The "staff house" Rafah had mentioned was something Petra only now learned was actually one of four or five wooden houses lined up in that area.
And one of them was Rafah's private house.
The house stood slightly apart from the staff zone, as if it had been placed at a deliberate distance that suited its owner's personality. It was a dark brown wooden house with a gray-tiled gable roof. The front veranda was neatly floored with wood, furnished only with one small table and a single black metal chair sitting there alone, giving off a loneliness that felt almost tangible.
Inside, the house was decorated in shades of dark gray, black, and the brown of natural wood. Everything was arranged in perfect order, neat to the point of suffocation.
A small living room connected to a kitchen corner that held only the essentials: an electric stove, a coffee machine, and a small refrigerator. The study was on the left, while the bedroom lay deeper inside. Every function in this house was simple, but it somehow felt cold and lifeless, as if the house had been built as a place for the body to rest, not the heart.
Petra slowly walked through the house and began to understand something.
This house was like Rafah in the eyes of outsiders.
Perfect.
Flawless.
But all of that was only an outer shell that had been carefully built. If one did not look closely enough, one would never see the stains hidden within, nor the wounds Rafah had chosen to conceal beneath that perfect image.
...
Outside, the rain had not stopped.
After bringing Petra into the house, Rafah walked off and returned with a towel and a set of clothes, handing them to her.
"I'm not sure if they'll fit, but I think you should be able to wear mine. Either way, it's better than staying in wet clothes like this."
Petra accepted them and gave a faint smile.
"Thank you."
After they had each changed their clothes, the two of them came to sit on the small sofa in the living room. The sound of rain striking the roof continued without pause.
Petra looked around the house before speaking.
"Do you stay at this house often, Khun Rafah?"
"Not often. I only stay here when there's important work that requires me to stay overnight. Usually, I come here in the morning and go back in the evening."
A soft rumble of thunder sounded.
Petra turned to look at the window.
"Judging from tonight's rain, we'll probably have to stay here until morning, won't we?"
Rafah looked at the heavy rain still falling outside.
"Probably. The rain doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon."
Petra sat quietly for a moment, her eyes fixed on the mist of rain against the glass. Her mind was still on what she and Rafah had talked about on the beach, about the family Rafah clearly did not want to speak of.
She hesitated.
But in the end, she could not stop herself from worrying.
"Khun Rafah... if I ask you something, will you be angry?"
"What is it about?"
"Promise me first that you won't be angry."
Rafah was silent for a moment.
"Tell me first."
Petra looked at Rafah, then slowly spoke.
"When we were on the beach, you may not have realized it, but when we talked about family, you looked upset."
She paused for a moment.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm worried. If there's anything weighing on you, I'm willing to listen. You can think of it as talking to a stone. I promise I won't judge you for anything."
Those words made Rafah fall silent for a long time. Her sharp eyes rested steadily on Petra.
"There's not much to tell," Rafah said in an even voice. "My family isn't very close. After hearing about yours, I just couldn't help comparing them."
Rafah's expression remained calm, but Petra could sense the deep sadness hidden in those eyes, even though Rafah was forcing a smile.
"But I don't think it's anything serious. Every family has problems. Some more, some less. That's all. Honestly, I'm already grown. I should be handling these things better than this. I just... might need to give myself a little more time."
It sounded more like Rafah was comforting herself than speaking to Petra.
And so the conversation about Rafah's family stopped there.
Petra knew very well that Rafah was not ready to tell her everything. So she did not push. Instead, she chose to slowly open up about herself first.
"Actually, I agree with you, Khun Rafah. Every family has problems. My family may love each other, but we have other problems too."
She spoke slowly.
"My family isn't very well-off... My father used to work an office job in Bangkok, but one day, he decided to move with my mother to the provinces. Once we were living in a province that wasn't a major city, good private-sector jobs became hard to find. He was too old to take the civil service exam, so he ended up taking work tapping rubber trees for people in the area. My mother is a teacher. Her income was very low too, so things were pretty difficult for us."
