Minister's Possession

Chapter Fourteen

A week had passed since Veena had bared her soul to Vinaay, sharing the weight of her past, a burden she had carried for so long. In that time, their relationship had shifted in ways Veena could never have foreseen. The tension that once stood like an impenetrable wall between them was slowly dissolving, replaced by a gentle understanding that bloomed with each passing day.

Veena often found herself reflecting on her earlier doubts, feeling a pang of guilt for questioning Vinaay's intentions. She had doubted his sudden decision to marry her, suspecting his motives to be political—a desire for more recognition across the kingdom. One evening, while they sat together under the soft, golden glow of the lamps, she could no longer contain her remorse.

"I'm sorry, Vinaay," she had whispered, her voice barely above a murmur. "I'm sorry for doubting you, for thinking that maybe you married me for your own gain—to be more recognized across the kingdom."

Vinaay had looked at her, his gaze soft and filled with the gentleness that had come to define him in her eyes. Without a word, he drew her close, pulling her against his chest. His warmth seeped into her, soothing the storm of emotions that had built within her. For a moment, they stayed like that, hearts beating in a quiet rhythm, as if in tune with one another.

"It wasn't your mistake, Veena," he had whispered into her hair, his breath a gentle caress against her skin. "I'm just as responsible. I should have spoken to you, should have cleared your doubts. Instead, I left for the palace the very next day after our wedding, leaving you with unanswered questions."

His apology had taken her by surprise, and her heart swelled with a new tenderness for him—an affection that had been quietly growing, like a flower slowly opening to the sun. In that moment, Veena knew they were no longer just two people bound by duty and circumstance. They were becoming something more, something deeper and unspoken, a bond woven from shared vulnerabilities and newfound trust.

Now, sitting outside the cattle house, Veena smiled to herself, reflecting on how much had changed in the past week. Life had become more beautiful than she had ever imagined. Vinaay hadn't just healed her mind but had begun to mend the emotional scars she had carried for so long. As she thought about the people who had once made her believe that it was all her fault—that her suffering was a result of her own failures—Veena couldn't help but pity them. Their narrow views seemed so small now compared to the broader, more colorful world that Vinaay and Dadi had shown her.

It was as though she was seeing the world through new eyes, through the perspective they had opened up to her. Everything felt more vibrant, more full of possibility. And then, there was Vinaay's gaze, his warm embrace, the sweet nothings he murmured into her ear when they were alone—those were the moments that made her heart flutter, moments that were slowly teaching her to fall in love not just with him, but with herself again.

"Veena," Dadi's voice interrupted her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. The old woman joined her, settling beside her on the bench outside the cattle house. "Vinaay will take a few more hours to return. He has a lot of work to do in the fields, and I've also asked him to pick up some groceries on his way back."

Dadi sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose. "And while you're waiting for him, why don't you change out of those clothes? You reek of cow dung and soil. It's making me dizzy sitting next to you!"

Veena sniffed at her sleeve, and her face twisted in mild disgust. "I think you're right, Dadi. I need a bath."

"You think?" Dadi teased, though there was warmth in her voice. "And don't forget to wear what I've laid out for you in your room. I've had enough of your disobedience this past week. It's time you started listening to me."