Novel: Emptiness is Darkness
Genre: Urban Psychological Thriller
Author: Anna
Part 1: Arrival of the Shadows
In a quiet lane of Shantinagar, Dhaka, stands a modest three-room flat. From the outside, it looks ordinary, but inside its walls lie countless untold stories. This is the home of the Rahman family.
Ela Rahman—the youngest daughter of the family—is just seventeen. A twelfth-grade student at Vikarunnesa Noon School and College. Polite and sociable, yet deep inside harbors silent pain unknown to anyone.
Her father works as an accountant at a small private firm; her mother is a homemaker. Her elder sister Nazma teaches at a school, and her brother Nahian studies at Dhaka University. Though young, Ela is the quiet root holding the family together—no one knows how lonely she truly is.
Every day she wakes up at 7 a.m. to go to college. In the afternoons, she works part-time at a coffee shop in Bashundhara City. Amid this busy routine, she keeps her dreams alive—sometimes floating in a cup of coffee, sometimes hidden between the pages of a book.
---
That Thursday was different.
After college, Ela reached the coffee shop, which was bustling. She tied her hair back, put on an apron, and got to work. Taking orders with a smile, thanking customers politely.
Suddenly, three young men entered—
1. Rafael Hossain — eyes full of depth, words few. As if carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
2. Adris Khan — son of a wealthy family. Expensive car, strong perfume, and a commanding glint in his eyes.
3. Saiful Arman — a book lover who sits at the old bookstore next to the coffee shop. Has been silently watching Ela for a long time.
Ela didn't know any of them, but their presence spread a strange unease.
An elderly man ordered coffee, and Ela spoke to him with a smile. Suddenly, Adris came close and sneered—
"Do you smile at everyone like that?"
Ela paused, then replied,
"I work here. Talking to customers is my responsibility."
Adris laughed—
"Even responsibilities have limits."
Then Rafael spoke softly—
"What's your name?"
Ela answered,
"Are you here to drink coffee or to audit?"
Rafael's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Just here to see how much darkness hides beneath the city's lights."
Before the old man left, he said while holding his coffee cup—
"In life, many things will come, but never trust anyone before you truly understand them."
His words sent a cold shiver through Ela's heart.
---
Ela's mental struggle began—
Rafael's silent love
Adris's aggressive control
Saiful's calm shadow
Three shadows gradually devoured Ela's small, peaceful life.
---
Night falls.
The coffee shop is emptying. Mamun uncle has left. Ela is tidying cups.
Suddenly, a knock on the door.
It's Adris. He enters and says—
"I don't like how you talk to other men."
Ela's voice trembles,
"Who are you to me?"
Adris, indifferent—
"Not anyone yet. But I will be. It's only a matter of time."
He leaves. Ela's hands shake as she holds the cup, her eyes filled with unknown fear.
---
Next day at college,
Rafael leaves a bunch of bakul flowers at the bottom of the stairs.
In his eyes, a silent message—
"I have been here for a long time."
Ela says nothing and walks away.
A little farther, Saiful quietly watches. His heart beats fast.
He knows—
Love is not possession, but silently standing beside.
Yet his mind questions—
Will this silent love be enough to protect Ela from Adris's aggressive shadow?
And will Rafael's silence be able to extinguish Adris's fire?
---
9 p.m.
Ela leaves the coffee shop.
Suddenly, a light shines ahead.
A car stops.
Adris.
"Come, let me drop you home tonight."
Ela's voice is firm—
"You have no right to follow me."
Adris smirks—
"I know more about you than you think, Ela."
Then a voice—
"Hey! Back off!"
Rafael.
He gets off his bicycle and stands beside Ela.
"Leave her alone, man. You're scaring her."
Adris looks for a moment, then quietly drives away.
Rafael asks Ela,
"Are you okay?"
Ela shakes her head no.
Far away, in the shadows, Saiful watches everything. His chest aches.
He doesn't know who these boys are.
But he knows—
A storm has risen around Ela.
And his silent love—
May not be enough to protect her.