Laboni had hoped that her humanity might bring a change to Henry's stony heart, but she was wrong. Men like Henry do not know how to express gratitude; they view the exposure of their weakness as the ultimate insult.
Henry's Cruel Vengeance
The next morning, while Laboni sat somewhat peacefully in her brother's cell, a group of armed guards suddenly dragged her out. She was taken back to that dark torture chamber. Henry sat there, no longer with gratitude in his eyes, but a hellish fury.
Twirling his inhaler in his hand, Henry spoke in a cold voice:
"Did you think that by saving my life last night, you did me a favor? You saw my weakness, Laboni. I survived, yes, but that look of pity in your eyes didn't let me sleep all night."
He stepped closer and said in a raspy voice, "I cannot tolerate being indebted to a prisoner like you. You know my vulnerability, and today, I will erase that evidence forever."
A New Blow to Her Brother
Before Laboni could utter a word, Henry pulled back a screen. There was Rehan, hanging from iron chains. At Henry's signal, a guard began to lash Rehan's back with a whip.
Laboni screamed, "No! I saved you! Why are you torturing him again?"
Henry laughed demonically, "Because by saving me, you shattered my pride. From today, I will destroy you and your brother bit by bit. You're a doctor, right? Let's see if your medical science can save your brother now!"
Laboni's Heart-Rending Cry
Laboni realized she hadn't saved a human life; she had given a monster a new lease on life. The ground seemed to slip from beneath her feet. Henry stood before her, laughing.
"There is no mercy for you, Laboni. Because you saved my life, I won't kill you—but I will make you do things that are more terrifying than death."
Laboni collapsed onto her knees. Tears streamed down her face like rain. She realized this was no longer just a struggle for survival; it was an ultimate war to protect herself from a demon. Her pride and dignity crumbled the moment she saw Henry's hellish cruelty in return for her humanity. Every lash on Rehan's back felt like a strike against her own heart.
The girl who had stood tall just moments ago now crawled to Henry's feet. Grabbing his polished boots, she sobbed uncontrollably. Her tears soaked his shoes.
In a broken, pleading voice, she cried, "I beg of you, Mr. Henry! Please let him go. Don't hit him; he can't take it. I was wrong, I will never disobey you again. I'll do whatever you say, go wherever you tell me—just leave him alone!"
Henry reached down, grabbed Laboni's hair, and forced her face upward. His eyes held that same demonic satisfaction. "What happened? Where is your spirit now? Why are you holding my feet?"
Laboni whispered, "I give up, Mr. Henry. I am no longer a doctor, no longer a rebel. I am simply a helpless sister. Save him, and take my life in return!"
Henry signaled the guard to stop. Rehan hung limp, exhausted by the pain. Henry leaned into Laboni's ear and whispered, "Remember, I am granting this 'mercy' not for you, but as payment for saving my life. But from today, you are my puppet. You will do exactly as I say. If you stray even an inch, I'll feed your brother's corpse to the prison dogs. Understand?"
Laboni nodded in consent. Her soul-crushing cries seemed to make the prison walls tremble. She realized that to save her brother's life, she had sold her soul to a devil.
The Devil's Proposal
When Henry pushed her pleading hands away with his boot, a heavy silence filled the room. He stood still for a moment, then leaned down to her ear. His hot breath felt like poison.
He whispered something with a demonic lust—words so vile they are impossible to express in polite society. His words were a distorted hint of total ownership over her womanhood and her body. Henry made it clear: from tonight, Laboni's existence would be nothing more than his plaything.
Laboni's body shuddered with shame and hatred. A sob caught in her throat, but she closed her eyes tightly in intense humiliation. She wished the dark world would collapse right then. Her fair face turned red with shame, and her lips trembled.
Henry stood up and gave a look of utter contempt. Before leaving, he told his bodyguards, "Clean her up and bring her to my cabin. Tonight is going to be a long night."
The sound of his heavy boots echoed down the corridor. Laboni lay motionless on the floor, her eyes closed, as if refusing to see this cruel reality. Henry's disgusting words still echoed in her ears. In the next cell, Rehan was still moaning in pain, but Laboni was so mentally devastated she had no strength left to comfort him.
She realized she had fallen into a deep pit where no light could reach.
A Glimpse of the Past
As Laboni closed her eyes in agony, her consciousness drifted away from this hell toward a distant past—a bright, golden afternoon.
A Lost Childhood: In a flashback, a young Laboni—with curly hair and a colorful frock—is seen running through the garden in front of their house. Her little brother, Rehan, who had just learned to walk, was chasing her.
"Sister! Catch me!" Rehan's tiny voice was like music to her ears. Suddenly, Rehan fell and scraped his knee. He began to cry. Little Laboni rushed to him. Instead of being afraid, she gently blew on his wound. She wiped the dust away with her dress. That day, Laboni's father pulled her close and said:
"My daughter is going to grow up to serve people. She will be our little doctor!"
Laboni laughed and said, "Yes, Father, I will be a doctor. I will never let Rehan get hurt."
The Father's Last Memory: The flashback shifted to their father lying ill in bed. Laboni stayed up all night caring for him. Her father's trusting eyes were her source of strength. He had said, "Laboni, remember—the world outside is difficult. But never lose your self-respect or your kindness for others."
Back then, Laboni didn't know how cruel the world could be. She didn't know she would one day have to sacrifice everything to save her brother's life.
The Present Resolve
The flashback shattered at the sound of a guard's boot hitting the floor. Laboni opened her eyes. The smiling face of her childhood was now blue with pain. But her father's words and her own promise—"I will never let Rehan get hurt"—sparked a new life in her dying spirit.
She realized she wasn't just Henry's plaything; she was her father's 'Doctor Daughter,' who held the power to save lives and destroy killers.
The Final Preparation
Under Henry's orders, she was taken to a secret room. She was forced into a dress—expensive, yet shamelessly designed. Standing before the mirror, Laboni couldn't recognize herself. The shimmering fabric seemed to mock her soul.
As she looked at her reflection, she remembered her father. She whispered to herself, "Father, you told me never to lose my self-respect. Today, I am going to do something extreme for that very dignity."
While putting on the dress, Laboni hid a small, sharp object or a medicinal ampoule she had managed to scavenge earlier. She knew that beneath this beautiful dress, she would have to fight a terrifying battle tonight.
Entering the Lion's Den
Late at night, when the prison corridors were silent, Laboni was brought to Henry's quarters. As the door opened, Henry was seen standing by the window with a glass in his hand.
Seeing Laboni, Henry gave a cruel smile. He walked toward her slowly and said, "Well! It suits you. Your beauty was hidden under those prisoner rags."
Laboni remained silent. Her eyes held the stillness of the dead. She was preparing herself for the most difficult test of her life.