When Petra mentioned "teacher," Rafah froze.
"Your mother is a teacher?"
"Yes. A kindergarten teacher."
Rafah immediately went still.
In that instant, Petra suddenly thought of what Tharin, her best friend, had once told her.
.
"Her family isn't actually as perfect as what we see in the news. People gossip about them all the time. Khun Rachen, her father, the diplomat, had two wives. One he married because she was rich and from a good family. That's Khun Rafah's mother. The second was Khun Rafah's kindergarten teacher. Think about it. Her father took his own daughter's kindergarten teacher as his mistress. How do you think his wife and child felt?"
"I heard Khun Rafah's mother lost her mind and slashed her own face until she was disfigured, just to spite her husband. After that, she shut herself inside the mansion and never came out to see anyone again. They say Khun Rafah's mother went insane. And Khun Rafah... she grew up in a family like that."
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Petra quickly spoke first, afraid Rafah might think badly of her mother, because Petra had assumed on her own that Rafah probably had some trauma connected to teachers.
"But my father and mother really loved each other. Neither of them ever cheated."
Her voice lowered on the second sentence, uncertain whether those words might touch another wound in Rafah's heart.
But instead, Rafah gave a soft laugh.
"Petra, you've heard the rumors about my family, haven't you?"
"Yes," Petra answered honestly.
Rafah smiled faintly, showing no anger at all.
"Even though my father once had a mistress who was a teacher at the kindergarten I attended, I'm not prejudiced against every teacher. I know very well that every profession has both good and bad people. I don't want to judge anyone either."
Petra smiled in relief.
And that was when Rafah decided to speak of something she had never told anyone before.
"Actually, the rumors about my family are partly true and partly false. The true part is that my family was never perfect. My father cheated on my mother constantly. There was always a problem in our house because of another woman. That kindergarten teacher... was just one of my father's many mistresses."
Her sharp eyes drifted somewhere far away, as if looking back into a shattered past.
"My parents fought all the time. In fact... I was not even a child they had planned to have. My father got my mother pregnant while they were studying abroad, so my grandparents hated him to the bone. Whenever I was with my grandfather, he would insult my father in front of me all the time. He said my father had nothing but an old aristocratic family name and owned nothing of his own, that he only wanted to live off my mother's family. Hearing that over and over, it buried itself in my head too... this feeling that my own father was disgusting."
Listening to her, Petra felt an ache of sympathy for Rafah deep in her chest. She immediately reached out and held Rafah's hand.
"Khun Rafah..."
Rafah only gave Petra a sad smile before continuing.
"As for the rumor that my mother cut up her own face to spite my father... that isn't true. My mother tried to kill herself by driving into a truck because of that kindergarten teacher."
She paused for a moment.
"That day, I was sitting in that car too. I still don't know whether it was luck or misfortune that, in the end... no one died. I survived. My mother was disfigured."
"Oh... and that kindergarten teacher was pregnant too. For all I know, I may have a sibling I've never seen somewhere out there, because after the accident... I never knew where that teacher disappeared to."
Petra could only sit there and listen to Rafah. The only thing telling Rafah that she was still there was the pressure of Petra's hand holding hers.
"Sometimes I want to scream in my father's face. I want to say it out loud, right to his face, that he's the reason my life turned out like this. But I can't. Because of that whole idea that 'children must be grateful to their parents' that Thai society loves forcing into our heads... it makes me feel guilty for hating my own father."
Petra looked deep into those eyes before speaking with understanding.
"Gratitude is just a value people created, Khun Rafah."
She spoke slowly.
"To me, if our parents hurt us, we have the right to question them. We have the right to be angry. Gratitude doesn't apply to every family. Please don't feel guilty about your own feelings."
When those words ended...
It was as if a key had unlocked a great door inside Rafah's heart.
This was the first time anyone had ever said something like that to her.
The young woman slowly lifted her face. Her eyes, once so hard, were now red. Tears overflowed until she could no longer hold them back, and the first drop fell down her cheek.
