The chill of the night air bit into my skin as I made my way through the dense thicket, the lamp's dim light casting eerie shadows that danced around me. Every step I took felt heavier, my heart pounding with a mix of determination and fear. I had asked the locals along the way, describing Meredith and Nikolai, and a few had seen them, pointing me further towards the remote Blackwater Cove.

It had taken me the entire night, the hours stretching on endlessly, but finally, I found them.

I stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a secluded beach, and saw it—a hidden cave nestled among the rocks. Inside, a small, makeshift camp had been set up. A cooking pit with a pot hanging over it, and a tent made of canvas and driftwood. The scene was surreal, almost peaceful, if not for the gravity of the situation.

Then I saw them. Meredith and Nikolai emerged from the tent, looking as if they were trying to disguise themselves. Meredith had her hair tucked under a cap, and Nikolai was wearing plain, nondescript clothes. They walked towards the boat they had used to escape, their movements cautious and quick. My heart clenched at the sight of my sister, her face pale and strained, yet determined.

This was my only chance.

My hand tightened around the revolver tucked in my belt. I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. Then, with as much courage as I could muster, I ran towards them, my footsteps muffled by the sand. The revolver felt heavy in my hand, but I kept my grip firm, pointing it straight at Nikolai as I approached.

"Stop right there!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the rocks.

They both froze, turning to face me. Meredith's eyes widened in shock and fear, while Nikolai's expression turned cold and calculating.

"Scarlett," Meredith breathed, taking a step towards me. "What are you doing here?"

"Stay back, Meredith," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm here to take you home. You're coming with me."

Nikolai took a step towards me, his eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't have come here, Scarlett. This is between me and your sister."

"Shut up!" I snapped, my grip tightening on the revolver. "You tried to kill me. You think I would just let you take her and run away?"

"Scarlett, please," Meredith pleaded, her eyes darting between me and Nikolai. "Put the gun down. We can talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about," I insisted. "Meredith, come to me. Don't be afraid of him. I won't let him hurt you."

Meredith's eyes softened, and she took a tentative step towards me. "You're right, Scarlett," she said, her voice breaking. "He is actually forcing me. Please, help me."

Relief flooded through me, and I motioned for her to come closer. "That's it, Meredith. Just come to me."

She moved slowly, her gaze fixed on the revolver in my hand. As she drew near, I lowered my guard slightly, my focus on Nikolai. But just as Meredith reached me, she lunged, grabbing the gun and twisting it out of my hand. I gasped, stunned by the sudden betrayal.

"I'm sorry, dear sister," Meredith said, her voice cold and hard. She slapped me across the face, the sting sharp and immediate.

Before I could react, Nikolai stepped forward, his eyes filled with malice. He kicked me hard in the stomach, and I doubled over in pain, collapsing to the ground. He spat curses at me, his voice dripping with hatred.

"Meredith, what are you doing?" I cried, my voice shaking with pain and confusion. "What's wrong with you?"

Meredith looked down at me, her expression unreadable. "You never understood, Scarlett," she said, her voice devoid of emotion. "You never will."

As I lay there, gasping for breath, the reality of the situation crashed over me. Meredith had chosen Nikolai, had betrayed me, and now I was at their mercy. The pain in my body was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. My sister, my own flesh and blood, had turned against me. I didn't understand why, but I knew I had to find a way out of this. For now, I could only hope to survive.

Nikolai stopped his assault and picked up the revolver, pointing it at me with a menacing glare. "This is your fault, Scarlett," he growled. "Because of you, Darius will find us. I have to end this now."

"No, Nikolai," Meredith intervened, her voice firm. She stepped between us, placing a hand on his arm. "It's not necessary. Don't do it."

I looked up at her, tears streaming down my face. "Why, Meredith? Why have you turned against me? You used to be so kind, always helping me. How could you change so much?"

Meredith's eyes softened for a moment, and she knelt beside me, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "I still love you, Scarlett," she said softly. "But I love Nikolai more. I met him four years ago, and from that moment, I knew I wanted to marry him."

