"Patibabu kaha hai Som dada?" Asked Bondita as soon as she hurriedly entered RC Mansion with all her stuff still in her hands and her breathing coming out in heavy pants.

"Achha hua boudi aap aa gayi , dekhiye na dada tabse darwaza he nahi khol rahe.....aap kuch kijiye please" said Somnath in a panicked voice.

"Ha bahu dekho na ye ladka darwaza he nahi khol raha" kaka tried to appear calm but he knew he was restless from inside.

"Ha ha, mai kuch karti hoon" Bondita nodded quickly and left her stuff on the nearby table and ran towards the room where Anirudh had locked himself in.
She started banging the door and calling him "Patibabu..... Patibabu....darwaza kholiye na...."

In the room, Anirudh was sitting in a corner curled up to himself and his insides were in a turmoil.
He just couldn't forget the events that happened which led him to his current state.......
..
..
"Ms.Smith, may I come in?" Anirudh called out.

"Ah Barrister Roychowdhury! Please come in." Permitted Ms.Smith

"Good Morning Ms.Smith. I am here to talk to you about -"
"Yes, Yes. I know the reason behind your arrival Mr.Roychowdhury. You want permission for building public toilets in the village from my father. Right? And please call me Amelia." Interrupted Amelia with a decent smile.

"Okay. So Amelia, when are we going to meet Mr.Smith?" Anirudh asked.

"What's the hurry? We'll meet him surely." Amelia stood up and walked towards him and kept her hand on Anirudh's hand.
Anirudh's felt uncomfortable so, he removed his hand from hers and forced a smile.

"Actually Amelia, It's an urgent work and I need his permit as soon as possible. So-" started Anirudh but stopped himself when he noticed Amelia closing the somewhat little gap which was left between them.
"But Mr.Barrister, for this favour, you need to pay." Amelia said keeping her hands on his shoulder and leaning closer.

"Mat...matlab....I mean...I don't understand your point miss." Anirudh said again taking a step back to create a customary distance from her.

"My point is that.....you have to pay for your work by fulfilling my wish. Isn't it fair Anirudh?" Amelia caressed his left cheek with her nails moving towards his shirt's collar.

Anirudh finally have had enough and pushed her hand away disgusted by the meaning behind her words.

He was a man of principles. He worked for the betterment of backward woman in his society but he never imagined a few woman could have this disgusting side of them too.

"Have you lost your mind Miss?!" Anirudh's spat out.

"No Anirudh , I mean it.... Give me what I want and I will give you what you want. I will make it an unforgettable experience for you too." Said Amelia now appearing desperate and her eyes clouded with a haze of lust.

"Just shut up! I can take legal actions against you." Anirudh threatened in a rage.

"Oh really?" Amelia started laughing as if he said something funny.

She stopped and looked up at Anirudh with a determined gaze as if she is challenging him. She then suddenly torned her sleeves and messed up her hair and started screaming - "Help! Help! Someone Help me! He's molesting me!"

She held Anirudh's hand and started acting as if he is trying to force into something she doesn't want.

"What the hell are you doing?! I said leave my hand!" Anirudh pulled away his hands with a jerk causing Amelia to fall on the ground.

The guards entered at the same moment and witnessed it. It looked as if Anirudh was forcing Amelia and when she started screaming , he must have pushed her.

"This man molested me! He touched me inappropriately. Arrest him!" Amelia called out quickly as she saw the guards enter.

"No! She's Lying! I didn't do anything!" Anirudh shouted out as soon as he saw through her evil plans.

But the guards didn't listen to him. They were Amelia's father's guards. Their loyalty lies with their boss. They couldn't do anything even if they knew Amelia must be the one who instigated it. They had been a witness to this role play of hers many times before. They were equally helpless.

"Choro mujhe...maine kaha choro! Maine kuch nahi kiya hain" They handcuffed Anirudh and dragged him to the jail.

There he was beaten mercilessly. When the news spread, Somnath came and arranged Anirudh's bail and took him home.
When Bondita heard about the incident, she became restless and rushed to her home from the other village she had gone to for a case.

