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My body trembles with fury. I want to scream at him, tell him how wrong he is. How dare he play these games with me? But before I can lash out, Veer shifts in his arms, his tiny fingers reaching out for me, his little body instinctively turning toward me. He’s hungry. His soft whimper pulls me back, grounding me in the moment.

Without another word, I step forward and gently take Veer from Vishnu, who doesn’t resist. I feel his eyes on me as I cradle our son, pressing soft kisses all over Veer’s face. The warmth of my son in my arms feels like the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

I glance back at Vishnu, my eyes burning with unshed tears and anger. His expression remains unreadable, but the tension in the air is thick and suffocating.

Turning sharply, I march toward the door, my footsteps heavy, with Veer nestled safely in my arms. I know Vishnu is not going to relent this time. He has made up his mind to live under the same roof as his son, and I have to abide by it. I’ve already kept the two apart for long, and probably this shift now is inevitable.

When I return to my apartment, I tell Claire about Vishnu shifting in here. Living with us.

“He’s going to move in, Claire,” I say with a steady voice. “He wants to be here and spend time with Veer throughout, and I... I couldn’t deny him that.”

Claire raises her eyebrows, not in surprise, but with a sort of quiet understanding.

“You did the right thing, Simran,” she says, her voice soothing. “Veer deserves to have his father around.”

I nod, my chest tightening.

“Yeah... I know.” My words feel hollow, echoing the confusion and uncertainty swirling in my head. “Can you get the guest room ready for him? He’ll need a place to stay.”

Claire gives me a sympathetic smile.

“Of course.” She takes a step closer, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You’ve been stressing too much lately. Don’t worry. Things will work out now. They’ll be okay.”

Okay? What does okay even mean at this point? I don’t say it out loud, but I take a deep breath, trying to process everything. How will things be okay when Vishnu’s anger still feels like a storm ready to destroy everything? He may be moving in, but I know better than to think that’s a sign of reconciliation. He’s doing this for Veer, not me. And that... that stings more than I care to admit.

I lean back against the counter, running my fingers through my hair. There are too many questions, too many uncertainties in my mind. How long is Vishnu planning to stay here? He’s here to protect me, to find the source of the threat looming over me, but what happens after he’s done with it? Will he still leave in two weeks like he planned? He has a career waiting for him back in India as the president of the NEP Party.

And what about his family? When will they find out about Veer? Especially Meher... my best friend, and his sister. I shudder at the thought of Meher’s reaction. She is not going to be happy knowing I hid such a crucial fact from her. In fact, no one from the Walia family is ever going to takemy deceitlightly. Veer belongs to them as much as he belongs to me. I’d robbed that right from them for months, and they won’t forgive me for that. The weight of it all presses down on me, making it hard to breathe.

But I can’t dwell on that right now. Right now, I have to focus on one thing—Veer. I have to keep it together for my son.

“I’ll go feed Veer his breakfast,” I tell Claire, shaking off the haze of panic creeping in.

Claire nods and heads to prepare the guest room, leaving me to tend to my baby boy.

I head to the kitchen, preparing his morning meal—steamed and mashed apple with some porridge. It’s simple, but he loves it. As I mix the food in his little bowl, my mind drifts to Vishnu again, but I try to push the thoughts away.

As I feed Veer, his tiny hands reach out for me, and despite everything, a smile tugs at my lips. This is what matters—his wide, innocent eyes staring at me, completely oblivious to the turmoil swirling around him. He’s my world, and I can’t afford to crumble now.

Once he’s done with his food, I clean him up and quickly start getting ready for work. I know Vishnu has already instructed Abhay to stop me from leaving the house, to keep me under some twisted form of house arrest, but I’m not letting that happen. I have a life to live, a business to run. Vishnu may want to punish me for my choices, but I won’t be trapped in my own home. I brace myself, mentally preparing for the fight I know is coming.

*****************

A while later

I slip on my heels and give Veer a gentle kiss on his forehead as he sleeps soundly. Whispering a quick goodbye to Claire, I pull open the door. But instead of heading straight for the elevator, knowing Vishnu’s guards would stop me before I even press the elevator button, I turn and cross the hall to the apartment Vishnu has rented across from mine.

As I step inside, I spot Vishnu and Abhay bent over a laptop, their expressions serious. The moment I enter, both of them look up, but it’s Vishnu who reacts first.

“You’re not allowed to head out, Simran. I made that very clear yesterday,” he says, his voice dripping with authority.

I fold my arms across my chest, matching his gaze with equal resolve.

“I’m not here to ask your permission, Vishnu. I have a business to run, and I’m leaving for work. You can send Abhay if you’re so concerned, or I can drive alone. Your choice.”

I turn on my heel, ready to leave, but in a flash, Vishnu is on his feet, gripping my arm and pulling me back to him with a force that has me stumbling against his chest. Our bodies collide, our breaths mingling as his fingers tighten around my wrist.

Without a word, Abhay quietly exits the room, giving us the privacy to face each other alone. Vishnu’s silence is almost deafening, his breath coming in short, hard bursts as he stares down at me.