"Girl, lower your eyes. I said lower them."
Yet Ibrat didn't lower her gaze, nor did she blink. She kept staring directly at Nasso. Four days of starvation had hollowed out her cheeks until the skin clung tightly to the bones, but there was not a single trace of exhaustion on her face. Spellbound, she gazed at him for a long time without blinking.
Nasso raised the water bottle to his lips and was about to stand when Ibrat suddenly snapped back to reality. Losing all composure, she hurriedly blurted out in an eager voice,
"You are unbelievably handsome. You are the most beautiful man I've ever seen."
Her voice carried pure fascination, the silent language of complete surrender.
Nasso sealed the bottle and placed it on the damp floor. Then he crouched down on one knee in front of the bloodied girl whose hands and feet were tied. His face looked clear and unreadable like the surface of deep water. Anyone could read what was written there. Though he appeared simple on the outside, inside him existed endless layers of terrifying complexity.
There was no anger, no sorrow, no smile in Nasso's expression. Only one constant shade—absolute coldness.
This giant of a man could bury ten people into the ground alone. Many dangerous warriors had already lost against his icy intelligence. That was why Richard had made him his right hand. Nasso had walked too far down this road; now he could no longer step outside the hard shell surrounding him.
Without warmth or unnecessary rage in his tone, he simply said,
"The pieces of flesh I cut from people are always perfectly sized too."
Though the sentence was spoken coldly, it carried immense weight. Those deep, suffocating words were far beyond Ibrat's capacity to comprehend.
Fear quietly accumulated inside her, but after a brief moment of panic, she looked back into Nasso's deep dark-brown eyes. Compared to his massive frame, Ibrat seemed tiny. She had to tilt her neck upward just to look at him. Staring for so long had made her neck ache, but when her heartbeat itself had frozen, what value did pain even hold?
Her shameless heart and unwavering gaze remained fixed on Nasso like a criminal caught red-handed.
"Still… to me, you are a great man."
For the first time, a slight change appeared in Nasso's expression. One corner of his lips curled upward into a cold smile. He placed his large masculine hand against the wall beside Ibrat's ear and leaned slightly closer.
His warm breath brushed against her face.
A cold shiver crawled down her spine. Her chest tightened strangely. Suddenly embarrassed, Ibrat finally lowered her gaze. But could that uncontrollable heart surrender so easily?
Being this close… feeling such an overwhelming presence… how could she miss the chance to embrace him?
No. Never.
With trembling sensations flooding her body, she once again looked up with half-lidded eyes toward Nasso's broad bronze body. But Nasso completely ignored her gaze.
In a stiff voice he asked,
"Wanna die?"
Ibrat answered immediately,
"I just wanna be yours."
This time a deep frown formed on Nasso's forehead. Stepping slightly away from her, he said in a dry tone,
"You talk too boldly. Four days without food and you still haven't lost any energy. Seems I'll have to stop giving you water too."
Suddenly all color drained from Ibrat's face. She turned her head toward the small iron cage nearby.
From afar it looked like a rat trap placed in some dark room, except inside it was trapped a middle-aged woman.
After four days without food, Sabita Begum's body had become lifeless. Around the tiny cage was another layer of barbed wire. Forget moving—she couldn't even sit up properly. Exhausted and weak, she slept curled up like a broken bird.
The moment Ibrat looked at her mother, pain twisted inside her chest. All her fascination and affection disappeared instantly as tears flooded her eyes like monsoon rain.
Her voice cracked with tears as she begged,
"Please let my mother eat something. A person can't survive on only water like this."
Nasso simply laughed away the painful plea. Biting his lip and furrowing his brows, he asked,
"And how exactly will you survive?"
Wiping away her tears, Ibrat answered firmly,
"Even if it's just to have you, I must survive."
This time Nasso gave her his full attention.
Though she did not possess Elizabeth's breathtaking beauty, there was an endless softness within Ibrat—deep, unrestrained tenderness. Four days of starvation had clearly affected her glowing dusky face. Dark circles settled beneath her deer-like eyes, yet her dark pink lips looked like two lotus flowers blooming against muddy waters.
Gentle. Her entire existence was wrapped in gentleness.
But in contrast to that softness, Nasso's jaw hardened. His eyes turned severe and his voice icy as he spoke in a slow Italian-accented tone,
"You're suffering because of your mother, aren't you? Then tell me—how did it feel when you starved another mother's daughter for days? Felt good, didn't it? Why doesn't it feel good now?
