𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑨: 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐞 - Yours With All My Heart

{01}•ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢ•

Anirudh

Bondita left for London. My Bondita left. She promised to return as a barrister, the first female lawyer in Tulsipur. And yet, her departure left a void in my heart.

I, Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, was just 18 when fate tied my life to hers. Not by choice, not by love, but because of a cruel twist of circumstances.

It was at my friend's wedding that I first saw her. Bondita Das-the younger sister of the bride. A little girl, barely 12, unconscious and completely unaware of the tragedy about to unfold. She was being forced to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather.

How could they?

I still remember the rage boiling in my veins. The helplessness. I fought to stop that wedding, but their traditions, their so-called "honor," shackled me.

Then fate intervened. The old man, her would-be husband, died on the spot-right there in the middle of the wedding. Relief coursed through me; I thought she was free.

But freedom was just an illusion.

They called her "unlucky." They cursed her existence. And their punishment for her? Death. They wanted to burn her alive, to turn her into a Sati, to sacrifice her life along with the dead man she never even knew.

I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let that happen.

The villagers demanded to know why I cared, why I was interfering. "Who is she to you?" they shouted.

Who was she?

No one. She was no one to me, but she was a child. A living, breathing human being. How could I stand by and let them destroy her life for nothing?

I did the only thing I could. I married her. Not out of love, not out of desire, but to save her life. She became my responsibility, my duty. But she was never my wife-not in the way people think. She was a child, my friend, my Bondita.

I promised her a dream-a life filled with possibilities. I gave her an education, made her the first girl to attend school in Tulsipur. I wanted her to become a barrister, to break the chains of traditions that had once bound her.

Then, I let her go.

I divorced her. Not because I didn't care, but because it was the right thing to do. She was too young to understand what marriage meant, and I didn't want her to bear that burden. I sent her away to London, away from the toxic traditions and cruel people. I thought I was protecting her.

But life is never that simple.

Her family took their revenge. They shattered my life. My father was beaten so badly he lost his sanity, and my uncle was framed and imprisoned. The pain they caused transformed me. What began as a bond of friendship ended in enmity, leaving me with nothing but hatred in my heart.

Now, after eight long years, Bondita has returned from London.

But I'm not the Anirudh she once knew. Time has turned me into a man of stone-cold, ruthless, and heartless. The man who once believed in fighting for justice is dead. I warned her to stay away, told her to keep her distance, but she didn't listen.

She crossed the line. She broke the rules. The fragile peace between Tulsipur and Krishnanagar shattered the moment she stepped foot here. And now, the village demands retribution.

What makes it worse is that she didn't come back as Bondita. No, she came back as Vaijayanthi, a stranger with a different face, a fake identity. She came back for me-to thaw my frozen heart, to understand the man I've become. But she didn't realize the danger she was walking into.

And now, she's going to be punished.

The same villagers I fought years ago are ready to make her pay. And me? I'm powerless. If I stand up for her now, I'll be betraying my family, my people.

Fuck.

I hate this. I hate myself. But above all, I hate that I still care. Because even if my heart is dead, even if I've buried every emotion, there's one truth I can't escape.

Bondita will always be mine.

♡

Today is the hardest day of my life. Because of me, she's facing all of this... Yes, it's all my fault. I know, Bondita, you're innocent. You didn't come here with any ill intent. You just came... And now, everyone is punishing my 'Sakhi,' who was once my wife, my everything-my 'Barrister Babu Bondita.'

I swear, Bondita, I wanted to see you reach the highest heights. You were everything to me... and maybe you still are! You were my responsibility, but over time, our relationship became something special, unique, unlike any other. But how can I forget? Because of your family, my family suffered so much-so many lives lost. My father's condition today is solely because of your family. How can I forget that, Bondita? I know it's not your fault, but what can I do? What can I do, Bondita?

Anirudh was lost in his thoughts when the villagers from both communities gathered around. Snapping back to reality, he saw Bondita sitting before him, her eyes brimming with tears and hope, trusting that her Sakha Babu would never misunderstand her. As they locked eyes, they struggled to grasp each other's emotions, silently communicating the turmoil they both felt.

AUTHOR POV:

After a while, the Roy Chowdhurys began presenting their evidence against Bondita. They accused her of infiltrating Roy Chowdhury Haveli under the guise of Vaijayanti and orchestrating an attack on their family. Meanwhile, Chandrachur fabricated false proofs in an attempt to exonerate her.

However, Bondita vehemently rejected all accusations. With unwavering conviction, she stated, "Yes, it is true that I went to Roy Chowdhury Haveli. But I did not go there as a spy; rather, I went to end the enmity between our villages. I went to meet someone, to understand their heart, to feel their heartbeat, to speak the words of my heart. And to prove this, I do not need any evidence. I only need to hear the testimony of one person..."

The leader of Tulsipur interjected, "Whose testimony do you need to hear?"

Bondita walked over to where Anirudh was sitting, his emotions barely restrained. "I want to know from him," she continued, "what he thinks of me-whether he considers me a friend or a foe."

Anirudh remained silent, grappling with conflicting emotions, hiding his eyes and his inner turmoil. He yearned to proclaim to everyone that Bondita was innocent, that she had never harbored any malicious intent. But the weight of their shared history held him back.

As Bondita persistently posed the same question, Anirudh's silence perplexed her. Finally, she smiled through tear-filled eyes and took a step back. "Sakha Babu, there's no need for you to say anything now. Your silence has spoken volumes. Your silence has conveyed, like everyone else's, that you too perceive me as guilty... as a deceiver, an enemy..."

Bondita took a deep breath. "So listen, Mukhiya ji... yes, I stand guilty in the eyes of Tulsipur. I went to Roy Chowdhury Haveli as Vaijayanti, driven by feelings of animosity. Yes, I went there as an enemy, as a spy... and I accept every punishment that Tulsipur imposes upon me..."

Anirudh's heart shattered into countless pieces as Bondita spoke those words. Seeing her brokenness mirrored his own pain. He longed to embrace her tightly and release all his pent-up emotions. But he couldn't. "No, Bondita. What you're thinking is not true. It's not like that at all. Your Sakha Babu is helpless," Anirudh thought desperately. "I can never betray my village and my family. Never!"

The leader of Tulsipur intervened, "So, now that Bondita ji has admitted her guilt herself, it is proven that she went to Roy Chowdhury Haveli as an enemy... According to our rules, Bondita ji will be given the strictest punishment. Now, it's up to the Roy Chowdhury family to decide what kind of punishment Bondita ji should receive..."

TO BE CONTINUED