14-04-2026, 08:24 PM
Chapter 107: The Weight of the Room
Anandhi offered to carry Suriya’s bag the moment he stepped inside.
Rahul was still in deep sleep upstairs, unaware that the early morning bell had rung. Suriya hesitated for a second, then handed her the small suitcase. She led him quietly up the stairs to the room that had once been his.
The moment Suriya entered, he stopped at the threshold.
The room was spotlessly neat. Every single thing he had left behind — his clothes in the wardrobe, the books on the shelf, even the small photo frame of the children on the side table — was exactly where he had kept it a year ago. Nothing had been thrown away. Nothing had been moved.
He stood there, stunned.
“I thought you would have thrown all these away,” he said softly, voice thick with surprise.
Anandhi carefully placed the bag down and replied, her tone gentle but guarded, “We believed you would come back…”
Suriya turned to her, his eyes sharp. “We… or I?”
The single question hit Anandhi like a quiet accusation. It told her everything: Suriya never believed Rahul had wished for his comeback. He knew exactly who had wanted him gone.
She was instantly alarmed. Her heart raced. She forced a calm smile and said quickly, “Rest well. The kids are still sleeping. I will prepare breakfast for 8 AM.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
They could not speak further. Anandhi decided to turn and leave, but her body refused to move. For a few seconds, it felt as if their souls had stepped out of their bodies — like in a movie — and were standing in the middle of the room, drawn toward each other in a desperate, wordless hug and kiss. The pull was magnetic, heavy with years of suppressed longing, guilt, and pain.
They both felt it.
Suddenly, Anandhi withdrew from the intense eye contact, turned sharply, and walked back to her room without another word.
By 7 AM, Rahul woke up and found Anandhi already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.
He noticed the car parked outside and realised Suriya had already arrived.
“When did he come?” he asked, voice laced with unease.
“By 5 AM,” Anandhi replied softly. “You were in deep sleep.”
Rahul’s stomach tightened with fear. Why did I sleep at such an important time? What if he tried something with her?
He reluctantly went upstairs to Suriya’s room. Rohan and Riya were already there, laughing and playing with Suriya on the bed. The toys and boxes Suriya had brought were opened, colourful gifts scattered everywhere.
“When did they come here?” Rahul asked, trying to sound casual.
Rohan answered excitedly, “Daddy, Appa came in the morning! I woke up when I heard the calling bell. Soon Riya and I came here. He bought us so many toys!”
“Where is AaRa?” Rahul asked.
“AaRa is still sleeping. We didn’t touch the toys meant for her,” Rohan said innocently.
Suriya smiled and added lightly, “More than you, the kids missed me, the big dad.” He laughed softly.
Rahul forced a small smile. “I will shower and come. Let’s have breakfast and then go check the spot.”
They had a surprisingly good breakfast. Anandhi had made a special spread — soft dosas, fragrant sambar, cauliflower fry, and fresh chutney. She hadn’t cooked with this much care in a long time. It was her silent way of coping.
But Suriya seemed lost in business talks, discussing timelines and requirements with Rahul. He waited a few minutes after breakfast, hoping to see AaRa, but she usually woke up only around 10 AM.
Rahul said, “You can come back to see AaRa later. You’re going to stay here in town, right? In the hotel?”
Suriya nodded. “Yes, let me check her later... I’ll take my luggage now.”
Anandhi felt a pain, Aara's biological father waiting for her to wake up..
Then he turned to Anandhi and said, “I will vacate the room once the setup is done. Until then, let it be here. I cannot carry everything everywhere.”
Rahul and Anandhi felt a small stab of guilt when he said he would vacate.
Rahul decided in that moment to stop treating Suriya as a threat. He has moved on, he told himself. There’s no need to be alarmed anymore.
Anandhi felt a strange ease on the surface, but deep down, only one thought consumed her: she felt like falling at Suriya’s feet and begging for forgiveness for everything she had allowed to happen. But she couldn’t. Doing so would expose everything.