The floor feels cold? Afraid of the darkness?
Did you ever think about how that orphan girl felt?
When a girl your age was suffering from bad touches, didn't you feel insecure even once yourself?
When you locked her inside a tiny room for days, where was all this sympathy then?
Do you think people are fucking fools?"
The last words exploded sharply from Nasso's mouth.
Ibrat's whole body trembled. Flames burned inside Nasso's eyes while fury dripped from every word. His small brown eyes, squeezed between the weight of flesh around them, now blazed like wildfire.
Yet suddenly—Ibrat laughed through her tears.
In a broken whisper she asked,
"Why didn't you come into my life earlier? Why didn't you arrive years ago like a stormy southern wind?"
Nasso narrowed his eyes further.
"What do you mean?"
In the same weak tone, Ibrat replied,
"Then maybe I could've escaped the poisonous teachings my mother fed me and learned to speak with my own heart. Maybe I could've removed the colorful curtain covering my eyes and understood the truth of the world.
Like right now—I'm saying only what comes from my heart. There's no evil advisor whispering beside me anymore.
Maybe then the weight of my sins would've become a little lighter.
Believe me… I truly regret what I've done.
After falling in love, I finally understood what pain feels like. Living such a comfortable life, I never understood Elizabeth's suffering before."
She paused and lowered her eyes.
"The first moment I saw you, my heart overflowed with feelings. Even during that horrible situation, my mind floated somewhere else in happiness.
But when you left… I realized how empty I felt.
That day, for the first time in my life, I began to understand Elizabeth's pain. I learned what it means to lose someone.
I even tried many times to explain things to my mother.
Believe me, I want to atone for my sins. Please help me. Father and I searched everywhere for your boss but couldn't find him.
Please tell me… where is Elizabeth? How is she?"
Ignoring her regret-filled words, Nasso stood up and prepared to leave.
But from behind him came Ibrat's strange declarations of love again and again.
Still Nasso didn't stop.
"I love you! Keep me imprisoned forever if you want, but keep me near you. We Bengali girls wish to die in the arms of the one we love."
She still didn't stop.
"We shouldn't kick love away. We should keep it protected inside our hearts… otherwise it rots."
"No objection."
Nasso answered deeply without slowing his steps.
A faint smile appeared on Ibrat's lips. In her weak voice she shouted again,
"I want to be destroyed in your love."
This time Nasso stopped.
He tilted his head slightly but didn't turn around. Maintaining distance, he said in an irritated voice,
"There is nothing in this love except devastation. You will be destroyed, girl."
Before Ibrat could answer, Nasso left the basement with long strides.
Standing before two guards dressed in black, he ordered coldly,
"From today onward, don't even give them water."
Seeing the guards silently nod, Nasso let out a heated breath. Slowing his pace, he entered the mansion where Richard's violent behavior awaited him.
And to face that monster… he needed to harden himself first.
The effects of the chloroform slowly faded as Elizabeth struggled to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt unbearably heavy, as though someone had placed giant stones on them.
Her curved body rested against a soft bed like a drawn bowstring. From the surrounding sounds, she realized she was somewhere safe and residential. Car horns echoed nearby. Most likely there was a busy road close by, filled with vehicles rushing endlessly toward different destinations.
Fresh wind flowed through the open window carrying the scent of freedom and nature. After so long, that air touched Elizabeth's dried, exhausted body.
With tremendous effort, she finally opened her eyes.
The moment her eyelids lifted, her deep black eyes became visible through the narrow gap. But the slanted sodium light hurt immediately, forcing her to cover them with her hand.
After adjusting herself for a few moments, she sat up again—
And froze in shock.
Her eyes widened in utter disbelief as she looked around the entire room.
Calling it simply "a room" would be an insult.
Someone had decorated this place like Disneyland itself with endless care and affection. Elizabeth felt as if she had arrived inside a pink fantasy world.
From the closet to the bedsheets, pillows, sofa, and curtains—everything was pink.
Like the dream room of a little girl brought to life.
Most girls dreamed of a room like this. Very few women disliked pink.
Elizabeth still stared around in disbelief. Compared to Richard's terrifying dark-themed room and the cold kitchen floor where she had suffered, this beautifully arranged place felt unreal.
