Bengal, Chatterjee Residence

"I found it!" Saudamini claimed with a shocked yet jubilant smile, pulling out the ring out of the waters. People all around squealed almost instantly, "It's Mistress Saudamini! It's Mistress Saudamini!" 

Anirban was still controlling himself from bursting into chuckles, his hands still in the waters holding the actual ring. 

"Oyee, it's over Ani, what are you searching in the waters further? Your defeat?!" One of his friends began to laugh, and everyone joined heartily. But Tripti's smile began to drop as her gaze squinted upon the ring in Saudamini's hand.

 "It's our Boudi who won!" 

"Alright, so as decided-"

"Arrey, this is Bhai's ring!" Tripti uttered, taking the ring from Saudamini's hands, making her falter her expressions confusedly. Her jaw dropped slightly, realizing it wasn't the ring that was sunk in the bowl, "But I-" She fumbled perplexed, her gaze instantly shooting up at Anirban who was pursing his smile. His slowly took out the real ring from the bowl and his lips curved into a smirk. 

Saudamini eyes widened as she stared at the ring, "Ki jaata...(What the....)"

"So? Anything else anyone needs to say?" He raised his brows in a smug manner, displaying the ring to everyone. Gasps and chuckles erupted almost instantly from the crowd, and a roar of claps, "My God! Anirban you rocked!"

 Tripti pouted, "Bhai, not fair! You cheated!" 

"So? Who laid the rules?" He shrugged, "I did not cheat. I won fair and square!"

Saudamini's eyes squinted as she gazed sharply at him, her cheeks turning warm. How dare he trick her! She still couldn't believe that he did that and fooled her, her brows faltered as she pursed her lips, looking away. Anirban smirked and adjusted his collar smugly, just to annoy her further; making her wish she could just do anything and wipe of that smug smile from his face.

 Anirban cleared his throat, gazing at everyone at then at Saudamini, "Saudamini? Are you ready?"

Saudamini peered at him, almost trying to murder him through her gaze.

"I have a better idea. Let's ask everyone what should I ask for!" Anirban rubbed his palms mischievously, "So? Give me ideas please!"

"Okay, okay! We want Boudi to feed Anirban a sweet with her own hands!" 

"Yes yes! We vouch for it!" His friends claimed, hooting and cheering. 

"Done!"

Anirban innocently blinked at her, causing her to subtly roll her eyes and look away in annoyance. She wished she could replace the sweets with pebbles, then gone would be that victorious grin of his forever. Seriously, nobody had ever stepped on her toes like Anirban had managed to since the day she saw him! How the heck did he have every counter for her moves?

It was just her first day and he was already screwing her. What about the rest of her life? 

A plate of sweets was brought in front of her, she swiftly grabbed a barfi  from the lot with crossed brows, slowly inching it forward towards him, deeply exhaling trying her best to smile. Anirban shot her his subtle mischievous gaze, and at once she knew he was cooking up something in his mind. 

But before she could comprehend, he caught her wrist and skimmed his thumb over her palm; her lips parted open a bit as she blinked in surprise, but she continued maintaining her slightly stern gaze at him. He further peered at her with that subtle smile, biting half of the barfi.

And before he could draw himself away, he made sure to discreetly brush his soft lips over her knuckles, planting a brief kiss. 

That shouldn't have. That shouldn't have occurred but it made Saudamini feel like thousands of butterflies had exploded inside her abdomen almost instantly. She tried hard to peer and glare at him, but her flushed cheeks were recounting a different story by now. Anirban simply gave her a smile as if he was the most innocent person in the world. 

That man-

He was definitely going to be the death of her someday. 

.

.

.

"You're lucky that Anirban's compassionate gaze fell upon you dear," An elderly woman lifted Saudamini's chin up with a crinkled smile. She lowered her gaze demurely, blood rushing profoundly through her veins. The fact that her identity was completely lost, just because she was a widow? Pities didn't stop dripping from the mouths every now and then, "Else what to say about today's widows; misfortune is written in their lives forever," Her forehead scrunched while shaking her head.

Saudamini brushed her thumb over her other palm, feeling heavy. Why did everyone continuously hell bent upon commenting about her widowhood? 

"Not everyone has fortune written in their fates...." 

"Bless you," Saudamini inhaled a deep breath, touching the feet of elders respectfully, but in turn subtly getting a judgmental gaze or a wish under the garb of taunt or pity. Aged women around began to converse about everything, and Saudamini of course; their topic either shifting to her ex-in laws or her late husband. All she did was to nod silently and smile weakly at intervals, or respond with a yes or no. Internally wishing that she could run away from the choking place which appeared peaceful only from the outside. 

All their talks included about Satyakaam and his short lifespan, the topic shifting from the degradation of youths, then shifting to British influence in their choices. 

Why couldn't she just disappear from the spot? 

"Arrey, dear, where is Anirban? He, he isn't visible anywhere?" One of them commented, looking around with a perplexed smile.

"H-he must around," Saudamini found the moment and stood up, brushing the creases in her saree and gathering her veil, "If you permit...." 

"I will go and call him," She smiled appreciably, and nodded her head; excusing herself from the gathering. Exhaling a bit, she began to walk away from there hastily, looking around for Anirban. Of course, he too should be sitting with the gathering with her, she alone wasn't going to sit there and gobble up their opinions. She walked around, briefly pausing at intervals and bowing to pay respect to the guests and then resuming. 

"Where the heck did he disappear," Saudamini huffed, "When I need him really, there's literally no sign of him..." She held her veil with a perplexed expression on her face, walking towards the corner of pillar. 

"Seriously, Ani?" 

Saudamini peered on the other side, overhearing someone's agitated voice which was directed towards her husband.

"Maashi, please! Not again," Anirban pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to speak something but was getting interrupted, "What the heck did you see in her? Just because she is beautiful?"

"Were you in your right senses? Nijer kichu laaj lojja bole bostu ta nei naaki? (Don't you have the slightest amount of respect for yourself?" 

"Maashi," He held his waist with his palms, deadpanning and looking away, "Aar bhalo lagjena to roj roj tomar! (Please, I am done with your everyday taunts!)"

"Yeah of course! Why will you even pay heed to my talks of elders? They always seem idiotic to you!"

"She's a widow, you dumb head! Don't you listen to you father at all or your youth had taken over you?" The lady huffed and pushed his shoulder, while he stared at the other side, licking his lips in frustration. Elders shouldn't cross the line, even if they feel they could because of their age; Anirban was just stopping himself just because of her age and relationship. 

"Have you lost your brains in London? Just claiming around and acting progressive by marrying a widow?! Have you gone bonkers? You married the property used by some other man?"

"Maashi you're now crossing the line-" He shut his eyes firmly.

"Do you even know what people will keep saying behind your back?"

Anirban slapped his forehead, clicking his tongue, "You and your what people will say dialogues...please, it won't work upon me anymore!"

"Then what else? Coming back from foreign, it seems like as if wings have been attached to you! Literally having zero sense in yourself!" 

Anirban was about to respond, but his gaze instantly trailed upon towards Saudamini, who was standing there with her head lowered and fidgeting with her fingers. Rather, trying to pretend that she didn't overhear them. Her lips twitched, her lashes lowering, "That...Shaanti Maashi and everyone else, else are waiting for you." She pointed behind, trying to smile. 

His aunt stole away her gaze from Saudamini and tried to look somewhere else. 

"They must be waiting for you," She mumbled softly, and spun around, walking away from there.

Anirban shut his eyes firmly, cussing in his mind. 

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

Abhi maja ayega na bhidu 🌝

Signing off for today!

Nushkie