In this moment, Rafah Witchakornin had stripped away the perfect image she had always worn, allowing someone to see the weakest and most fragile part of her.
Petra gazed at the sight before her with emotions tangled together. What overflowed in her chest was not only sympathy, but something deeper than that.
Her body moved before her thoughts could catch up. Her slender fingers reached out to touch Rafah's cheek, gently wiping away the tears.
The air around them fell completely silent.
Petra did not even realize she was the one who leaned toward Rafah first. The hand resting on Rafah's cheek drifted softly down along her jawline, and before either of them could fully come to their senses, their lips pressed together.
That kiss began with Petra.
It was slow, lingering, and feather-light, like a butterfly moving its wings softly over a flower petal, afraid of bruising it.
It was so different from their first kiss at Black Eden.
Back then, Rafah had been a violent storm, crushing Petra with selfish force.
But now, Petra was like cool rain falling gently to wash away the wounds and pain in Rafah's heart.
And yet...
That tenderness did not last long. The rhythm of their breathing began to change.
Petra felt the burning heat of Rafah's palm as it pulled her waist close until there was no space left between them. The kiss that had once been soft turned heavier under Rafah's lead. The older woman's breathing began to grow ragged. The yearning Rafah had tried to suppress beneath her cool composure was now erupting.
Those slender fingertips traced along the line of Petra's spine, making her senses drift away. Emotion overtook reason completely. She willingly let herself be pushed down until her back lay flat against the floor, without even thinking of resisting, while Rafah leaned down and covered her body with her own.
"If you tell me to stop now... there's still time," Rafah whispered low against her ear.
Petra looked deep into Rafah's eyes for a moment. She knew very well that if they crossed this line, everything between her and Rafah would change forever. There would be no going back.
And yet...
Her heart was shouting only one thing.
She wanted this.
The young woman lifted her arms and wrapped them around Rafah's elegant neck, pulling just enough to bring Rafah's face down until their lips met again. It was an answer clearer than any words Petra could have spoken in that moment.
The kiss that followed after that...
was hotter, rougher, and far more aggressive than before.
Petra felt as if Rafah were devouring her whole, as if Rafah could no longer control the raw, savage instinct deep inside herself.
Rafah began biting and sucking hard at her lower lip before slipping her tongue inside. Heat surged through Petra when the tip of Rafah's tongue swept through her mouth with burning intensity.
At the same time, Rafah slid a hand beneath the hem of Petra's shirt. Her fingertips dragged slowly across Petra's stomach, then moved higher little by little before slipping in to touch her bare breast with nothing between them.
Rafah kneaded Petra's breasts for a while before pushing her bra up and out of the way, leaving them fully exposed.
Petra had no idea how Rafah was looking at her now that her upper body was exposed, her full breasts bare to Rafah's eyes. All she could do was close her eyes and let out a low, soft moan from the thrill of having her breasts gripped so firmly.
Her heart was beating so hard it felt as if it might burst. Embarrassment, excitement, and arousal tangled wildly in her chest.
The forceful pressure of Rafah's hand made the flesh of her breast spill between those long fingers. Rafah, in that moment, had fully released her raw instinct. She did not seem to be holding back in the slightest.
Even though the touch was rough...
Petra found herself enjoying every bit of it.
The rougher Rafah became, the more Petra craved and wanted it. She wanted Rafah to touch her like this again and again. She wanted to be possessed. Wanted to be consumed. Especially when Rafah used her thumb and forefinger to pinch and rub both of her stiffened nipples without mercy.
Soon, Rafah's hand was replaced by her mouth as she claimed those hardened peaks. Petra could only arch her chest higher, trying to take in as much of that touch as possible. She surrendered herself to the feeling, her hand clutching at Rafah's long hair in pleasure. The next thing she knew, Rafah's teeth were lightly biting down on her nipple, making Petra jolt from the sharp mix of pain and pleasure.
"Mm... Khun Rafah, that hurts..."
