Omg, 200+ votes and comments on the last part! Thank you for all the support. Even after the long waits, over 200 of you are still supporting me. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. 

Here's the next part - I'll try to post another one this weekend if you still want more. ❣️ 

--

Bondita was sleeping soundly. Quite deeply, actually. 

So as soon as Anirudh got under the covers, in the empty space next to her, she didn't even budge. She had always been such a deep sleeper. 

He rested his chin on the top of her hair, snuggling with the front of her body, as his hand reached her curves. The first thing he noticed was that she had grown... there was a slight bump between them as he snuggled with her. 

"Our baby grew," he murmured into her hair, feeling emotional, "And you... your body..." 

He squeezed his eyes shut, tears forming in his eyes. 

His Bondita's body was changing. He had been so afraid because of this. The pain that she would undergo. The changes her body would go through, as her womb made room for another life. 

How much... just how much would Bondita have to go through, for their baby?

Anirudh stroked her hair lovingly, his lips gently brushing over the top of her head. 

"And I can't be with you Bondita, in this time. I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I'm so sorry."

The tears poured down his cheeks into her hair, as he snuggled with her. 

"Your body is changing so much, your emotions are going everywhere, and I should be here... I should be here right now. But I'm not," he sobbed. "S - sometimes I feel like it's not f - fair for you, t - to have a h - husband like me. A husband who can't ignore his duty to the world." 

His cheeks were wet as he whispered hoarsely, "Y - you chose this type of husband as your life partner. This kind of man. A - And I can't even treat you right." 

He kissed the top of her head, "You're so precious Bondita. So precious. You deserve everything. Everything in the world... and my little B - Bondita, is getting this kind of father." 

His hand went down to her belly, gently caressing the bump that had formed there. "You have this kind of a man as your father," he cried, "A man who can't even be with your Maa in the time that she needs me -- but you know, my Little Bondita? Your Maa is very strong... she... she really d - doesn't need me. She's self-sufficient and capable herself. The truth is... I would like to be with her. I would like to spend my time with her. But, what can I do? When... I also have a duty to the world." 

He sniffled and caressed Bondita's belly. 

Somehow, she adjusted slightly, her breathing faltering. 

Anirudh's heart beat faster. 

If she woke up, what answer would he give her? 

"P... Pati Babu..." her lips formed words, "Is that you?"

Anirudh just wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, ever so softly and soothingly like a lullaby, "It's me. Sleep Bondita."

Bondita smiled in her sleepy state against his chest, "I missed you..." 

She was mumbling her words, without full awareness of what was happening. 

"I missed you too," he whispered in her ear, and then rubbed her back, until he heard her breathing deepen. 

But as he rubbed her back, and felt her curves, he could feel his own body's reaction—the craving for her. 

Why now? 

He groaned and lightly brushed her ear with his lips. "Keep sleeping... please." 

She continued to breathe deeply, as he moved her hair back behind her ear, exposing her neck. 

He glanced down at it - the soft neck of hers, which he badly wanted to kiss. 

Perhaps... one kiss wouldn't be a bad idea? 

So he dipped his head down to her neck, and planted a soft kiss on it. His heart hammered fast as he couldn't get enough. He kissed her again. 

"Wasn't this your fantasy?" he whispered against her neck, "One of your crazy ones. Where I make love to you in your sleep?"

He smiled against her neck, "I won't go that far... Missy, but..." He pressed his body against hers, clearly turned on, and sucked on her neck gently - but actually a little hard too, unable to help the desire that he was feeling. "You... you are so irresistible. You are so lovely. I just... I just miss you." 

There was a slight click on her neck, and his cheeks suddenly turned a faint shade of pink. 

"Did I... leave a bite..." he stammered, blushing. 

Suddenly he felt a slap on his head. "Insect. Mosquitooo!" Bondita moaned in her sleep. 

Anirudh's cheeks turned even more red! 

He was called all sorts of names in his passion for Bondita! His Kaka called him a mouse, hearing their kisses as mouse noises! Tupur had called their moans sounds of dying animals! 

And his own wife called him a mosquito?

"Bondita," Anirudh groaned. 

Suddenly her eyes fluttered in her dazed state, and Anirudh gulped nervously. 

He quickly climbed out of bed and ran behind the curtains, where he hid. 

Bondita's eyes opened and she touched her neck, where she could feel a slight sting. 

"What happened?" she mumbled, "Why does it hurt?"

She wondered if a mosquito bit her! But she did feel a familiar sensation... and a familiar scent. 

Pati Babu? 

"Pati Babu?" Bondita gasped. 

She jumped out of bed, and Anirudh quickly climbed out of the window and down to the ground. 

Bondita turned on the lights and looked around desperately. She could smell him! Surely this wasn't her imagination? 

"Pati Babu!" Bondita screamed, looking around madly. "You were here! Was it a dream?"

No voice responded back. 

As she ran towards the window, she stopped by the mirror in front of the dresser and noticed her neck. A reddish-purple mark had formed there, and her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. 

A grin appeared on her face. 

"I was right! You were here!" A giddy feeling reached her stomach, "But why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you leave an indication for me?" 

A pout suddenly appeared on her lips. "No fair Pati Babu! Not fair at all!"

She ran to the window, and caught a car speeding away - she couldn't see the car, but she had no doubt that only her Pati Babu would have the guts to do something like this! Plus it was his scent. It was definitely him - there was no doubt about it!

