BETSY

ng from the shadows. "You should have known, my dear," he said quie

an't run from him" The word

ll she thought had been buried. Th

for another moment, anticipating her every move? Every instinct in her body s

casting long shadows across the cold, stone floor. Over a day had passed since she was locked a

suffocating-what once was a sanctua

er for the occasion. They had meticulously combed and styled her hair, dressed her in a new white gown

a "good wife," reminding her, once again, how much she loved he

her thoughts, the weight of her reality pressing heavily on her c

und of heavy wheels rolling over cobblestones broke her rev

lack limousine and two grey cars pulling up outside. The sleek, imposing vehicles seemed like

't blind. She could feel the tension in the air. The coldness in

Betsy had expected. She was dressed in a sleek, black dress that shimmered in the ear

a beat. So that's

for a moment, and it felt as though the woman could sense her presence from across the dist

gone to greet the visitors, smiling

ssions. The scene felt surreal to Betsy, a mocking show of civility surroun

e groaned inwardly.

of place in the daylight, but Betsy coul

r outfit on the day she came to take Be

door to her room swung open. Her fath

id, his voice colder tha

sy's heart rac

more questions, she realized no man was waiting

ards. They stood like statues, silent and unmoving, and all Betsy could d

wanted her to follow this stran

silence between them suffocating. She f

door, the guards were a

red her into the limousin

he looked out of the window, trying to make sense of wh

rely smiled and waved as if sending her off on a grand adventur

cked his path, holding him back with a single gesture. Even Sam stood by h

She could see her father in the distance, a bright smile on his face as he took an

n promised. With this money, Mother could finally run away, and Mark could a

and the world outside blurred into a haze. Betsy's mind raced, but no clarity cam

s game, her future was already decided for her. And as the city faded from view, she couldn't sh