𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗔: 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥•

{16}•ᴜɴᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴜɴɪᴏɴꜱ •

BONDITA

Happy birthday, Bondu.

The familiar voice sent a jolt through my body, freezing me in place. My heart raced, and my throat went dry. The plastic knife I was using to cut the cake slipped slightly in my grip. I turned slowly, as if in a dream, and my eyes locked onto his. Yash. There was no mistaking it. His smile was bright, unchanged, and his light brown eyes held the same charm that once captivated me.

I was pulled out of my trance by Maa's voice. "Bondita..."

I blinked, refocusing on the cake in front of me. I hadn't even finished cutting it. Forcing a smile to mask my turmoil, I continued slicing through the layers of cake, trying to act as if nothing had happened. I fed Maa the first piece, followed by the others gathered around us, all the while feeling Yash's gaze boring into me.

As I fed the guests, my eyes couldn't help but drift towards Yash. He was making his way through the crowd towards me, and with each step, my heart beat faster. Questions flooded my mind. Why was he here? What did he want? Our relationship had ended badly. We were nothing to each other now. So why had he come back?

Yash stopped in front of me, his smile unwavering. He held out a bouquet of flowers, but I hesitated. My hands felt heavy, and my mind raced. Maa noticed my hesitation and hurried over. "Aree, Bondita babu, take it. This is my sister's son, Yash. He just came back from London this week!"

My eyes widened in shock. Yash? Was Maa talking about the same Yash? This was a nightmare. Everything was going wrong. Maa's glare snapped me back to reality, and I reluctantly took the flowers from Yash. He extended his hand for a handshake, and with trembling fingers, I met his. He took the opportunity to squeeze my hand.

A shiver ran down my spine as he said, "Nice to meet you, Bondita Roy Chowdhury." His tone was polite, but his eyes held a glint of something more. I forced a smile, conscious of Maa's presence, and pulled my hand away from his grip. He smirked at me, knowing he had unsettled me.

Just then, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me away. It was Priya. "Bonnnn... Who is that?" she asked, pointing towards a corner where Arnav Bhai stood. "He looks kinda hot, right?"

I looked at Priya and sighed. "He's Anirudh's brother, Arnav bahi."

Priya's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's great, sweetheart! Now, excuse me, I have to make him mine. All the Roy Chowdhurys are so hot!" She gave me a mischievous grin before disappearing into the crowd.

My eyes drifted back to Yash and Maa, who were deep in conversation. I couldn't believe what was happening. My ex-boyfriend, the man I despised, was standing in front of me, and I was powerless to stop it. Fear gripped me as I wondered if Yash had told Maa about our past. If he had, what would I do? How would I explain this to Anirudh?

Yash approached me again, with Maa beside him. "Can I dance with you, birthday girl?" he asked, extending his hand once more.

I hesitated, looking to Maa for guidance. She nodded encouragingly. "Come on, Bondita, it's just a dance. Nothing will happen..."

I felt trapped. If I refused, Maa might suspect something. If I agreed, Anirudh might misunderstand. Before I could decide, Yash grabbed my hand and led me towards the center of the hall. A romantic song started playing softly in the background, likely because Anirudh didn't like loud music.