She stayed quiet, yet inside she whispered a million sorries to him.
Anandhi offered to carry Suriya’s bag the moment he stepped inside.
Rahul was still in deep sleep upstairs, unaware that the early morning bell had rung. Suriya hesitated for a second, then handed her the small suitcase. She led him quietly up the stairs to the room that had once been his.
The moment Suriya entered, he stopped at the threshold.
The room was spotlessly neat. Every single thing he had left behind — his clothes in the wardrobe, the books on the shelf, even the small photo frame of the children on the side table — was exactly where he had kept it a year ago. Nothing had been thrown away. Nothing had been moved.
He stood there, stunned.
“I thought you would have thrown all these away,” he said softly, voice thick with surprise.
Anandhi carefully placed the bag down and replied, her tone gentle but guarded, “We believed you would come back…”
Suriya turned to her, his eyes sharp. “We… or I?”
The single question hit Anandhi like a quiet accusation. It told her everything: Suriya never believed Rahul had wished for his comeback. He knew exactly who had wanted him gone.
She was instantly alarmed. Her heart raced. She forced a calm smile and said quickly, “Rest well. The kids are still sleeping. I will prepare breakfast for 8 AM.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
They could not speak further. Anandhi decided to turn and leave, but her body refused to move. For a few seconds, it felt as if their souls had stepped out of their bodies — like in a movie — and were standing in the middle of the room, drawn toward each other in a desperate, wordless hug and kiss. The pull was magnetic, heavy with years of suppressed longing, guilt, and pain.
They both felt it.
Suddenly, Anandhi withdrew from the intense eye contact, turned sharply, and walked back to her room without another word.
By 7 AM, Rahul woke up and found Anandhi already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.
He noticed the car parked outside and realised Suriya had already arrived.
“When did he come?” he asked, voice laced with unease.
“By 5 AM,” Anandhi replied softly. “You were in deep sleep.”
Rahul’s stomach tightened with fear. Why did I sleep at such an important time? What if he tried something with her?
He reluctantly went upstairs to Suriya’s room. Rohan and Riya were already there, laughing and playing with Suriya on the bed. The toys and boxes Suriya had brought were opened, colourful gifts scattered everywhere.
“When did they come here?” Rahul asked, trying to sound casual.
Rohan answered excitedly, “Daddy, Appa came in the morning! I woke up when I heard the calling bell. Soon Riya and I came here. He bought us so many toys!”
“Where is AaRa?” Rahul asked.
“AaRa is still sleeping. We didn’t touch the toys meant for her,” Rohan said innocently.
Suriya smiled and added lightly, “More than you, the kids missed me, the big dad.” He laughed softly.
Rahul forced a small smile. “I will shower and come. Let’s have breakfast and then go check the spot.”
They had a surprisingly good breakfast. Anandhi had made a special spread — soft dosas, fragrant sambar, cauliflower fry, and fresh chutney. She hadn’t cooked with this much care in a long time. It was her silent way of coping.
But Suriya seemed lost in business talks, discussing timelines and requirements with Rahul. He waited a few minutes after breakfast, hoping to see AaRa, but she usually woke up only around 10 AM.
Rahul said, “You can come back to see AaRa later. You’re going to stay here in town, right? In the hotel?”
Suriya nodded. “Yes, let me check her later... I’ll take my luggage now.”
Anandhi felt a pain, Aara's biological father waiting for her to wake up..
Then he turned to Anandhi and said, “I will vacate the room once the setup is done. Until then, let it be here. I cannot carry everything everywhere.”
Rahul and Anandhi felt a small stab of guilt when he said he would vacate.
Rahul decided in that moment to stop treating Suriya as a threat. He has moved on, he told himself. There’s no need to be alarmed anymore.
Anandhi felt a strange ease on the surface, but deep down, only one thought consumed her: she felt like falling at Suriya’s feet and begging for forgiveness for everything she had allowed to happen. But she couldn’t. Doing so would expose everything.
She stayed quiet, yet inside she whispered a million sorries to him.
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)