Trying to prove to herself that this wasn't some childish illusion, she pinched her own skin hard enough to leave red nail marks.
The pain made her flinch.
It was real.
Then her gaze landed on the bedside—
And her eyes widened again.
Two huge Doraemon dolls sat there carefully placed beside her. Laughing uncontrollably, she tried to hug them both but failed because of their size.
The sight stirred memories from childhood. Once, her father had decorated her little room in their tiny cottage the same way. He had built her a small kingdom filled with nothing but love, warmth, and care.
"Elokeshi…"
At the familiar honey-like intoxicated voice, Elizabeth froze.
She turned toward the doorway.
And there he stood.
Holding a tray of food in his hands.
The moment Elizabeth looked into that dark figure standing by the door, her eyes sparkled brightly. A peaceful smile trembled faintly at the corner of her lips. Tears filled her eyes instantly.
She ran toward him and threw herself against his broad chest, crying uncontrollably.
The man placed his rough, sturdy hand gently on her head, giving her time to calm herself.
But the complicated girl couldn't hold herself together anymore after finally finding shelter in the shadow of someone dear to her. Instead of stopping, her sobs only grew stronger with every passing second.
And strangely…
The owner of that broad chest seemed satisfied watching this scene.
After ages, having his beloved so close again—alone, in silence—filled his heart with an indescribable peace. Like raindrops falling upon a burning desert.
Yet eventually he couldn't bear it anymore.
The trembling of Elizabeth's body from crying struck against his chest harder than hammers. It felt unbearable.
Restlessly, he tried to calm her.
"Elokeshi… hey, Elokeshi. Don't cry like this, little bird. Your voice will give out."
But Elizabeth didn't stop. This flood of monsoon tears wouldn't end so easily today.
Out of options, the man cupped her wet cheeks with both hands. Her eyes and face had turned red from crying. With trembling lashes, Elizabeth looked up at him.
The moment their eyes met, a cold wind swept through the man's chest. A relieved breath escaped his lips.
His voice deepened as he whispered,
"I lost again, good man. Why must the one who suffers… keep suffering forever? I've lost my final reason to live."
"Nothing has happened to you, Elokeshi. Please don't say that."
But her broken mind refused to listen.
Crying helplessly, Elizabeth collapsed onto the floor. The man immediately knelt in front of her.
He realized that the tears of this enchanting woman who had entered his world only hours ago were piercing into his chest like fatal wounds.
All the pain she had buried inside herself melted under warmth and exploded like a storm.
Like someone possessed, Elizabeth began pulling at her own hair.
Panicked, the man grabbed her tightly against his chest again.
She struggled wildly to escape, punching his chest over and over. Yet he didn't let go. Holding her firmly, he silently endured every blow.
Her body trembled violently from crying.
"Why didn't you come earlier, good man? Why didn't you come sooner?"
"Calm down, Elokeshi. Forgive me… I wasn't in the country at that time. If I had been here, I would never have let this happen. Believe me.
Be strong.
Even if humans forget the cries of the oppressed, Allah never forgets. Every scream, every word, every recording of a victim remains preserved before Him.
If humans took revenge, it would only be half justice. But when the Creator Himself punishes someone… their world becomes unimaginably cruel.
Surely our Lord doesn't forget even something as small as a mustard seed."
Suddenly Elizabeth shoved him away with all her strength.
Caught off guard, he nearly fell backward but steadied himself with one hand on the floor.
At the same moment, Elizabeth's hand landed on shattered glass pieces scattered nearby. A sharp shard pierced deep into her palm instantly, and blood began pouring out.
Looking at the bloody glass embedded in her flesh, Elizabeth whispered,
"These are the shattered pieces of my dreams… buried inside my broken heart. Everything has changed now. Inside me, everything is bleeding."
"Elokeshi, stop being so childish. Your hand is bleeding. Let me see."
As he moved closer, she backed away. A mocking smile curled faintly onto her lips while endless tears streamed from her eyes.
Her pain was unbearable to watch.
Keeping his voice firm, he pleaded,
"Elokeshi, please. We have to stop the bleeding."
Elizabeth laughed weakly through her tears.
"And what about the bleeding inside my heart? I'm drowning in floods of blood there too."
Without delay he replied,
"Maybe I can't erase scars carved that deeply… but I promise I'll cover every scar with white flowers. No one will ever see them."
