Merry Christmas

RAYN'S POV

The past two weeks have been blissful. Ethan finally notices me — my beautiful family actually feels like a family again. The sex has been good too; at least he's trying. Sometimes we go twice in one night.

I think I finally have everything under control.

And I quit working for Alex. It's been two weeks since I've seen him. I just sent him a text saying I quit and he hasn't replied till now.

Am I happy? Yes, in a way, because my secrets are buried.

Sad? Yes, because it feels like he just used me like his other mistresses. He didn't even bother to reply. Like I meant nothing.

"Merry Christmas..." I said happily, coming down the stairs.

Leo and his dad were decorating the Christmas tree. Leo had tinsel all over his hair and Ethan was laughing — really laughing — for the first time in months.

It looked perfect.

I thought for a second, maybe this is it. Maybe the affair, Alex, the guilt — maybe it's all finally behind us.

Then the doorbell rang.

Ethan shouted, "Rayn, can you get that? My hands are full!"

I opened the door. A delivery man stood there with a small matte black box.

"Delivery for Rayn?" he said.

I nodded. My name was written on top in clean black ink.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, RAYN

"Who sent it?" I asked.

He shrugged. "No sender info."

I closed the door, my heart already beating too fast. Ethan didn't even look up.

"Who was it?" he asked.

"Just... just a Christmas thing from work," I lied, and went to the kitchen.

I opened the box.

Inside was a photo. Of me. Sleeping in his bed that night — naked, my hair spread all over his pillow. Peaceful. Completely exposed. A photo I never knew he took.

And under it, a note in his handwriting:

You look so perfect when you're mine.

Tell me, does Ethan know you still moan in your sleep? You said my name last time.

Come see me. Today. 8 pm. Or I will come and tell your husband what his wife tastes like.

Merry Christmas, Rayn.

I heard Leo shout from the living room, "Mommy! Come help us!"

I almost had a heart attack.

Reality dawned on me — I had just shaken hands with the devil.

My mind was thinking a thousand things at once. I could already see the disappointed look on my husband's face. The disgust. The question he would ask that I couldn't answer.

What do I do?

"Mommy!" Leo called again.

"Coming, baby!" I shouted, trying to make my voice sound normal.

I couldn't keep it there.

I ran to the backyard, tore the photo and the note into pieces, and burned them with the grill lighter.

I watched it all turn to ash.

Evidence gone.

I picked up my phone trying to call Alex, to ask him what the hell he was trying to prove — but he wasn't answering.

I called again. Voicemail. Again. Voicemail.

I was going crazy!!!

He sends a photo of me naked to my own house on Christmas Day and then he won't pick up?

He wanted me to spiral. And it was working

Throughout the day, I quietly waited for time to run fast. I wanted 8 pm to come and go so this nightmare could end.

I was scared and nervous. My stomach was in knots. I didn't even know why Alex wanted to see me after weeks .What does he want from me now?

After dinner, Ethan was putting Leo to sleep. The house was quiet. Too quiet.

I was wearing a loose cream sweater, black leggings, my hair in a messy bun. No makeup. My old Ugg boots.

I knew Alex would still look at me like he owned me. Ethan looked at me "Going somewhere?"

"I... I need to go out," I said. My voice was shaking.

Ethan frowned. "Go out? Where? It's 8 pm on Christmas."

"Phoebe... Phoebe called crying. She and her husband had a big fight. She needs me."

Ethan stared at me. "Phoebe? You're stammering, Rayn."

"I'm not! She just needs me!"

"You hate driving at night. And you never leave Leo on Christmas."

I grabbed my keys too fast.

"I'll be back in an hour! One hour!"

He just watched me. And I knew — he didn't seem to believe me.

I pulled over in front of the penthouse and walked in. The front door was already open, like he was expecting me.

He was sitting on his couch, a glass cup and a bottle of scotch on his side table, scrolling on his phone. He was wearing a casual white t-shirt and grey sweatpants.

I was angry and tensed at the same time.

"What's the meaning of this, Mr. Alex? I'm supposed to be spending time with my family but you had to blackmail me with my indecent pictures to get me here. Is this the kind of man you truly are? How heartless can you be?

He got up and walked towards me.

"Someone's gotten a little nerve, huh? Little bird."

He lifted my face with his fingers.

"You had the right not to come... but you chose to."

I removed his fingers from my chin forcefully.

"I'm not your property and I don't belong to you!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Do you really mean that?"

He came close, closer, as I moved back till my body was touching the wall and no more space between us. I could feel him breathing on my neck.

Right now, I could not trust my own body.

He kissed my neck and I let out a soft moan, his fingers moving around my body to my chest. He slowly kissed my lips, again and again.

God...I tried to stop myself but it felt so good, his fingers sliding down my panties, I could feel him hard as a rock.

He pulled away suddenly, breathing hard against my lips. His eyes were dark.

"Look at you," he whispered. "You say you don't belong to me, but you're shaking for me."

He stepped back, leaving me against the wall.

"If you want me to continue, you're going to have to ask for it. Properly."

When he pulled away, I couldn't let him leave me hanging, begging for it. I grabbed his shirt with my tiny hands.

"You asked me to come here, so finish what you started."

He smirked, looking down at my tiny hands holding his shirt, lust and rage in his eyes.

"You want to be punished, huh?"

He held my hands and pinned them above my head against the wall. He wasn't gentle like the first time. He was rough, and I was nervous — but I wanted it too.

"Tell me to stop and I will," he said low against my ear.

I didn't

He bent me over the wall. He was way stronger than I thought, undressing me, almost ripping off my clothes

His hand gripped my waist tight, possessive, dominant — not hurting me, just holding me exactly where he wanted me.

"You're mine now, You understand that?" he growled against my ear, as he was thrusting

"I'm not —" I started, but his grip tightened and going faster and harder

"You're going to be a good girl and say it. Who do you belong to?"

My knees were weak. I hated how much I loved his dominance.

"You," I whispered, whimpering