Emma's New Life
The days at the inn blurred into a quiet, repetitive rhythm. Emma woke before sunrise, her fingers raw from scrubbing floors and washing linens. She spent hours in the kitchen, kneading dough and peeling vegetables, her mind drifting as she worked.
She never complained. She had no right to.
This was the life she had chosen.
And yet, with every passing day, the ache in her chest grew deeper.
She had thought time would help her forget Ruby, but instead, it only made her longing for him worse.
Every time the inn's front door swung open, she held her breath, expecting to see his familiar face.
But he never came.
Mrs. Porter, who had taken Emma under her wing, noticed the sadness in her eyes. One evening, as Emma wiped down the wooden counter, Mrs. Porter placed a warm cup of tea in front of her.
"You've been here nearly two weeks," she said, leaning against the counter. "You work hard, don't complain, but I see it written all over your face."
Emma looked down, her fingers tightening around the cloth in her hands. "See what?"
Mrs. Porter sighed. "You left something behind when you came here. And I don't just mean a job."
Emma swallowed hard. "I had no choice."
Mrs. Porter studied her for a long moment. "No choice? Or were you made to believe you had no choice?"
Emma's breath hitched. The words struck deep because, in truth, she had never asked Ruby to fight for her. She had simply assumed his mother's power was greater than their love.
And so she had left.
But had she given up too soon?
Before Emma could answer, the bell above the door jingled, signaling a new customer. She turned, her heart briefly leaping—
But it was just another traveler, dust-covered and weary from the road.
Emma exhaled slowly, turning back to her work.
Ruby wasn't coming.
And she had to accept that.
---
Ruby's Desperation
Ruby was running out of time.
Every day that passed without finding Emma was another day he lost a piece of himself.
His mother had tried to keep him busy, inviting Susan over more frequently, making him attend family dinners, pressuring him to take his place in high society.
But Ruby refused to be trapped in a life he didn't want.
He had spent the past two weeks riding from town to town, searching every inn, every boarding house, every farm where Emma might have found work.
Nothing.
Late one evening, he found himself sitting outside a tavern, exhaustion pulling at his body. His horse was tired, his clothes dirty from the road, but none of that mattered.
He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket—the note Emma had left behind.
"I have to go. I can't ruin your life. Please don't look for me."
But how could he not?
She was his life.
"Hey, you look like you've been searching for someone," a voice interrupted his thoughts.
Ruby looked up to see an older man, dressed in simple clothes, sitting a few stools away.
Ruby hesitated, then nodded. "I am."
The man took a sip of his ale. "I heard some farm girls talking the other day—about a new maid at Porter's Inn. A girl who seemed like she was running from something."
Ruby sat up straight. "Where?"
"Porter's Inn. 'Bout fifteen miles south of here, on the main road."
Hope surged in Ruby's chest. "Thank you."
The man shrugged. "Just be careful, son. Some things ain't meant to be found."
But Ruby didn't believe that.
Emma wasn't something he had lost—she was someone he refused to live without.
He threw some coins onto the counter and bolted for his horse.
Fifteen miles.
He would ride all night if he had to.
---
Reunited—But at What Cost?
The inn was quiet when Ruby arrived.
The sky was still dark, the first hints of dawn barely peeking over the horizon. He tied his horse to the post and stepped up onto the porch, his heart pounding so hard it drowned out all other sounds.
Through the window, he saw a single candle burning. A lone figure sat at the front desk, her head resting on her folded arms.
Emma.
His breath caught in his throat.
She looked different—tired, her face softer in the candlelight, strands of hair falling loose around her face.
She looked beautiful.
He stepped inside, the wooden floor creaking beneath his boots.
Emma stirred but didn't look up.
Ruby took a slow step forward. "Emma."
Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice.
Her eyes widened, lips parting in shock. "R-Ruby?"
For a long moment, they just stared at each other, the weight of two weeks apart hanging between them.
Then, before she could stop herself, Emma rose to her feet, nearly stumbling as she backed away. "What are you doing here?"
Ruby took a step closer. "I told you I'd find you."
Tears welled in Emma's eyes. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Why not?" His voice was soft, but there was a quiet determination in it. "Because my mother said so?"
Emma clenched her fists. "Because I left, Ruby. You weren't supposed to come after me."
His expression darkened. "Do you really think I could just let you go?"
Emma swallowed hard. "Your family—"
"I don't care about my family," he interrupted. "I care about you."
Silence filled the small room, thick with emotion.
Emma's resolve wavered. "Ruby, I—"
Before she could finish, he reached for her, his hands trembling as he cupped her face. "I love you, Emma."
A single tear slipped down her cheek.
"I don't care what they say. I don't care about the consequences. I can't lose you." His voice was raw, filled with a desperation that made her heart ache.
Emma's lips trembled. "You'll lose everything."
"Then let it be everything," he whispered. "As long as I have you."
A sob broke from her lips, and in that moment, she knew—
She couldn't fight it anymore.
With a cry, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as he held her tightly.
And for the first time in weeks, Emma felt whole again.
---
The Morning After
As the sun rose, the weight of reality pressed down on them.
Emma sat on the edge of her bed, staring at Ruby as he leaned against the window, exhaustion written all over his face.
"What now?" she whispered.
Ruby looked at her, his expression filled with quiet determination. "We leave."
Emma's breath caught. "Leave?"
He nodded. "We go somewhere they can't find us. Start over. Together."
Fear flickered in her eyes. "Ruby—"
"Do you love me?"
Emma exhaled shakily. "You know I do."
"Then come with me."
She looked away, torn between her heart and the reality of their situation.
But deep down, she already knew the answer.
Because if she had to live in a world without Ruby—
Then it wasn't a world she wanted at all.