That voice seemed to bring Rafah back to herself.
Rafah pulled her lips away and met Petra's eyes as Petra lay there breathing hard. A slight tremor crossed Rafah's sharp gaze, as if she had only just realized she had been too rough.
"Did I bite too hard?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry..." Rafah said softly, stroking Petra's hair in comfort.
"I'll be gentler with you."
Then Rafah bent down and kissed Petra's forehead softly in apology. She pressed another gentle kiss to Petra's cheek, trailed her lips along her jaw, then stopped at the hollow of her neck. There, she began sucking and kissing the tender skin again and again, while her hand continued kneading Petra's full breast as if savoring every reaction.
Petra felt the pleasure rising so high she could barely stand it.
With only this much external touch from Rafah, her body was already responding beyond control. She could feel herself clenching deep inside, slick arousal soaking her entrance and spilling out uncontrollably.
Rafah could clearly tell that Petra was barely holding back her desire.
And Rafah herself was no different.
She had never wanted to possess anyone this badly before. Petra made her lose control. The more Petra responded, the more Rafah's own desire erupted until she could no longer contain it.
Ever since the first kiss Petra had started...
Rafah had been asking herself whether this was merely a momentary impulse created by the atmosphere, or something deeper than that. But in that moment, stopping everything just to sit and ask each other what they were thinking was hardly the right thing to do.
Still...
Even so, Rafah did not want to take advantage of Petra.
She tried to hold herself back one final time and gave Petra the chance to choose whether to stop.
But Petra did not want to stop.
And when their desires aligned, Rafah no longer needed to restrain herself.
At last, Rafah had stripped every piece of clothing from Petra's body, leaving her completely bare. Her skin was pale and smooth, her figure slender and beautifully proportioned, with full breasts, a narrow waist, rounded hips, and long, graceful legs.
Rafah looked at her in stunned fascination. She had never imagined a woman could make her want to bite, touch, and devour every part of her this badly. Petra made the raw instinct Rafah had tried to bury inside herself break loose beyond control.
Rafah placed her hands on Petra's thighs and forced her legs wide open. Her gaze dropped between Petra's legs. The soft, pale pink folds beneath the fine dark hair were wet and glistening, slick with arousal.
Rafah slowly traced her fingertips along that sensitive softness, teasing Petra on purpose until she was almost undone, before sliding one finger deep inside her all at once.
"Ah..."
A soft moan slipped from Petra's lips in that instant.
But everything stopped there.
Rafah did not move her finger at all. She let the torment of waiting work on Petra like that before slowly withdrawing her finger, then lifting the finger slick with Petra's arousal to her mouth and leisurely tasting its sweetness. Her sharp eyes never left Petra's flushed, weakened face.
Petra stared at that action, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"Are you teasing me?"
She asked in a hoarse voice, her eyes still heavy with desire.
"It's fun."
Rafah answered with a sly smile.
Petra pouted at her, then reached out and held Rafah's cheek.
"Can you stop teasing me? You can see I can't take it anymore."
"Then ask."
"Khun Rafah..."
"Ask... me."
Rafah's voice deepened, almost like a command.
Petra moved her hand to touch Rafah's lips, stroking them lightly.
"Khun Rafah, please... touch me."
Rafah caught Petra's fingertip between her teeth before playing with it with her tongue, teasing her on purpose. Then she turned her attention back between Petra's thighs. Her hot breath brushed against the center of Petra's body before the tip of her tongue flicked against her wet folds, making Petra let out a soft moan.
Rafah slowly savored every drop, as if she wanted to swallow every bit of that sweetness. The tip of her tongue circled slowly, licking along the groove of those soft folds, while her lips sucked and teased with skillful rhythm.
Petra's broken breathing echoed through the room.
The pleasure Rafah was giving her was more intense than anything she had ever felt in her life. Her body felt as if it were burning from the inside. Both hands buried themselves in Rafah's black hair, gripping hard as if she needed somewhere to pour all that unbearable pleasure. Her long, slender legs trembled. At times... Petra could not help arching her hips toward Rafah's mouth, as if she wanted to take that touch deeper and harder.
