The Christmas Present: An absolutely addictive psychological thriller full of shocking twists by Lorna Dounaeva

Author:Lorna Dounaeva [Dounaeva, Lorna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-EIGHT

JOY

I turn towards the window, staring at the snow-covered trees outside. The wind shakes the branches, scattering clumps of white to the ground.

Howard’s words swirl in my head, mixing with my own thoughts, my own doubts.

He’s right about one thing, we can’t stay in this limbo forever. But selling the house? Leaving everything behind? It feels like admitting defeat.

Like letting the Callaghans win.

I think of our daughters.

Those girls have put them through so much already, especially Taylor. How can I ask them to start over somewhere new, to leave behind the life they know because we can’t protect them?

‘I hate this,’ I say, my voice trembling with the effort of holding back tears. ‘I hate that they’re pushing us out. I hate that we even have to consider it.’

‘I know,’ Howard says, his voice soft. ‘But what’s the alternative?’

I turn and look at him, at his good, kind face, and feel a surge of resentment so sharp it stings. I hate myself for it, for wishing, just for a moment, that he were a different kind of man—an alpha male, strong and forceful. The kind no one would dare mess with.

But if he were that man, he wouldn’t be my Howard. He wouldn’t be the man I fell in love with, the man who balances me when I feel off kilter. I take a shaky breath, my gut twisting inside me.

‘We don’t have to decide anything tonight,’ he says at last. ‘Let’s go to bed. Lord knows we need some rest.’

I nod, but the knot in my chest doesn’t loosen as we head up the stairs and slip into the unfamiliar bed.

The next thing I know, Clara is peering in at us.

‘Mum? Dad? It's Christmas!’

I open my eyes, and for a moment, I don’t remember where I am. Then I look out the window and see the mountains. It has snowed more overnight. Everything is a brilliant, gleaming white. I reach out and touch the frosty windowsill, marvelling at just how much snow has accumulated. Icicles hang down from the branches of the nearest tree and a thick blanket of snow covers everything in sight. It’s like a fantastical winter wonderland. I can barely even make out the car.

‘Can you see any hoofprints?’ Clara asks.

‘What?’

‘Well, they must have landed up on the roof.’

I arrange my face into a serious expression.

‘There’s so much snow, any prints will be completely covered.’

Howard shifts and groans beside me, his arm dangling down to the floor. Clara stands over to him and shakes him gently.

‘Wake up, Daddy! It’s Christmas!’

A groggy looking Taylor appears in the doorway.

‘Well?’ she says. ‘Are we doing Christmas or what?’

Downstairs, Howard gets the fire going and I take down the stockings and hand them round. We sit round in a circle to open our presents. Howard pulls a pair of socks from his stocking and then an orange. ‘Lucky me’, he says, looking delighted.

I’m not quite as good at feigning excitement as I open my new hairdryer.

Taylor smirks.

‘Oh my god, I got a Bliss doll!’ Clara shrieks before she’s even unwrapped hers.

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