"And you?"
"If it comes to me… if I ever see your scars, I'll destroy my own eyes with my own hands. I don't want to see your pain. But I still want to heal you. Truly."
"Everything is a lie. Even my own people pushed me away, and you…"
"This 'you' belongs only to you, Elokeshi. Some relationships don't need blood ties."
Keeping her distracted with words, he suddenly grabbed her injured hand firmly.
Elizabeth froze.
The man quickly pulled a handkerchief from his Punjabi pocket and wrapped it around her bleeding palm. She struggled desperately to free herself.
Then suddenly she screamed,
"Don't touch me! I'm impure!"
The man went completely still.
Silently, he looked at her neck.
If one looked carefully, dark bruises could still be seen there clearly.
Closing his eyes, he let out a heated breath before exhaling slowly.
Yet his expression remained calm. The familiar gentle smile still rested at the corner of his lips as he carefully tied the cloth around her hand.
In a completely normal tone, he said,
"You are a pure flower. The brightest star in the sky. And if some storm steals your light away… then I'll become the sun myself and burn to ashes just to illuminate you again."
Elizabeth stared at him silently.
How effortlessly this man spoke the most impossible words.
This wasn't how things were supposed to be.
In the sinful city, exchanging bodies willingly in darkness was normal—but if a woman lost her dignity against her will, society stained her forever.
Elizabeth's expression turned empty.
"What do you mean?"
The man finished wrapping her hand carefully. Then, without hesitation, he wiped the blood from her hand onto his own white Punjabi.
Elizabeth's eyes widened.
The pure white fabric became stained crimson.
Smiling softly, he said,
"There. I stained myself with your 'impure' blood. Now I'm impure too. So let's become pure together instead… bound in a sacred relationship."
There wasn't even the slightest hesitation in his voice while saying such outrageous things.
And somehow… those ridiculous words didn't suit his personality or profession at all.
Seeing Elizabeth's stunned expression, the man smiled crookedly.
Then gently placed both hands on her cheeks.
The moment his touch reached her skin, Elizabeth jerked away as though electrocuted.
Understanding her insecurity, he moved a little farther back.
Then calmly asked the unexpected question,
"Will you marry me, Elokeshi?"
It felt like lightning struck Elizabeth's head.
"What? What are you saying? Even after knowing everything…"
"I'm saying this knowing everything, Elokeshi. Be mine. Give me a chance to color your life in purity again."
Elizabeth's voice hardened.
"Where am I and where are you… what nonsense are you—"
Before she could finish, the man interrupted desperately,
"This 'you' belongs only to you."
"I can't deceive you. Please forgive me."
"Save me instead, Elokeshi. Please."
A frown appeared on her forehead.
"Save you? Meaning?"
"Save me from slowly dying in fear of losing you.
Yes, I know you probably never thought of me that way. But I did. From the very beginning.
I was only waiting for the right time.
Then suddenly a storm came and destroyed everything.
I struggled so hard to find you again, Elizabeth. I don't want to lose you anymore.
Please become mine.
I want to take responsibility for all your pain. I want to heal your scars."
"I don't want to stain your beautiful life with my filth, good man."
"Elokeshi… look at me, little bird.
A person needs a strong hand to stand back up. I'm offering you mine.
None of this was your fault. Don't hide yourself away like this.
We can start over again if we want. Not everything in life stays under our control.
Unexpected things happen.
But we can still make the ending beautiful.
I want to give you recognition in society as my wife. I want to erase every stain forced onto your name.
Even the moon has blemishes, yet people still compare their loved ones to the moon.
And you… you are the most colorful flower in my garden.
The other flowers envy your purity and softness.
Just hold my hand once. I'll show you what true love really means."
He extended his hand toward her.
Elizabeth looked at that hopeful hand through tearful eyes.
Then slowly closed her eyes and whispered in a trembling voice,
"I'll never be able to give you a husband's rights. I've started hating my own body."
"Love means embracing someone.
And embracing means holding them so tightly that ribs melt into ribs—whether physically or emotionally.
I don't want your body, Elokeshi. I only want you beside me until the very end.
Without your permission, I'll never even touch you. I promise."
"I've lost every feeling related to love."
"I'll wait.
Take your time.
The day you finally surrender to my love… will be the happiest day of my life.
Until then, I'll keep trying to make flowers of love bloom inside your heart.