"Ah... Khun Rafah...!"
Petra arched her hips toward Rafah's mouth without realizing it. She bit her own lip and cried out with desire. Sometimes, she instinctively pressed her legs together as if trying to trap the pleasure inside herself, but when Rafah forced both legs apart, those long legs yielded and opened under Rafah's control.
Every time the tip of Rafah's tongue dragged over her clit, Petra arched her hips more firmly against Rafah's lips and tongue. Her body responded to that touch without shame. Her lips released breathless moans more and more frequently every time Rafah rubbed her tongue over that tender spot again.
Petra's moans and the helpless response of her body only stirred the raw desire inside Rafah even more. Rafah slid her middle and ring fingers into Petra's entrance. Both long fingers pushed deep into Petra's body with ease, aided by the wetness spilling from her. At the same time, Rafah's lips and tongue continued sucking and teasing Petra's clit without stopping.
Petra's breathless cries echoed through the room. She arched her hips up to meet the touch, her body twisting and tightening to the rhythm of Rafah's fingers thrusting in and out quickly, alternating with the repeated flicks of her tongue. Rafah was not gentle with her at all. It was raw, rough sex, unlike anything Petra had ever experienced with anyone before.
When the pleasure climbed to its peak, Petra felt as if she were melting beneath Rafah's body. Her inner muscles clenched rapidly around Rafah's fingers, and then her whole body jerked with full force.
"Ah... Khun Rafah...! I... I'm coming!"
The moan broke from her without restraint. Slick arousal soaked Rafah's fingers and lips. Petra's body felt as if it had been drained of its soul, releasing everything inside her completely.
She cried out in pleasure until there was nothing left to hold back.
But the hunger in Rafah's eyes only burned brighter than before. She stripped off her clothes in a rush, leaving only her black bra on, her lower half bare. Her wild gaze locked on Petra's writhing body like a predator ready to tear into its prey all over again. In Rafah's mind, there was only the raw need to release herself against the naked woman in front of her.
Rafah lowered herself over Petra, her sharp eyes filled with hunger, ready to devour the woman beneath her. She lifted Petra's legs and adjusted their bodies until their most sensitive places pressed together with no space left between them.
When Rafah began moving her hips, grinding her own wet center against Petra's sex in a slow but heated rhythm, their slick flesh rubbed together obscenely. The sound of skin against skin and the wetness spreading between them only made the desire in the room burn hotter.
At certain moments, Rafah squeezed her eyes shut. She let her body move by instinct. The shivering pleasure of rubbing against Petra's body drove her almost mad. The long-buried hunger inside her surged until she could no longer stop it.
Rafah began moving her hips faster and faster. The friction and raw contact made Petra shudder all over.
Breathless moans filled the room. Petra clutched the bedsheet tightly, arching her hips to meet the force grinding down over her body. Wave after wave of pleasure flooded into her. Her eyes locked onto Rafah's sharp face, now filled with desire.
Rafah clenched her jaw. Her body trembled with the pleasure rising higher with every motion as her wet heat rubbed and pressed against Petra's.
Everything grew hotter and more intense. Rafah kept grinding herself against Petra, their moans and heavy breathing blending with the force of their bodies moving against each other, neither of them yielding.
When the desire was close to bursting, Rafah whispered hoarsely beside her ear.
"Ah... my good girl. Just a little more. I'm so close."
At the moment her pleasure surged to its highest point, Rafah unconsciously lifted her hand to Petra's throat.
Her slender fingertips pressed lightly against the skin at the side of Petra's neck. Though the touch was faint, the suffocating sensation of Rafah's fingers around her throat made Petra jolt. Her body went rigid, her heart pounding with shock mixed with a strange thrill.
Rafah came back to herself in that instant.
She froze, then quickly pulled her hand away from Petra's neck.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean for that to happen."
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