The sun had barely begun to rise when Emma stepped off the dusty road and onto the worn wooden steps of the small bus station on the outskirts of town. The air was cold, biting at her skin as she clutched her thin shawl tightly around her shoulders.
She had walked all night, the grand Harrington estate shrinking behind her with every painful step. She had told herself she wouldn't cry, that she had made the right choice, but as she sank onto one of the old wooden benches, exhaustion settled over her like a crushing weight.
The bus schedule posted on the wall was faded and peeling, but she scanned it with weary eyes. The next bus wouldn't arrive for another two hours.
Two hours to sit here. Alone.
Two hours to fight the urge to turn back.
Because despite everything, despite knowing that leaving was the only way to protect Ruby, her heart ached for him.
She could still feel his touch, the warmth of his hands when he had held her the night before. She could still hear his voice, the way he had whispered, "I will find you."
But she couldn't let him.
Mrs. Harrington had made her position clear—Emma was nothing, and she would make sure she stayed that way.
And so, Emma had no choice but to disappear.
She pulled her bag onto her lap, her fingers gripping the fabric as she tried to steady her breathing.
What now?
She had nowhere to go, no family left to take her in. All she had was a few coins in her pocket and the overwhelming sense that she had just walked away from the only thing that had ever made her happy.
---
Ruby's Search
Back at the Harrington estate, Ruby stormed through the house, his voice shaking the walls.
"Where is she?"
The servants cowered away from him, none daring to meet his furious gaze. He had spent the past hour searching every room, every hallway, every hidden corner of the estate, only to realize the truth—
Emma was gone.
His mother stood at the top of the grand staircase, watching him with a look of quiet triumph. "There's no use looking for her, darling."
Ruby turned sharply, his eyes blazing with fury. "What did you do?"
Mrs. Harrington sighed as if his anger exhausted her. "I did what was necessary. She left on her own. And before you ask—no, I don't know where she went. Nor do I care."
Ruby clenched his jaw. "You threatened her."
His mother's lips curled into a thin smile. "I gave her a choice. She chose wisely."
Ruby's hands tightened into fists. "If you think this will stop me—"
"You are my son," Mrs. Harrington interrupted coolly, descending the staircase. "And as long as you are my son, you will not disgrace this family with an improper attachment to a maid."
His chest heaved with rage. "I love her."
Mrs. Harrington's expression darkened. "Then you are a fool."
Ruby took a step forward, defiance burning in his eyes. "And you underestimate me."
He turned on his heel and stormed out of the house, leaving his mother standing in the grand entryway, her face unreadable.
But as the heavy doors slammed shut behind him, a flicker of worry crossed her cold, calculated features.
Because for the first time, she saw something in her son she hadn't expected—
Determination.
And that made him dangerous.
---
Nowhere to Go
Emma sat in the bus station, her fingers gripping the handle of her bag as she fought the urge to break down.
She had been sitting there for over an hour, watching the world wake up around her. A few travelers had passed through, barely sparing her a glance. A man selling newspapers had stopped to offer her one, but she had shaken her head, her voice too weak to respond.
She was exhausted.
But she couldn't sleep.
Because every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Ruby.
"Miss, are you waiting for the bus?"
Emma looked up sharply. A middle-aged woman stood a few feet away, her face kind but wary. She wore a modest dress with an apron over it, her graying hair pulled into a bun.
Emma hesitated before nodding. "Yes, ma'am."
The woman glanced at the bag on Emma's lap, then back at her face. "Are you traveling alone?"
Emma swallowed. "I… yes."
The woman studied her for a long moment, then sighed. "You don't look like you have much of a plan."
Emma didn't respond.
The woman pursed her lips. "I run a small inn a few miles outside of town. My husband and I could use an extra pair of hands. It's not much, but it's honest work."
Emma's chest tightened. Work. A place to stay. A chance to survive.
But was this what she wanted?
The thought of never seeing Ruby again, of never hearing his voice or feeling his arms around her, made her want to scream.
But what choice did she have?
Taking a shaky breath, she nodded. "Thank you."
The woman smiled. "Come along, then. Let's get you settled."
Emma stood, gripping her bag tightly as she followed the woman out of the station.
She didn't look back.
Because if she did, she knew she wouldn't be able to walk away.
---
A Love That Refuses to Die
Ruby's hands clenched the reins as his horse galloped down the dirt road.
He didn't know where she had gone.
But he knew one thing—
He would find her.
He had promised.
And nothing—not his mother, not the weight of his family name, not even the distance between them—could keep him from her.
Because she was his heart.
And he would never stop searching.