Barrister Babu

Chapter 77: Pyaar aur Ishq

"Patibabu," Bondita said the moment she entered the bedroom.

"Bondita," Anirudh turned to her, with a small smile on his lips. "I was trying to not let you go to court because you would've learned the truth. But now that you have, feel free to go to court, but you will have guards with you all the time. Will that be fine?"

She looked at him, arching an eyebrow. "Will you not send guards if I say no?"

He grinned this time, placing his hand on her cheek gently. "You know me too well, my love."

"Honestly, your this version, is kinda hot, but it's scary. I prefer your sweet version, which is long gone, I guess?"

"Kinda hot?" He looked at her with amusement. "Did you learn these words when you were reading..." he walked to the nightstand, opened the drawer and took out that book, 'Love & Lust'.

Bondita's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Hey Dugga Maa! How did you..." her cheeks turned a bright shade of shade. "Patibabu, I..."

Anirudh was enjoying the look on her face. He took small steps towards her, meanwhile she started taking steps backwards in embarrassment. "Yes, Bondita?" he let out innocently.

"You..." she didn't know what to say anymore.

"What happened, my barrister babu? Where are your tarks?" She couldn't take a step back anymore, as her back hit the wall. He caged her in between his arms, not leaving any chance for her to slip.

'Aapne bolne layak hi kaha chora', she wondered in her mind.

"The position we are in... did this happen in your novel?" he whispered in her ear, sending jitters. "Tell me, Bondita."

Bondita closed her eyes, her face now fully turned the reddest shade of tomato. She clutched the end of her pallu, wishing for some miracle to happen so that she didn't have to stay in this moment anymore. It wasn't like she wasn't enjoying it. It was just something new for her... him talking romantically was fine, but sexily? That's a new version of her patibabu she wasn't ready for yet.

"Boudi," both of them slightly jumped at the sudden voice of Som, who was knocking on the door.

"What does he want at this time?" Anirudh mumbled grumpily and walked to open a door, sparing one last glance at Bondita to see if she was okay with it, but when she gave a slight nod, he let Som in.

"Boudi, here, take this medicine too." He handed Bondita, who was now sitting on the bed, a bottle of medicine. "Along with other ones, take this too twice a day with a proper meal. And no unhealthy food until you recover fully."

Bondita frowned. "But I am healed, Som."

"Not fully. Please try to avoid unhealthy food for a month more."

"A month?" she gasped dramatically, making Anirudh roll his eyes.

"Bondita, just listen to Som. Then you can freely eat whatever you want a month later," said Anirudh, giving a curt nod at Som, who smiled.

"Bol toh aise rahein hai, jaise hamesha mujhe unhealthy khana khane dete hai. Agar dete bhi hai, saath mein do-teen shabdh bhashan aur daat bhi milti hai," she grumbled under her breath, which didn't go unheard by Som and Anirudh, who exchanged an amusing glance, but decided not to react.

Bondita just said a small thanks to Som and went to the bathroom to freshen up and get ready for sleeping.

Meanwhile, Anirudh told Som, "Thank you for doing so much, Som."

"Dada, have you gone crazy? Why are you thanking me? She's my boudi."

He just nodded in return, internally scolding his brother because he ruined his perfect romance, where he got Bondita quiet. Even though Som had good intentions.

'Pyaar ke dushman bhare pare hai ghar mein,' he thought in mind.

###

The next morning, Chandni was in the recording studio, singing her song.

"No, no. Don't sing like this, Chandni. What is this? The song doesn't even have those emotions when you are singing. Is this what you learned at Calcutta?" Mayesh yelled at Chandni, who flinched slightly.

"I am sorry, Sir. I will try to sing it more properly," she said meekly. Despite pursuing her dream, it felt like Chandni never grew the strength to do tarks. She was always too good to even speak for herself.

Mayesh liked the submissive tone of Chandni. After all, that's how women should be— Educated but knowing their limits, unlike Bondita Roy Chawdhary.

After multiple takes, finally Chandni could finish the song as per Mayesh's liking.

"Perfect, Chandni! I know this new song, 'Pyaar aur Ishq' you just sang, will be super famous in Tulsipur."

She simply smiled, waiting for this to end already. She had other plans for the day after all. Today, she would go to the Roy Chawdhary haveli and finally meet Bondita, Anirudh, and her Bondita Didi's devar.

After a lot of random conversations with Mayesh, she was allowed to leave for the day.

Immediately, she made her way to Roy Chawdhary haveli.

As she was standing outside, she heard two guards speaking, "Pata nahi kaab Batuk Malik ayenge. Ghar pura shaant hai aab."

"Saach mein. Aur..." before another guard could complete the sentence, Chandni cleared her throat, turning both of their attention to herself. "Who do you want to meet, Miss?"

"Can you call Bondita Didi or Anirudh Dada? Or tell them that Chandni is here?" she asked politely.

"We would, but they went to the hospital for Bondita Malkin's checkup. Does Zamindar Babu know you?"

She shook her head instantly. "Umm... no. But Bondita Didi's devar does. Maybe if you call him—" she was cut off by one of the guards.

"Batuk Malik? He went to Italy months ago. He is not here," said one of the guards instantly, color draining from Chandni's face.

Batuk? So Bondita Didi's Devar's name was Batuk? Well, at least finally she knew his name. But it was too late. Because he was out of her reach. He went to Italy, a foreign country, so obviously he wouldn't even remember her anymore.

Whatever they had was just a spark of that time. This was the harsh truth Chandni decided to finally accept. What was she expecting? He would wait for her? This wasn't those romance novels she had been reading in Calcutta during her free time. It was real life. And she didn't exist in his life. She never did.

That day, Chandni left from the gate, never even stepping inside the haveli, forgetting that Bondita had two devars, not one. 

A/N: Hey! Thank you for reading the chapter. I am sorry for updating so late. Thanks for being patient. How was the chapter? Hoping to get 20+ comments on this chapter. 

Translation: 

'Aapne bolne layak hi kaha chora' : You didn't even leave any chance for me to say something 

'Bol toh aise rahein hai, jaise hamesha mujhe unhealthy khana khane dete hai. Agar dete bhi hai, saath mein do-teen shabdh bhashan aur daat bhi milti hai': The way he's saying is as if he always lets me eat unhealthy food. Even if he lets me, he adds two-three lectures and even scolding along with it. 

'Pyaar ke dushman bhare pare hai ghar mein': This house is filled with a bunch of haters of love

'Pata nahi kaab Batuk Malik ayenge. Ghar pura shaant hai aab': Don't know when Batuk will come back. The house is so quiet now.

'Saach mein. Aur...': Really. And...