I could see the pain in her eyes, mingled with determination. "Our father never approved," she continued. "When he found out Nikolai wasn't from here, that he was a foreigner, he forbid the marriage. He wanted me to marry Darius instead, to secure our family's future. But I couldn't live without Nikolai. I waited, hoping for a chance, and when it came, I took it. I ran away because I can't live without him."

Her words struck me like a knife to the heart. My sister's betrayal was rooted in love, a love so strong it had driven her to desperation. I felt a surge of sorrow for her, but also a burning sense of betrayal.

"But why did you let him try to kill me?" I asked, my voice trembling with hurt.

Meredith's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't waver. "I didn't want you to get hurt, Scarlett. I never did. But this is the only way for us to be together. I can't let anything stand in the way of that."

Nikolai tightened his grip on the revolver, his eyes cold and unyielding. "We've wasted enough time. We need to go."

Meredith nodded, then looked at me one last time. "Goodbye, Scarlett," she whispered. "I hope someday you can forgive me."

They turned to walk away, but Meredith paused, glancing back at me. She walked over and knelt beside me again, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small, weathered book and placed it near my head.

"Read this," she said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "It will help you understand. It's my diary. It has everything about my life with Nikolai, all the reasons why I made the choices I did."

I looked at the diary, then back at her, my eyes brimming with tears. "Meredith..."

She brushed a tear from my cheek and stood up, stepping back towards Nikolai. "Goodbye, Scarlett," she repeated, her voice breaking slightly.

"W-Why are you scared of Lord Darius?" I shouted once I was able to sit up.

She paused and looked at me. "I am not buying your story that loving Nikolai was the only reason you ran away. Earlier you said it was because of my lord Darius and that he is a dangerous man. So why did you lie? If it is all for love, why are you scared of Lord Darius?"

Meredith hesitated, her expression hardening as she exchanged a glance with Nikolai. "It's complicated, Scarlett," she said finally, her voice devoid of the earlier warmth.

"Darius is a powerful man with dangerous secrets. It's not just about love. It's about survival. Nikolai and I... we needed to get away from him. You don't understand the things he's capable of."

"Then explain it to me," I pleaded, a mixture of frustration and desperation in my voice. "Help me understand, Meredith. What has Lord Darius done?"

"Is it so easy for you to leave me, your family, only because of Nikolai?" Tears streamed down my face as I spoke. She looked defeated.

"I didn't wish to hurt you, Scarlett, but you were always stubborn, and you still are. I know what I am doing. Please don't come after me. I don't want to hurt you more," she said, her tone nonchalant yet tinged with sadness.

"Things have gotten worse since you married Darius. It's his involvement that has left us with no other choice but to run," she murmured, her eyes avoiding mine.

"But why are you running? He will never hurt you, I know him. I will beg him, and he will ask our father to accept Nikolai, but please, Meredith, don't go," I cried out as she turned to leave.

"You still don't understand. He wants to find us, that's why he is here. He used you to get to us," she said. I paused, shock washing over me.

Is it true? Did he really help me because he wanted to find them?

"Well, unless Nikolai poses some threat to the kingdom, Lord Darius wouldn't hurt you, Meredith," I said, my voice trembling.

When I mentioned this, I saw a small, fleeting smile creep up on Nikolai's face. It vanished the moment Meredith turned to look at him.

Meredith shook her head, a look of regret crossing her face. "I can't, Scarlett. Just know that I had no choice. I had to protect myself and Nikolai."

With that, they walked towards the darkness. With whatever strength I had, I stood up and my eyes fell on the diary on my hand, I shoved it in my small bag and quickly leaped towards the way they just walked.

"Meredith,"

With a thud, I fell on the cold ground, the pain too much for me to bear and I groaned in pain.

They disappeared into the darkness, leaving me lying on the cold, hard ground. The pain in my body was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

My sister, my own flesh and blood, had chosen love over family, leaving me to face the consequences of her decisions.

I glanced at the bag which contained the diary beside me, feeling a mixture of anger, sorrow, and curiosity. Despite the betrayal, a part of me wanted to understand her, to know why she had made these choices.