But listen carefully—whenever you do fall in love, at least warn me beforehand, girl. Otherwise I won't survive such a shock."
He laughed lightly after finishing.
Elizabeth stared at him silently.
Inside her fearless heart raged endless conflict.
Again and again the screams from those horrifying moments echoed inside her head, tearing apart her mind and senses.
But perhaps…
To stop the bleeding in her soul, she needed to move forward somehow.
She didn't want to remain an unreachable star floating in dark skies forever.
She wanted to erase the pain.
To lose herself inside someone new.
At last Elizabeth emerged from her hesitation.
Let someone come and fill her heart with love.
Let a new morning arrive and destroy the darkness of the past.
Taking a shaky breath, she finally placed her trembling hand into his rough masculine palm.
Their locked gazes deepened.
A smile of pure joy escaped the man's lips and spread into the air around them.
Carefully, he lifted Elizabeth and sat her down on the bed.
Her crying slowly subsided.
Peace finally softened her face.
Holding both her hands gently, he whispered,
"I touched you today. Before marriage, I won't touch you again. And never without your permission.
The Qazi will arrive soon. Eat something first."
He released her hands and called the maid through the intercom to bring fresh food.
Then he sat beside her again, unable to stop staring at her tear-stained face.
Finally Elizabeth asked softly,
"Where am I?"
"At Dewan Mansion."
Elizabeth jolted in shock.
"How long have I been here?"
"Since last night."
"What time is it now?"
"Evening. Seven o'clock."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"I slept that long?"
The man lowered his head guiltily.
"Well… the chloroform dose was a little too much."
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"So that was you?"
"No. It was the neighborhood lunatic."
Elizabeth burst into laughter for the first time in ages.
And the man watched that lively smile as though enchanted.
But suddenly her smile disappeared again.
Seriousness returned instantly.
"Why didn't you wake me? How did you learn the truth? How did you even reach that hidden place? How are my uncle and aunt? That monster didn't hurt them, did he? Is Ibrat okay?"
"Hey, hey… breathe first. Ask slowly."
Still restless, she urged again,
"Tell me!"
"Alright.
First—I didn't want to wake you because you looked too peaceful sleeping.
Second—I learned everything from Shihab. I met him right after returning to the country two days ago.
Then I searched everywhere for you. I used all my people. After endless effort… I finally found you.
That's why it took so long.
And honestly… I didn't get the chance to check on your uncle and aunt. I was only searching for you like a madman.
Forgive me, Elokeshi. I couldn't stand beside you during the worst time of your life.
When we return, we'll visit them together, alright?"
Elizabeth immediately asked,
"Return? Where are we going?"
"We're flying to America at dawn."
"Why?"
"For now, it's safer there for us. That gangster is still in the country. He's probably searching for us like a madman."
The mention of Richard shattered Elizabeth again. Tears filled her eyes.
In a broken voice she asked,
"Why do you want to involve yourself in my filthy life? How long can you keep running like this?"
In a grave voice he replied,
"Secrecy is power. People cannot destroy what they do not know.
And you… you are the most precious thing in my life. I'll protect you carefully forever.
Just become mine legally once… then no one on earth will be able to separate you from me."
Still Elizabeth's heart remained troubled.
Richard's cruelty flashed repeatedly before her eyes.
Suddenly she panicked again.
"Reshma Ma… Nishi… where are they? That monster will kill them if he can't find me. Please save them somehow. I can't lose another motherly shadow. I've already lost everything."
Darkness crossed the man's face.
But he hid the truth from her. He didn't want to ruin this beautiful moment.
"You don't need to worry, Elokeshi. I'll bring her to you very soon."
At that moment the maid entered with food.
Elizabeth fell silent again, lost in thought.
When the man raised a bite of food to her lips, she quietly accepted it without protest.
These tiny acts of care were exactly what she had craved all her life.
After feeding her, the man stood up. Picking up an envelope from the bedside, he handed it to her.
Elizabeth looked at him questioningly.
"Your passport. Everything you need is inside the closet. Freshen up.
The Qazi will arrive soon."
After saying that, he left.
Elizabeth stared blankly at the envelope.
But her mind wasn't there.
Only one sentence echoed inside her ears—
"The Qazi will arrive soon."
A new life was about to begin.
But could someone as unfortunate as her ever truly find happiness?
❌