Chapter 40 — The Silence That Hurt More

Poornima sat quietly in her room with Bubba in her arms.

Noor was playing with the edge of her dupatta, completely unaware of the thoughts running through Poornima's mind.

Six months.

That was what Poornima had asked for.

Six months to live by herself.

Six months to understand what she wanted.

Six months to decide whether she wanted to remain married to Veeresh or finally walk away.

She looked down at Noor.

Poornima: "Bubba... can I really live alone?"

Noor looked at her with innocent eyes.

Poornima smiled faintly.

Poornima: "I think I can."

She paused.

Poornima: "Maybe I can think better when I'm away from everyone."

But then another thought came.

She could probably think even while staying here.

She could study.

She could work.

She could build her career.

She could spend time with Noor.

She didn't necessarily need to leave the house just to understand herself.

But then she remembered him.

Veeresh.

Her expression immediately changed.

Poornima: "But your asshole appa hurt me very badly."

Her fingers gently moved through Noor's hair.

The memory of that slap still hadn't disappeared.

A year had passed.

Yet sometimes she could still remember the shock of it.

Her father's face came to her mind.

Her father had never raised his hand on her.

Not once.

And Veeresh had.

What hurt even more was what happened afterward.

He had apologized, but not properly—not in the way she had needed.

He hadn't come to her repeatedly.

He hadn't tried to convince her.

He hadn't asked her to forgive him.

He hadn't even tried to make excuses.

Instead, he had simply given her distance.

For an entire year.

Poornima looked toward the window.

Poornima: "He didn't even come and convince me."

She swallowed.

Poornima: "He didn't fight for me."

Her voice became softer.

Poornima: "I thought he would at least say no when I asked for space."

She remembered that conversation.

She had told him she needed time.

She had expected him to argue.

She had expected him to ask her to stay.

She had expected him to tell her that he didn't want to lose her.

But Veeresh had simply listened.

And then he had agreed.

Nothing more.

Poornima: "He just said nothing."

She looked down at Bubba again.

Poornima: "I told him I needed space, and he didn't even try to convince me."

A tear rolled down her cheek.

Poornima: "He didn't say no."

She wiped it away quickly.

Then another memory came back.

Their anniversary.

Neither of them had wished the other.

Not even a simple message.

Poornima had secretly waited that morning.

Just a little.

She had checked her phone.

Nothing.

She had waited until afternoon.

Nothing.

By evening, she had stopped expecting anything.

She hadn't wished him either.

But somewhere inside, she had wanted him to remember.

She wanted him to say something.

Anything.

Poornima: "Even our anniversary..."

She sighed.

Poornima: "He didn't wish me."

Noor reached up and touched her cheek.

Poornima smiled sadly.

Poornima: "I hate him, Bubba."

Noor made a small sound.

Poornima hugged her closer.

Poornima: "I hate him for hurting me."

She closed her eyes.

But beneath the anger was something she didn't want to admit.

His silence had hurt too.

She had spent a year believing that Veeresh would eventually come and ask her to stay.

He never did.

Maybe he had finally understood that she needed freedom.

Maybe he was respecting her.

Or maybe...

Maybe he simply didn't want her enough to fight for her.

That thought hurt the most.

Poornima looked at Noor.

Poornima: "He didn't stop me, Bubba."

Her voice trembled.

Poornima: "He didn't even say, 'Don't go.'"

She hugged Noor tightly.

Poornima: "So what am I supposed to think?"

Noor rested quietly against her.

Poornima looked toward the closed door.

For the first time, she wondered whether Veeresh's silence was actually his way of loving her...

or whether it meant he had finally learned to let her go.

She didn't know.

And that uncertainty was exactly why she needed those six months.