Chapter 23 – Trust

The night had become quiet.

Poornima and Veeresh were lying on opposite sides of the bed, the room dimly lit by the soft light coming through the curtains.

For a long time, neither of them spoke.

Then Veeresh's voice broke the silence.

Veeresh: "Poons..."

Poornima turned toward him.

Poornima: "Hmm?"

Veeresh looked at the ceiling for a moment before speaking.

Veeresh: "Are you acting?"

Poornima frowned.

Poornima: "Acting?"

Veeresh: "All of this. The way you behave. The way you are with me. You don't have to do it if you don't want to."

She looked at him carefully.

Poornima: "Veer, why do you feel like that?"

Veeresh was silent.

Veeresh: "I don't know."

His voice was quieter now.

Veeresh: "I just don't understand it."

Poornima's expression softened.

Poornima: "I'm not acting."

Veeresh looked at her.

Poornima: "This is how I am."

She smiled faintly.

Poornima: "Rahul used to tease me all the time because I'm very particular about things."

Veeresh listened.

Poornima: "I like my things organized. I like knowing where everything is. And honestly, I prefer smaller places."

She looked around the bedroom.

Poornima: "That's why I asked for the penthouse. Not because I was trying to impress you or pretend to be someone I'm not."

Veeresh remained quiet.

Poornima: "I just feel comfortable that way."

She paused.

Poornima: "And how long do you think a person can act, Veer?"

He looked at her.

Poornima: "A day? A month? Maybe even a year?"

She smiled sadly.

Poornima: "But eventually, the real person comes out."

Veeresh looked away.

Poornima: "I'm not trying to prove anything to you."

For a few seconds, there was silence.

Then Veeresh spoke honestly.

Veeresh: "I don't know."

Poornima: "What?"

Veeresh: "How to trust you."

His words were blunt, but there was no anger in them.

Veeresh: "Trusting someone isn't easy for me."

Poornima looked at him.

She understood there was something behind those words.

Poornima: "I'm the same."

Veeresh turned toward her.

Poornima: "You think I don't have reasons to be careful?"

She looked down at her hands.

Poornima: "I trusted someone once. I gave everything to that relationship."

She didn't elaborate.

She didn't need to.

Veeresh knew about her past.

Poornima: "So yes, I'm also scared."

She looked at him again.

Poornima: "But trying isn't a bad thing, Veer."

He remained silent.

Poornima: "We don't have to trust each other completely tomorrow."

She smiled softly.

Poornima: "We can take time."

Veeresh watched her.

Poornima: "You can try to understand me."

She paused.

Poornima: "And I'll try to understand you."

For the first time that night, Veeresh's expression softened.

Veeresh: "Okay."

Poornima smiled.

Poornima: "Okay."

They turned back toward their respective sides of the bed.

Neither had solved everything.

Neither had suddenly learned to trust the other.

But something important had changed.

For the first time, they had spoken honestly.

And perhaps that was where trust truly began.