It was nearing twilight when Anirudh stepped into the grand Roy Choudhury haveli, the dying sun casting long shadows across the marble floors. A tired sigh escaped his lips as he gently set his leather court bag down near the console. The house was silent, too silent. But just as he moved towards the stairs, the sharp trill of the telephone pierced the stillness.
His brows furrowed.
He turned, walking toward the antique rotary phone placed on the carved wooden table in the hallway. Lifting the receiver, he pressed it to his ear with mild curiosity.
Suddenly, a voice—playful and informal—crackled through the line.
“Hello... Is this the Roy Choudhury residence?”
Anirudh's tone was clipped but polite. “Yes, this is.”
The voice on the other end brightened instantly.
“Oh wow, cool! Can I talk to Bondu?”
Anirudh stiffened.
“Bondu...?”
The name echoed in his mind. Bondu...? Yeh Bondita ki baat toh nahin kar raha?
His chest tightened with a sudden, inexplicable discomfort.
The caller quickly laughed and clarified with boyish excitement,
“Oh ho, sorry sorry—I mean Bondita, urf meri Bondu yaarrr…”
His words landed like a slap.
Meri Bondu...?
Anirudh's hand clenched the receiver tighter, his jaw stiffening as a flash of something dangerously close to jealousy surged through him.
The unknown voice called again when he didn’t respond.
“Hello? Can you hear me?”
Anirudh snapped out of his stormy thoughts, his voice now edged with suspicion.
“K-kaun ho tum? Aur mere ghar ka number kaise mila? Aur Bondita ko kaise jaante ho?”
The caller laughed again, lighthearted, unaware of the emotional chaos he was stirring.
“Oh my God, itne saare sawaal toh law college mein bhi nahin pooche gaye jitne tumne pooch liye. By the way, I’m Kabir. Bondita’s best friend. In fact... closest friend.”
Anirudh's expression darkened.
“Closest, huh?” he muttered under his breath, his brows furrowing in a clear display of displeasure. His heart sank a little, but his pride puffed up—because no one—no one—got to call her that.
Kabir continued talking, oblivious.
“We’ve been friends since bachpan, yaar. I called the Das family first, and Tapur told me Bondu is here—and shaadi kar rahi hai? Like, what?! She couldn’t wait for me?!”
Anirudh’s world tilted.
Wait for him...?
His possessive instincts roared to life.
“What the hell do you mean?!” he snapped. “Why the fuck would she wait for you? And shaadi—shaadi kisi se bhi kare, woh uski marzi hai!”
His voice trembled slightly, not with fear but something more volatile. Insecurity.
From behind him, a loud voice suddenly rang through the haveli.
“KABIRRRRR!”
Anirudh turned abruptly—his stormy gaze meeting the vision of Bondita racing towards him, eyes lit up like diyas, a radiant smile on her lips that made his heart ache.
That smile, not for him.
She didn’t even glance his way—her eyes were fixed on the phone in his hand, practically sparkling. Wordlessly, she extended her hand.
His grip loosened slowly. And despite the storm building in his chest, he handed her the receiver with a forced smile—one that didn’t reach his eyes.
He turned, settling himself on the sofa across the hall, arms crossed tightly, his gaze not leaving her.
She’s smiling. Laughing. For him. Not me.
From across the room, her voice rang out, bright and affectionate.
“Kabir… Kabir… Kabirrrrrr… Kabirr…”
Anirudh's jaw clenched.
“Whhh… mera naam bolne mein toh hamesha hichkichaati hai. Aur yeh Kabir? Chaar baar?! Wah! Kabir naam kya itna achha hai? Huh! Anirudh naam Kabir se toh sau guna better hai,” he muttered, fuming.
From the receiver, Kabir's voice laughed heartily.
“Tu kitne dino baad baat kar rahi hai yaar. I really missed you…”
Bondita giggled. “I missed you too, yaar.”
Anirudh’s head snapped up.
Missed him? She missed him?
He picked up the glass of water from the table and took a large gulp—anything to swallow the rising burn inside.
Then Kabir’s next words crashed into him like a freight train.
“How can you marry someone else, Bondu? You love Anirudh, right?”
Silence.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Bondita freeze. Her fingers gripped the receiver tightly. She turned her head slowly—eyes searching for him. And their gazes locked.
Her voice was soft. Distant.
“Some love stories… are one-sided, Kabir.”
Anirudh felt the breath leave his lungs.
She looked at him, and he looked right back—both silently screaming all the things they hadn’t dared say aloud.
You’re not just someone to me, his eyes told her.
Then why do I feel like I am, hers replied.
Then she broke the gaze, smiling faintly as she turned back to the phone.
“Bas yaar, chhod na. Tu bhi na, kya baaton mein fasa diya.”
Kabir, still laughing, said,
“Okay okay! But if you're still confused, you can just marry me, na. What do you say?”
Bondita laughed, “Shaadi? Aur tere saath??” teasingly.
It was a simple line. A joke. But Anirudh—unprepared, distracted, wounded—choked on the water he’d just sipped. He began coughing violently.
Bondita’s smile vanished. Dropping the receiver on the table, she rushed toward him in panic.
“Aap thik toh hai?!” she asked, kneeling beside him, her hands patting his back, her voice laced with worry.
Her touch sparked something in him. Her soft fingers pressing against his spine, her face mere inches from his, her dupatta brushing his leg—it was too much.
He nodded, trying to smile through the burning in his throat.
“I’m… fine,” he managed, his voice hoarse.
Just then, as she tried to pull away, her foot slipped on the polished floor. She gasped.
“Bondita!” Anirudh surged forward, catching her around the waist as she tumbled, her body falling right into his lap.
Her eyes were shut tight in panic. But slowly, realizing she hadn’t hit the floor, she opened them—only to find herself pressed against his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her waist.
Time stood still.
Her breath hitched. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Anirudh’s eyes drank her in. Her parted lips. Her startled gaze. The way her chest heaved against his with each ragged breath. Slowly, he reached up, fingers brushing a few loose strands from her face. His touch lingered longer than it should have.
Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she could feel something—something hard—pressing beneath her thighs. Her body stiffened in response, yet her eyes stayed locked on his, filled with a mix of innocence and something... more dangerous.
His voice was low. Possessive. Rough.
“Tum kab se kisi aur ki Bondu ban gayi... jab main yahan hoon?”
Before she could answer—
“Hello?! Bondu? Tu hai kya?”
Kabir’s voice from the receiver snapped them both back to reality.
Bondita quickly scrambled off his lap, her face still burning. Anirudh, jaw tight, helped her up silently.
As she rushed back to the phone, he stared at her back with stormy eyes.
“She was in my arms, damn it… And that Kabir… kabab mein haddi banta ja raha hai,” he muttered.
His gaze darkened.
“Kuch toh karna padega iss Kabir ke saath…”
TO BE CONTINUED
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𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑨: 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐞 - Yours With All My Heart
Romance❥𝑵𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒃𝒉𝒊 𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒃 𝒕𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂 𝑲𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒖 𝒋𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒎 𝒃𝒉𝒊 𝒅𝒆𝒌𝒉𝒕𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂• His grip on my shoulders tightened as he said, "Don't do this. You're destroying yourself, Bondita." I smiled...
