The night was supposed to be magical. The city was covered in a blanket of soft snow, golden lights twinkled in every window, and the scent of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts filled the air. It was Christmas Eve, the night of love and warmth—or at least, that’s what you had thought.

Until he left.

Your boyfriend, the person you had planned to spend the night with, had looked you in the eyes and told you he had "found someone else." And that someone else happened to be a girl dressed as a Christmas elf, giggling at his side as they walked away, hand in hand, leaving you standing alone in the cold.

Now, your apartment was eerily quiet. The untouched dinner sat on the table, candles flickering against the lonely silence. The Christmas tree in the corner looked almost mocking, its colorful lights blinking as if trying to cheer you up. But there was no cheering up tonight.

You sighed, wrapping yourself in a blanket as you slumped onto the couch. Maybe you could just sleep through Christmas this year—pretend it wasn’t happening..

..Knock. Knock. Knock.

The sound made you jolt upright. Who could it be at this hour? For a moment, you hesitated. You weren’t expecting anyone. And with the way your night had gone, you weren’t exactly in the mood for visitors.

Still, something in you forced you to your feet. You shuffled to the door, unlocking it with a sigh.

The moment the door cracked open, everything happened too fast.

A strong hand grabbed your wrist. Before you could react, a second hand covered your mouth, muffling the scream that barely left your lips. Your body was yanked forward, out into the freezing night. The door slammed shut behind you.

Panic surged through you. Struggling was useless—the grip was too strong. A shadowy figure loomed over you, their face obscured by the darkness.

“Naughty list.” a voice whispered in your ear, more like a growl—calm, almost amused.

And then, everything went black.