𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑨: 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐞 - Yours With All My Heart

|4|•𝐄𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐄•

Roy Chowdhury Mansion

As the group arrived at the Roy Chowdhury mansion, Trilochan turned to Kohli and ordered, “Take Bondita to a room. She’s to start working as a servant in the haveli from today until her marriage is finalized.”

Bondita, without protest, agreed. Anirudh’s heart twisted with every word his uncle spoke, but he remained silent, unable to stop what was happening. Without a word, he walked out of the haveli, his mind swirling with emotions.

Kohli escorted Bondita to a small room typically reserved for servants. The room was bare and cold, but Bondita accepted it with grace. Kohli handed her a simple, plain saree. Bondita took it with a smile, quickly changing into it and freshening up. Then, remembering Trilochan’s orders, she asked Kohli for some work.

At first, Kohli refused, but Bondita insisted several times. Finally, Kohli relented and asked her to help out in the kitchen.

As Bondita worked, her hands busied with chores, her mind was elsewhere. She kept glancing toward the door, waiting for someone. Hours passed, yet there was no sign of him—her Sakha Babu hadn’t returned home.
-

-

Anirudh sat alone in his dimly lit office, his fingers tracing over the case file in front of him. He had come to the courthouse to avoid facing Bondita, seeking refuge in his work. Yet no matter how hard he tried to focus, his thoughts drifted back to her. Her words echoed in his mind, refusing to let him be.

Finally, he closed the case file with a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair, shutting his eyes.

“Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury...”

Anirudh’s eyes snapped open, startled. In front of him stood a haunting image of himself—his inner voice (HIV), staring back at him, mocking him.

HIV 1: “Oh, sorry. Should I call you Sakha Babu? No, no, wait... Rakshak Babu? Oh, my bad again... maybe *Pati Babu*?”

The mention of *Pati Babu* hit Anirudh hard, and he stepped back, his eyes wide with disbelief. Tears brimmed at the corners of his eyes as his inner voice continued to torment him.

HIV 1: “What happened, Anirudh? You, the smartest barrister of Tulsipur... did all your fights, your enmity, make things right? Is everything fine now? You thought that by pushing Bondita away, by treating her like an enemy, everything would fall into place? Did you win, Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury? Is your enmity complete? Is Bondita’s Barrister Babu finally at peace?”

Anirudh could barely breathe as his HIV pressed on, mercilessly.

HIV 1: “You wanted her to be punished, didn’t you? After all, that’s why she’s going through all this. You’ve made her pay the price, haven’t you? And what about the dreams you both once shared? Bondita kept her promise and became a barrister. But you, Anirudh, did you keep any of your promises?”

Tears spilled over as Anirudh’s body curled in on itself, his fists clenched at his sides.

HIV 2 appeared beside him, adding to the torment: “No, Anirudh Roy Chowdhury, you’ve never kept your promises. You didn’t even stand by Bondita when she needed you the most. In front of everyone, you made her a criminal when you knew she wasn’t guilty! You’re always winning your cases, Anirudh, but you lost the most important battle—your relationship with Bondita.”