TANOY: A Price Too Cruel
Chapter 1: A Restless Walk
Tanoy walked alone.
The narrow alley stretched endlessly ahead, its cracked pavement dimly lit by flickering streetlights. The air felt heavy—humid, suffocating—yet it wasn't the heat that troubled him.
It was everything else.
A strange uneasiness clung to his chest. Not fear exactly… but something close to it. Something that refused to settle.
Still, Tanoy kept walking.
He had always been like this.
Even in the worst situations, when everything around him threatened to fall apart, he remained calm. Not because he was fearless—but because life had taught him how to endure.
Silently.
Eight years ago, he had walked like this too.
Back then, it was different.
There had been hope in his steps. Dreams in his eyes. He was searching for a home—not just a place to live, but a place to build a life.
And he had found it.
A small house. A simple life. A happy family.
That had been enough.
But now…
Now he was searching again.
Another house. Another beginning.
Another fragile dream.
Tanoy let out a slow breath.
Will it even matter this time?
His mind drifted to his family.
His wife. His daughters. His parents.
The people who made everything worth it.
But a thought crept in—dark and uninvited.
What if they're not there… this time?
He stopped walking.
For a moment, the world felt strangely quiet.
Then he shook his head and forced himself forward.
No.
He couldn't think like that.
Not yet.
Not when everything was still… uncertain.
But deep down—
He knew.
Something was coming.
Something that would change everything.
And he had no idea… how much it would cost him.
Chapter 2: The Perfect Life
If someone looked at Tanoy's life from the outside, they would call it simple.
Ordinary.
Unremarkable.
But to him… it was everything.
The moment he stepped inside his home after work, the exhaustion of the day melted away.
"Baba!"
Two tiny voices rang out at once.
Before he could even put down his bag, his daughters came running toward him, their laughter filling the room like music. One clung to his arm, the other wrapped herself around his waist.
Tanoy smiled.
This—this was his world.
His two little "fairies."
No matter how difficult life became, these moments made everything worth it.
But there was another ritual he loved just as much.
His daily "interview."
Loosening his tie, he leaned against the doorway and looked toward the kitchen.
"How are you, Nipa?"
Nipa didn't turn around. "Same as this morning. Nothing has changed."
Tanoy chuckled softly. "Hmm… what did you eat for lunch?"
"Fish, mashed potatoes, rice, and lentils," she replied. "You'll eat the same."
"Sounds perfect," he said. Then, after a pause, "Do you need anything?"
This time, she turned.
There was a quiet warmth in her eyes.
"Yes."
Tanoy raised an eyebrow. "What do you need?"
Nipa smiled faintly.
"You."
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Tanoy already knew the answer.
It had never changed.
And he hoped… it never would.
But if there was one place where Tanoy truly felt at peace—it was with his parents.
At thirty-six, with a family of his own, he still became that little boy whenever he was with them.
Every Friday morning, his only day off, he would quietly walk into their room.
Without saying a word, he would climb onto the bed and squeeze between them, pushing them gently aside.
Just like he used to as a child.
Then he would close his eyes.
And breathe.
His mother's scent wrapped around him instantly—warm, familiar, irreplaceable.
There was no perfume in the world that could compare.
Those moments… they grounded him.
Reminded him of who he was.
Of what mattered.
But life wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Beneath the laughter, beneath the warmth—there was pressure.
Financial struggles.
Uncertainty.
Responsibilities that never ended.
And recently…
Something had changed.
Something that threatened to take everything away from him.
Tanoy didn't fully understand it yet.
But he could feel it.
Like a storm gathering just beyond the horizon.
Waiting.
That night, as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, one thought refused to leave him—
How long can I protect this life?
And more importantly—
What will I have to sacrifice… to keep it?
Chapter 3: The Man in the Suit
At first, it felt like nothing.
Just a coincidence.
A passing glance.
A stranger in the crowd.
But Tanoy noticed him.
The man in the suit.
It didn't make sense.
The heat was unbearable. The kind that soaked through clothes and drained your energy within minutes. No one dressed like that here—not unless they had a reason.
And yet… the man wore it effortlessly.
Calm. Composed.
Watching.
The first time, Tanoy ignored it.
The second time… he hesitated.
By the third time—
He was sure.
The man was following him.
Not closely.
Not obviously.
But enough.
Every morning, as soon as Tanoy stepped out of his house, the man appeared somewhere nearby. Always at a distance. Always just out of reach.
And when Tanoy reached the main road…
The man would enter a sleek black car waiting by the roadside.
Tanoy had noticed the car.
Of course he had.
A Nissan X-Trail. Latest model.
He couldn't afford something like that—but he knew it. He loved cars. Spent hours reading about them, watching videos, memorizing details.
Dreaming.
Because dreams were free.
That morning, everything changed.
Tanoy was walking toward the bus stand when the car suddenly pulled up beside him.
He froze.
The tinted window slowly rolled down.
"Going to the office?"
The man's voice was calm. Almost casual.
"Come. I'll drop you. I'm heading to Gulshan."
Tanoy's heart skipped.
Gulshan?
That was where his office was.
"How do you know—"
"Mr. Tanoy," the man interrupted, a faint smile on his lips, "you're getting late."
Tanoy went still.
His name.
The man knew his name.
This wasn't coincidence anymore.
This was something else.
Something deliberate.
Something… dangerous.
For a moment, Tanoy considered walking away.
Ignoring it.
Pretending none of this was happening.
But then—
Curiosity took over.
A dangerous, irresistible curiosity.
Why me?
That question alone was enough.
Without another word, Tanoy opened the car door… and stepped inside.
Cool air brushed against his face instantly.
The heat disappeared.
Soft music played in the background. A faint, expensive fragrance filled the space.
For a brief moment—
Tanoy forgot everything.
Forgot who he was.
Forgot where he belonged.
This world… felt different.
Better.
But something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Because as the car began to move, one thought echoed loudly in his mind—
This man knows me.
But I don't know him.
And deep down—
Tanoy realized something chilling.
This wasn't just a ride.
This was the beginning of something far bigger than he had imagined.
Something he might not be able to escape.
End of Chapter 3