While Moira and Cain are clashing with the truth, in another corner of the village, Ray is trapped in a cage called “mother.”

Celia controls Ray suffocatingly.

She orders, arranges, decides, and expects Ray to obey.

Ray often looks like a grown man, but every time Celia opens her mouth, he’s like a son dragged back to his old place: obedient, quiet, and compliant.

But Celia can’t stifle his feelings for Laurel.

They keep showing, keep throbbing, especially when Ray sees Laurel living alone, trying to appear okay, but her eyes are still filled with sadness. Bear sees this most clearly. Bear is both afraid and helpless, because he too is caught in Celia’s control, but he doesn’t want Ray to slowly die like that. And then Bear said something that everyone agreed was “so true”: if you still love Laurel, then live for yourself for once.

That was like a spark. Ray took a risk. He secretly asked Laurel out for lunch, and Laurel agreed. That alone was enough to make viewers’ hearts ache, because this was the kind of agreement from someone who still loves, even knowing they were about to get into trouble. Ray prepared a lunch with an early Christmas vibe, trying to make Laurel smile: delicious food, crackers, and little details to lighten the mood. Laurel walked in, initially hesitant, but then softened. Who wouldn’t soften when they see someone trying to create a moment of peace amidst the storm?