I have seen it being done."

Poornima remained quiet for a moment.

Then she muttered under her breath.

Poornima: "I don't trust politicians."

Veeresh looked at her.

Veeresh: "What did you say?"

Poornima turned toward him.

Poornima: "I said I hate politics."

Veeresh's expression remained unchanged.

Poornima: "And yet somehow I ended up married into a political family."

She gave him an annoyed look.

Poornima: "My life is a joke."

Veeresh finished arranging the pleats and carefully fixed the pallu over her shoulder.

Veeresh: "Your life is not a joke."

Poornima looked at him through the mirror.

For a moment, their eyes met.

There was something different in his voice.

It wasn't cold.

It wasn't commanding.

It was quiet.

Serious.

Poornima looked away first.

Veeresh stepped back and examined the saree.

Veeresh: "Now it will stay."

Poornima looked down at herself.

The saree was finally properly arranged.

She touched the pleats carefully.

Poornima: "Thank you."

Veeresh nodded.

Poornima looked at him again.

A small, almost teasing expression appeared on her face.

Poornima: "But I'm still suspicious."

Veeresh frowned.

Veeresh: "About what?"

Poornima: "About your saree-tying skills."

Veeresh stared at her.

Poornima tried to suppress a smile.

Poornima: "I still want to know how many women you've helped before me."

Veeresh shook his head.

Veeresh: "You ask too many questions."

Poornima crossed her arms.

Poornima: "And you give too few answers."

That silenced him.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Then Poornima looked at him seriously.

Poornima: "You know, Veeresh, you could have just told me how to wear it."

Veeresh looked at her.

Veeresh: "You wouldn't have listened."

Poornima stared at him.

Then, despite herself, a tiny smile appeared on her face.

Poornima: "Maybe."

Veeresh noticed the smile.

He said nothing.

But for the first time since their wedding, the room did not feel completely cold.