"Som dada ..... ese nahi hoga.... Darwaza todna hoga hume" Bondita suggested.

"Haan boudi.....mein todta hoon" nodded Som. He started kicking the door and after a few more strong push, it broke open.
Bondita rushed inside along with Som and kaka to find a broken Anirudh sitting in the corner.

"Patibabu.....patibabu...aap thik toh hai na?" Bondita said checking his wounds.
She was shocked when Anirudh removed her hands as if she burned him and whispered -"Bondita mere pass mat aao... Nahi...mat aao... Mein...mein bahot bura insaan hoon....mere paas mat aao...jao..jao yaha se. "

"Ye kya keh rahe hai aap patibabu? Mere Patibabu? Bure insaan? ......kabhi nahi." Bondita shook her head.
"Nahi nahi..Bondita... Mein ek bahot bura insan hu...tumhe pata hai.....maine...maine ek ladki ke sath ...... Batt.....battameezi ki hai.... Mere paas mat aao" he said as if he was losing his mind.

At this moment Bondita cupped his face and said "Mere Patibabu esha kar sakte hai..... Ye mein nahi maanti hoon....mein jaanti hoon mere patibabu esha kuch nahi kar sakte....."

'Sach me Bondita? Tum...tum mujhpe......bharosa karti ho?" He turned towards Bondita.

"Haa..khudse bhi zyada...aare jo insaan hamesha aurat ke maan ke liye lada hai...wo ek aurat ke sath battameezi kaise kar sakta hai? Esha kabhi nahi ho sakta." Bondita replied with confidence in her voice.

Not able to believe and control his emotions, Anirudh hugged Bondita tightly. She reciprocated his actions. After seeing that Anirudh was somewhat in control now, Som and Kaka left the couple alone.

"Pata hai Bondita......sab bahar mujhe charitraheen bula rahe hai....magar Bondita.....maine toh aisa kuch nahi kiya..." He said like a kid unsure about himself. "Shhhh....shaant Patibabu.... Mai jaanti hoon aap esha kabhi nahi karenge....aur jisne aapke saath galat kiya haina...mein usse kadi se kadi saza dilaaungi"

Bondita broke the hug, wiped his tears and cooed, "mujhe khulke bataiye patibabu....kya hua tha aaj?"

"Bondita , aaj mein Amelia ke office gaya tha taki public toilets ke baare me baat kar saku aur Mr.Smith se iski permission le saku.....magar us...usne..." Anirudh's voice choked.
"Phir kya hua Patibabu? Khulke bataiye." Bondita coaxed him.

"Phir...phir usne mujhse kaha ki kuch bhi karwane ki kimat deni padti hai aur mere paas aane lagi...." Anirudh's voice changed into that of disgust and Bondita engulfed him in a hug. "Bas patibabu aage ka mai sab samajh gayi.....aapko kuch nahi bolna hoga." She said while patting his back. Bondita was consoling him when she heard noises coming from outside of the room.

"Ye kaise awaze hai? Mein dekh ke aati hoon" she stood up to check when Anirudh tugged at her wrist. "Please Bondita , mujhe chorke matt jao....mujhe bahot darr lag raha hai." he said.

"Mai aapko chorke nahi jaa rahi hu Patibabu. .... Kabhi nahi....bas thoda sa intezaar kijiye mein abhi aa rahi hoon bahar ka shor dekh ke" Bondita said and Anirudh nodded in affirmation.

Outside the haveli :

Mr.Smith, an influential and powerful British officer along with Amelia and some villagers were shouting.

"Come out you moron Anirudh Roychowdhury! How dare you even lay a hand on my daughter?! I said come out!" Smith roared.

"Officer , don't cross your limits.... I am not ready to hear anything against my brother" said Somnath in rage.

"Tumhara bhai ek criminal hai....usko toh mein jaanse maar dunga!" Smith threatened.
"Ae firangi.... Khabardaar mere bete ko haath bhi lagaya toh....hath kaat denge....jaante nahi ho hum Roychowdhurys hai" kaka said.

