Chapter 2 Mind your business!

The wedding conversation finally ended. Mom and Dad were seeing the lady out while I just sat there, staring at nothing and trying to make sense of what just happened.

Even though I had sneaked out while he was asleep, he knew who I was. How did it even happen? I can't recall anything. Curse that fire glow.And the way he dropped the money I had left for him, was he trying to blackmail me or humiliate me or just mess with my head? Damn it. And to make the situation worse, he's going to marry my sister. God, I feel horrible.

"Scarlett!" my mom’s voice snapped me out of it, and I turned to face her, already knowing what was coming.

She walked closer with that expression on her face, the kind she always wears when she’s about to go off, and she did, just as expected. "Don’t you know how embarrassing that was? Walking in smelling like filth, your hair all over the place, looking like you just rolled out of someone’s bed, what is wrong with you?" she said with her hands moving as much as her mouth. My dad walked over to the stairs, shaking his head.

I looked away from both of them, I didn't have the energy for that right now, my head was still banging. My eyes settled on my sister, Serena, who was still sitting quietly with her head bowed. I noticed the way her shoulders shook just a little and the sound of sniffs coming from her.

Mom was still ranting, but I wasn’t listening anymore, I got up and walked over to Serena.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting next to her.

She raised her face slowly, and her eyes were red and wet with tears.

"I don’t want this, I’m in love with someone else," she sobbed. I immediately pulled her close, rocking her gently.

“You must want this, Serena. I won’t sit down and watch you throw away your life for a lowlife.” Mom said.

Serena pulled away from me and turned to face her, her voice shaking but still strong. “He’s not a lowlife, Mom, a lowlife is someone who would do anything for money, even if it meant forcing her daughter to marry a monster.”

Mom’s eyes narrowed, and she moved closer like she couldn’t believe Serena just said that. “What did you say to me?”

Serena stood up, her hands clenched. “I will not marry him; I’d rather die than be some cold man’s trophy wife.”

She stormed off, climbing the stairs without sparing either of us a glance.Even though Mom called her name like three times, Serena didn’t stop or slow down.

“She doesn’t want to do it, don’t force her,” I said and stood up, ready to go after her because I knew that look in her eyes, and I knew how much she was hurting. I know how it feels.

“You have no say in this,” Mom snapped at me. “Just be the disappointment you are and stay out of this.” I stopped and turned to face her, my chest tight with all the things I’ve held back for years. “I won’t sit and watch you do to her what you did to me.”

“I warned you,” Mom said. “You just didn’t listen, Scarlett. Instead, you ran away with a mere bartender, and look how that ended. You let a lowlife cheat on you and humiliate you, and now all you do is sleep around and bring shame to this family.”

I clenched my fists so tight I could feel my nails digging into my palms, but I forced myself to let go because bringing up the past wasn’t worth it, and no matter how much it stung, I reminded myself that I had to run away because she wanted me to marry a man old enough to be my father, and even though I thought love could fix everything, sometimes love just isn’t enough.

“I won’t sit and watch you force her to do what she doesn’t want to.” I said and turned to leave for Serena's room.

"I'd love to see how you can stop what has already been decided." Mom said, but I didn’t stop or look back.

I got to Serena’s room and opened the door slowly, and there she was standing in front of her closet, yanking clothes off hangers and stuffing them into her suitcase with her hair falling all over her face.

“Serena,” I said, covering the distance between us with long strides. “You can’t do this, just stop for a second and talk to me.”

She didn’t even spare me a glance. I tried to take the suitcase from her hand, but she pushed me so hard I fell back and hit the floor with a soft thud. I stayed there without saying a word and let her continue, she will stop eventually. The next second she dropped everything and broke down on the floor next to me.

“I’m sorry,” she cried, crawling over and hugging me so tightly. “I didn’t mean to push you. I’m just so angry, and I don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m going crazy, Scarlett.”

I wrapped my arms around her.

“I know how you feel,” I said quietly, my voice cracking a little. “No, you don’t,” she pulled away.

“You can’t fix this, you can’t fix any of this. We’re both stuck in this nightmare, and there’s no way out, but I’d rather run than stay and let them destroy me.”

“I’m on your side,” I told her, brushing her hair back and cupping her cheeks gently. “I swear I am, and I’m not going to let them force you to marry him. I’ll talk to Dad tomorrow, and if he doesn’t listen to me, then I’ll go meet that man myself and tell him to call it off.”

She blinked at me like she couldn’t believe I’d say that, and maybe I couldn’t believe it either, but I had to say something because I couldn’t let her go down the same road I did.

“But promise me you won’t run away, okay?” I said, my hands still on her face, “I’ll never stop you from falling in love, Serena, I just don’t want you to disappear.”

She nodded slowly and wrapped her arms around me again. I held her for a while until she stopped crying, and I promised her again, “I won’t let them hurt you.”