𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑨: 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐞 - Yours With All My Heart

|51|•ʜᴀᴛᴇᴅ•

ANIRUDH

The hum of the car’s engine filled the silence as I drove through the dimly lit streets, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. Mishti sat beside me, casually humming a tune, her complete indifference to the storm brewing inside me only making it worse.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my jaw clenched. Bondita's face lingered in my mind—the hurt, the defiance, and something else I couldn’t quite place. What I’d witnessed tonight was unexpected, yes, but what gnawed at me was Mishti’s incessant meddling. She didn’t understand, and yet, she had the audacity to twist the narrative at every turn.

The house loomed ahead, its lights piercing the darkness. I pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. Mishti stepped out without a word, her heels clicking on the stone pathway as I followed her toward the entrance. My chest felt heavy, bracing for the confrontation I knew awaited inside.

As soon as we entered, Kaka was seated on the couch, his glasses perched on his nose, sipping tea leisurely. The moment he saw us, his sharp eyes narrowed.

“Aree, Anirudh,” he called, setting his cup down. “Where’s Bondita bahu? Why isn’t she with you?”

His words hit me like a hammer, and I froze for a moment. I looked down, trying to collect my thoughts. Telling Kaka the truth was a dangerous game. His traditional mindset and rigid beliefs wouldn’t let him see Bondita’s actions in a fair light.

“She’s… working late today,” I said, my voice steady but low.

Before I could say anything more, Mishti let out a scoff. “Anwi, why are you lying? Huh? Kaka should know what his sweet bahu is up to!”

I turned sharply to her, my eyes narrowing. “Mishti, enough.” My voice was low, but the warning was clear.

But Mishti ignored me completely, her smirk widening as she turned to Kaka. “She left with her best friend, Kabir. They’re spending the night together at his place!”

The room fell into silence for a beat before Kaka’s face twisted in disbelief. His hand shook, and the teacup slipped from his grasp, shattering on the floor. “Shiv… Shiv… Shiv!” he exclaimed, standing up abruptly.

“Bondita? Alone with a man? Chee chee chee! What kind of shameless behavior is this? Is this how a woman should act? What will people say?”

“Kaka—” I started, but he cut me off, his voice rising with each word.

“What kind of husband allows this? Anirudh, you’ve failed in your duties! Your wife has brought shame upon this family!”

My blood boiled, and I slammed my hand against the table, making both Mishti and Kaka flinch. “That’s enough, Kaka!” I roared, my voice echoing through the room.

Kaka looked at me, stunned. Mishti’s smirk faltered for the first time, but I wasn’t done.

“I know Bondita,” I said, my voice steady now, though anger simmered beneath the surface. “I know the kind of woman she is. She’s intelligent, strong, and independent. If she’s with Kabir, it’s because she trusts him, not because she’s doing anything wrong.”

“But Anirudh—” Kaka began, but I raised a hand, silencing him.

“I may not trust Kabir, but I trust my wife. Bondita is not the kind of person to cross boundaries or betray anyone’s trust. She doesn’t need your permission, or mine, to live her life the way she sees fit. She’s more than capable of making her own decisions.”

Kaka’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Mishti, however, found her voice again.

“Anwi, how can you defend her like this? She—”