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For almost an hour after Sin left me alone, I waited for a phone call from my fiancé. Any text from him to inform me he had caught my indecent exposure. I even feared he’d come barging through the front door, but he never did.
And I still needed to cleanse.I needed to scrub away the smell—any scent of what I had taken part in with my phantom. Because I worried Sebastian would catch a traceof my risqué act.
I dressed in a cozy one-piece designer outfit for the evening and applied some light makeup. My highlighted hair dangled in a ponytail as I made my way to the walk-in closet and pulled up Sin’s last text message.
Unknown:
Be a good girl. Wear a short miniskirt with black stockings.
I cursed Sin. Normally, I’d wear whatever the hell I wanted to. But this wasn’t my choice to make. He held the cards and his best friend dealt out the deck. I was their winnings they’d collect and share at the end.
I picked out a black miniskirt, button-up purple blouse and black thigh-high lace stockings. I hid the undesired outfit behind some boxes on the top rack of the closet, out of sight from Sebastian. I didn’t even want to leave a hint of what I’d been forced into. Not a trace of what I’d be up to tomorrow at8:00 p.m. sharp.
My ponytail swayed as I made my way out of the condo and toward my mailbox. The box was adjacent to the apartment and accessible in its own little building. I enjoyed the brief walk out into the sunset before nightfall came. The birds had calmed in the trees and the busy city streets wouldn’t be in a rush for much longer. Any moment now, Sebastian would be home, and I still hadn’t rounded up our mail. My last chore for the day to ensure everything was perfect for myfiancé’s return home. A happy spouse made a happy house.
Complete horse shit.
Our mailbox was a fairly large size to fit parcels in, along with any bills or unexpected surprises. I took out the new mail key I had ordered earlier in the day that had been delivered by building management. Relief fell over me when the key worked, and the mailbox door opened easily. But a surprise caught my eye.
One white rose.
The only thing in the box with a few envelopes. I looked at the numbers beside mine and for a split second I thought I must’ve opened the wrong mailbox. But I hadn’t. This was mine.
Despite being artificial, the rose was realistic in every sense. The petals were as soft as a rose and not a speck of dirt was on the purest part. The leaflets were small and came to a pointed shape. But the rose came without thorns.
I glanced at the mail that came with it, and every one had my address. This was, in fact, my mail, but there was no note indicating who this was from. Not a trace of ownership.
I locked the mailbox up with confusion reeling inside of my mind and headed back toward the condo. I’d take the rose straight to the trash first thing inthe morning, hide it underneath disposed garbage so Sebastian wouldn’t find the lovely gesture.
The front door key worked with no issue, and I entered the main hallway, but stopped dead in my tracks. Expensive brown leather loafers were on the floor and a suit jacket was tossed on the sofa for me to clean up. Sebastian was home, and he stared right at me. But his brown eyes swirled with anger.
“You’re home early, darling.” I beamed and swallowed the lump in my throat as I closed the door behind me.
Time to play happy housewife, even if the huge rock on my finger didn’t signify marriage yet. Sebastian didn’t care. I was his to control, torment, and do with as he wished because my family had made sure of it.
“I’m home right on time,” Sebastian said as he took in the sight of me and stepped closer.
“I must’ve lost track of the time,” I said as I peered at the clock behind his head. He was home half an hour early.
The logic of the fact didn’t matter because I’d never be right in his eyes. Sebastian was. His answer was correct, and I had no reason to argue with that. If I did, abuse would be the result.
“It appears someone beat me home,” he snapped, on the verge of a snarl. “Who is this from?”
“Oh, well, this is from your credit card company. There’s a bill from the hydro company and—”
“Don’t play dumb with me, bitch,” Sebastian sneered and grabbed the rose out of my hand.
I jumped, startled by his outburst, but I wouldn’t let him break me. Tears formed in my eyes, but I wouldn’t let the wetness show. I had to numb the fear. The terror he raged to life inside of me, I pushed back down and buried the fright. I locked the door to my soul and wouldn’t let the darkness inside. Even though his evil was right at my doorstep.
“The rose?” I asked and conjured up a lie. “It’s from my parents.”
“I don’t believe you, you ungrateful whore!”
First came the slap with the back of his hand and then the pain. The throbbing ache pierced through me and knocked on the locked door of my soul. Threatened to invade my essence and wrap around the goodness I secured inside. But I wouldn’t let him.
Sebastian wouldn’t take away the last part of me.
My dignity.
