The morning sun filtered softly through the curtains, casting gentle light across the hallway. She stood before the door to his study, the weight of the decision from last night still heavy in her chest. Her heart pounded, but her resolve was firm.
She raised her hand, hesitated for a breath, and then knocked twice.
The sound echoed in the quiet of the house, sharp and final.
She waited, her fingers still gripping the edge of the doorframe, her mind racing. There was no turning back now. She knew what she had to do.
Moments later, she heard him stir inside. She could picture him—sitting at his desk, deep in thought, unaware of the storm that had been brewing in her heart.
"come in" she heard him say and stepped into the study. Anirudh could read the expressions on bondita's face. His chest unknowingly tightened. something wasn't right. He could feel it.
B:- mujhe aapse kuch baat krni hai
A:- bolo Bondita. tumhe sochne ki zaroorat nhi hai mujhse baat krne se pehle.
B:- usse pehhle...ek sawal puchu?
He chuckled lightly.
A:- aaj tk tumhe kuch puchne se mana kiya hai? aur kr bhi du to tum bina puche nhi manogi. pucho.
B:- kyu kiya aapne aisa? Mujhse itna bada jhut kyu bola apne? kya apne sach me dusri shadi nhi ki? agr natak hi ta to muje takleef me dekh kr bhi aapne sach kyu nhi bataya mujhe?
Anirudh took a deep breath. He knew this question would be asked of him. Bondita would always take her answers and find her way to the truth.
A:- Sach bolu? to jaan buch kr.
B:- Ji?
A:- ha Bondita. baitho...btata hu.
He got up from his seat and held her hand. gently walked her to the chair and made her sit on it and kneeled in front of her.
A:- mujhe nhi pta maine shi kiya ya nhi pr maine jo kiya tumhare liye kiya. mujhe dar tha Bondita ki ye samaj tumhare masoom se dil ko corrupt kr dega. tum badlne lgi thi. ye shadi, pyar in sb ka bukhaar chd gya tha tumhare sar pr. Tumhe to shayad pta bhi nhi tha ki tum jo mujhse mang rhi thi uska mtlb kya tha. Aur us din kaka ne vo rasam rakh kr mere sara bandh tod diya.
B:- Mei to bs...
A:- meri patni banna chahti thi. haina? mujhe pta hai. pr jo tum chahti thi aur jo kaka aur ye log tumse chahte the vo vichar ek hokr bhi ek dusre se koso dur the. tum meri patni bnna chahti thi jo mere sath ch ske, jo mere sath hmesha har mayne me reh ske pr vo log tumhe suhaag ki bediyo me jakad rhe the...
B:- Aap kya kehna chahte hai? kaka sirf hmara bhala chahte the...
A surge of anger flared in his chest and his hold on her and tightened making her gasp lightly.
A:- Bhala? sach me bondita? tum padayi pr se dhyan hta kr sajne savarne lgi thi kisi aurat ki trha. tumhare jis bachpan ko mei itne saal se bacha kr chl rh atha taki tum pr ye baal vivah ki kaali parchai na pde tum usi daldal me girne jaa rhi thi.
His eyes became red in anger.
A:- Zara sa bhi andaza hai tumhe ki uss raat jb mei nashe me tha to kya ho skta tha?
Bondita felt a cold shiver run down her spine remembering that night. She could never ease that from her mind. Even now she felt dirtiness crawling at her skin remembering that man's touch.
A:- us haiwan ko chodo... Agr uss din glti se bhi maine kuch... Mei dil aaj bhi kampta hai ye soch kr. agr maine tumhe hurt kr diya hota to? ya uss din agr mei behosh pda rehta?
A tear rolled down her eyes seeing his state. How did it never occur to her what he must have felt? She knew he was angry about that incident but she failed t see his fear behind his anger.
B:- mana ki...mei bhatak gyi thi...glti ho gyi thi mujhse...to kya itni bdi saza di apne mujhe..?
A:- Nhi meri jaan...tumhe saza nhi dena chahta tha... jb manorma ne mujhse madad mangi tb maine ek pal ko socha tha tumhe sb btane ka pr uss wakt tumhara vyavhar dekh kr mujhe lga ki tumhe vapas shi raste pr lane ke lie ye krna hoga...jb tumhara dhyan vapas se padhayi me aa jata to mei tumhe sb sach bta kr ache se samjha deta.
B:- Fir v talaak ke kaagaz?
Anirudh let out a heavy sigh. This was going to be the hard part because now he had to tell her that they have to get seperated. He started telling her everything, the petition, the politics, the risks involved. Although Bondita did't fully unerstand the political drama but she understood the situation.
B:- mtlb aap mujhe sach me talaak nhi dena chahte the?
A:- pehle to nhi...pr shayad yhi shi hai Bondita. You deserve a choice at life.
Only he knew how much it pained him to say those words. the mere thought of not being with her drove him nuts.
A:- pr talaak ka mtlb ye bilkul nhi hai ki mei tumhe khud se dur kr rha hu...I'll always be there for you in any form you need. tumhara shakha babu, rakshak babu, shikshak babu...sb bn kr.
Bondita gazed into his eyes. Her heart felt a lot lighter after knowing the truth.
B:- Mujhe maaf kr dijiye...mei raasta bhatak gyi thi. pr pichle dino jo kuch bhi hua uske baad mujhme aur himmat nhi hai... Maine kuch socha hai... aur mei chahti hu ki aap mera saath de.
His brows furrowed in cofusion.
A:- btao...
B:- mei...yha se jaana chahti hu. ye calcutta ke senior boarding school ka admission form hai. maine bhar diya hai. mujhe jaana hai yha.
The silence that followed was thick. She could feel him standing there, not just physically, but emotionally, holding onto every ounce of regret he had ever known.
he asked, his question tinged with an odd kind of acceptance.
A:- Why Calcutta? Why leave everything behind?
B:- I need to do this. I can't stay here, not like this.
The words stung in the quiet room, and she knew they hurt him. The part of her that had to leave the girl who had trusted too much, the woman who had sacrificed herself for something that hadn't worked.
He didn't speak again, but she felt his gaze on her. He wasn't angry. He wasn't trying to stop her. He simply wanted her to be happy. In a way, it hurt even more than his silence.
"You know," he said finally, his voice barely audible, "I want you to be happy. I just—" He stopped himself, unable to finish.
B:- to fir mt rokiye... mujhe vapas se khada hone dijiye.
A:- Jaisa tum chaho... maine wada kiya tha ki tumhari ujwal bhavishya ke le mujhe jo krna pdega mei krunga. tum Calcutta jaakr age pdna chahti ho to bina kisi fikar ke tayari kro jane ki. mei sb sambhal lunga. aur ye admission letter bhi ost kr dunga...do mujhe.
Bondita handed him the letter with a sad tearful smile on her face. The look they exchanged was one of understanding. There was no shouting, no blaming. Just the weight of two people who had loved, lost, and now needed to part in a way neither of them could have predicted. She looked at him one last time, the man who had once been her everything. Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.
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YOU ARE READING
His Fallen Petal
FanfictionBondita's heart broke into pieces when her Pati Babu married another woman. She stoned her heart and froze her broken heart afterwards. Would Anirudh realise his mistake? Will he be able to pacify his little wife? Will the broken hearts ever mend...