Smith turned towards the villagers and said in a loud voice , "Dekho gaowaalo.....galti inke bete ne ki aur gussa ye hume dikha rahe hai.......socho agar kal ye log tumlogon ki behen betiyo ke saath esha karenge tab kya hoga? Kya inhe aise he chorr denge?"

"Nahi...nahi....bilkul nahi.." Whispers rang out within the villagers where most of them were in denial.

"Arey ye Anirudh Roychowdhury humesa aurato ki ijjat dene ki baat karta tha na....dekh lo...yahi hai iska asli chehra....ek number ka saitaan hai ye" commented one of the villagers from the crowd.

"Arey aur nahi toh kya? Sab jaante hai kaise hote hai ye zamindaar...... Aur vo Anirudh toh hai he dogla insaan" said another villager.

Hearing the whispers and comments from the villagers , Amelia smirked. She was feeling proud of herself to have made Anirudh regret denying her request.

"Bashhhhh.... Bahot keh liya aaplogo ne! Aur bahot sun liya humne" Bondita roared like a lioness coming out of the mansion and stood infront everyone.

"Who are you?" Smith asked when he saw her.

"I am Barrister Bondita Roychowdhury wife of Barrister Anirudh Roychowdhury" Bondita replied with pride in her voice.
"So you are the characterless's unlucky wife" Smith mused.

"Mind your language officer!" Bondita said losing her cool.

"Dad, let me talk to Mrs.Roychowdhury" Amelia said faking innocence.

"Mrs.Roychowdhury, I am sorry. But, I was helpless... Trust me." Amelia said shedding Crocodile tears.
When she saw Bondita was unfazed, she tried to play the woman for woman card which she knew every woman in India falls for. "I know Mrs.Roychowdhury that the truth is always bitter. Please understand my point, you are also a woman yourself afterall."

"Miss....." Bondita started faking that she doesn't know who Amelia is.

"Amelia." Amelia Completed gritting her teeth that someone as petty as Bondita is playing with her.

"Ah, yes. Miss.Amelia Smith. The truth may be hidden from the society and others but you and your conscience very well knows the actual truth. Am I right ?" Bondita said smiling calmly.

"Yes. And the truth is that your husband molested my daughter.....and I will kill him" said Mr.Smith.

"Officer....this is the last time I am warning you to stay in your limits. Abhi tak mere Patibabu ka gunah saabit nahi hua hai, and..... I follow the principle of "Innocent until proven guilty"." Bondita replied stating her point clearly.

"Arey gunah toh saaf hai...aapke pujniya pati gunehagaar hai" said one of the people from the crowd.

"Aap nyaydhish hai kya? Ya phir aap ghatana ke samay waha the kya?" Bondita asked to the person who said that and the villager was out of words.
"Jab aaplog waha the he nahi toh kaise keh sakte hai mere Patibabu gunehagaar hai? Sach kya hai aur jhoot kya ye toh waqt batayega!"

She then turned towards Mr.Smith and directed her next words to him looking him dead in the eyes - "Aur aap officer, jaiye aur ek achha barrister hire kijiye apne beti ke liye....ab court me mulakat hogi"

"Definitely Mrs.Roychowdhury.... I will make sure that your husband rots behind the bars" said Mr.Smith and went away.
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"Bahu, keh toh tumne diya.... Magar ye saabit kaise karogi?" Asked kaka.

"Kaka sasurji aap kehte hai na SATYA PARESHAAN HO SAKTA HAI LEKIN PARAJIT KABHI NAHI ....hum toh satya ke paksh mein hai...toh vijay bhi humari hi hogi. Dekh lijiyega." Bondita said.
"Hume pura bharosa hai tumpar bahu....bacha lo humare Anirudh ko" said Kaka.

"Aap chinta mat kijiye kaka sasurji" assured Bondita with a smile.

"Aaj tak aap mujhe har mushqil se bachate aaye hai.....mere Rakshak babu banke....ab meri baari....is baar mai aapki rakshak banke aapko bachaungi ....vada hai" Bondita mused in her mind with a distant look in her eyes , deep in her thoughts.

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