So she decided - if her Pati Babu could break the rules he set for them, then she could as well. She would go and visit him in the morning. 

"I'm coming Pati Babu! I'm coming to finish the job you started," she whispered the last part with a deep blush and a flirtatious tone. "I can't wait!" 

--

And the next day she went. 

That morning, Bondita dressed up in her most beautiful red Banarasi saree. She delicately coloured her hands and feet with alta, and generously applied sindoor in the parting of her hairline. 

She applied light makeup, to look her best. 

"We have to finish what you started after all Pati Babu," Bondita said as she looked at herself in the mirror, her stomach performing somersaults. "How much I've been craving for your homely touch!"

After making sure she looked as beautiful as she could, she left for the Roy Choudhary haveli. 

--

Anirudh was in his bedroom that morning, sitting on the bed and putting on a watch. 

Saudamini was in the room, just eyeing him. 

"Anirudh, I want to ask you something," she said, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest. 

She was dressed in a beautiful navy blue and cream-coloured stylish saree, sindoor in her hairline, and her hands covered with alta. Her hair was lightly curled.

Although Anirudh had never married her, she believed that they were married, and it was a lie that until today she believed. 

"Hmm," Anirudh said, not looking up at her. 

He stood up to get his wallet from the nightstand, but Saudamini approached him. 

"You're very different now, than what I remember," Saudamini said, "You... you don't even look at me." 

Anirudh looked up at her, his expression dead.

Saudamini gulped and she said, "I... feel like we got into a fight. Did we?"

"No," Anirudh just said, looking away from her. 

"I mean... you used to be so intoxicated by my looks," Saudamini went on. "You used to chase after me... and it felt like I mattered to you. Now... now it feels like... I don't exist. And, on top of that... every single night, you sleep in the study. You haven't come near me... when I'm so beautiful." 

Her eyes filled with tears. 

"You haven't touched me. Anirudh, why haven't you touched me?"

Anirudh stared at his wallet on the nightstand, his gaze piercing through it.

"I dress up so irresistibly every day. I come close to you... and you... you don't come near me. You don't give me a second glance," tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke. "Anirudh, why a - aren't you attracted to me?"

Anirudh finally looked up at her tear-stained cheeks. 

"Saudamini, physical attraction is only a spark. Over time, novelty fades," he told her. "What you are supposed to fall for, is someone's soul. Not their body." 

Saudamini rushed forward and grabbed his forearms. "But Anirudh, a husband and a wife must have some level of intimacy." 

She touched his cheek and continued, "I don't remember ever touching you. You must remember. You must -- because you have those memories. I lost them Anirudh. I d - don't..." Her voice cracked. "I don't remember your... your kiss - kisses. Your body on mine. I don't r - recall... Only you have those memories. B - but I want to know how it felt too. A - Anirudh, I want t - to too. It's not fair. It's not fair that only you know how it feels to be with me, and I don't know."

Her other hand reached to his cheek as well, her fingers caressing them. "Please Anirudh, don't stop me. Please Anirudh, let me feel your touch too. Let me embrace you." 

"Saudamini," Anirudh said, this time a slight fear in his tone, but she had wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight - as tightly as she possibly could. 

"You weren't even in the study last night when I came to check. I don't know where you went. It's like you want to run away from me," her words muffled against his chest. "Please Anirudh, don't push me away now at least. Don't do this to your wife." 

She pressed against him and Anirudh took a deep breath as he contemplated his next move. An image of Bondita flashed in his mind. He had been with her last night. With his wife. 

And here, his fake wife thought that they had some sort of physical connection in the past when in reality it had never been there. 

If he were to put himself in Saudamini's shoes, he couldn't blame her either. The person she believed she was married to had been cold to her, had been avoiding her, and hadn't slept a single day next to her in her bed. 

What would she think, other than having self-doubts and insecurities? Perhaps... he wasn't doing it the right way. 

But what else could he do?

"Sau - Mini," Anirudh said, his voice turning soft and compassionate. His hand reached to her hair, gently rubbing it, "You don't remember anything. I don't want to put you in a situation where you're living a life you aren't used to. That's why... I've been away. I want to give you time to get used to this." 

"I know," Saudamini sobbed softly, and gently looked up at him, her mouth starting to inch closer to his. The volume of her voice went down an octave, as she whispered, a hint of seduction there, "I know Anirudh, that you're looking out for me. But the truth is... I'm ready. I'm ready to live that life. The life as your wife. I want to live that. I want to feel it. I want to be with you Anirudh. I want it."

Anirudh looked into her eyes for a moment as she drew closer to him, her lips trembling and inching closer and closer.  What answer could he give her? How could he make sure she didn't suffer from insecurities, and was in a state where she could slowly be primed to the truth? 

He was a surgeon right now - one wrong move and anything could go wrong. Not just with her health, but also with her mental state - he knew what Saudamini was capable of in anger and vengeance. 

He quickly brought his hands to her cheeks, only to stop her and pull her away.

However, that was the exact moment the door opened, and a gleeful-looking Bondita walked in, catching him in a position he never would have wanted her to see. 

Anirudh's startled eyes glanced up at her, his hands freezing on Saudamini's cheeks, and Mini quickly turned around, her body still pressed against Anirudh's, her face dangerously close to his. 

And Saudamini Bhoumik finally came face-to-face with Bondita Roy Choudhary. 

--

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