Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 100

Scarlett

Chapter 100

Scarlett’s POV

Martha’s eyes softened as she watched me dress, but I could see sadness there too, buried beneath her hurried determination. She took a deep breath, as if trying to steady herself, and then spoke. “I don’t believe the rumors, Scarlett. I don’t believe you slept with that visitor,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

“I was there when Bianca’s daughter was beaten for calling you an outsider, just because you dared to say you weren’t a Vladislav. That woman–Bianca- she’s vindictive. I wanted to warn you, tell you to steer clear of her, but I was afraid. I thought maybe I’d be making trouble where there was none. Now, I think she set this all up, probably with someone else’s help, just to hurt you. She knew it would be considered a ‘domestic matter‘ so your mates wouldn’t be able to defend you.”

Martha’s words made my heart ache. All this time, she’d seen through Bianca’s schemes, but she’d felt powerless to act. She was crying now, tears sliding

down her weathered cheeks.

“After Alpha Lucian punished her, stripped her and beat her in public, she still didn’t back down. She clung to her story, just like you clung to the truth that you weren’t one of the Vladislavs,” she said, her voice breaking. “I tried to tell the Elders what I knew, but they refused to let me testify. Timothy and Tasha… they wanted you gone. They didn’t want the North’s heir to be born of a Vladislav. I can’t blame you for what you did, Scarlett. You had to push

back somehow.”

3

Her words hit me hard, piercing through the numbness that had settled over me. I reached out, pulling her into a hug, feeling the warmth of her presence. I was so overwhelmed, I could barely get the words out. “Thank you, Martha,” I whispered, my voice choked with sobs. “I’ll never forget this. I swear, I won’t.”

She nodded, wiping her tears quickly, and then handed me a small satchel. Inside, I found a flask, sandwiches, and–astonishingly–a large amount of money. I glanced at her, taken aback by the generosity. “Martha, this… this is too much,” I stammered.

She shook her head, her expression firm. “It’s not too much. I can make more here. You’ll need it to settle somewhere new, goddess we all use the same currency. You’ll need it more than I will.”

wherever you

end up.

Thank the

Her hand moved to my cheek, patting it gently, comforting me like a mother would. “Listen carefully,” she said, her voice a low, urgent whisper.

“Go west. Don’t even think about going east. They don’t take kindly to strangers there, and their Alpha is ruthless. But the West… the West won’t look twice at a new face. You’ll blend in there, but you’d stand out like a sore thumb in the East. Right now, because of the mourning, no one’s guarding the borders. Go to the highway and wait there until you can catch a ride. Tell them you’re headed to the centre of Rainville. People won’t question you if you say that.”

Γ I tried to memorize everything she was telling me, clinging to each word as if it were a lifeline. “When you get to Rainville, go to the bus terminal and find a bus going to Woodshire. Settle there, Scarlett. Find a job. Start over.”

I nodded, feeling her words settle into my bones, filling me with a new sense of purpose. I didn’t know what waited for me out there, but at least now, I had a direction, a faint glimmer of a new beginning

“Center of Rainville and Woodshire,” I repeated, the words feeling foreign yet oddly comforting on my tongue. Martha smiled softly, a bittersweet look in her eyes as she reached up and patted my hair. Her touch was gentle, filled with a warmth I hadn’t felt in so long.

“I’ll miss you, Scarlett,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Now go.”

I took one last look at her, but I couldn’t bear to linger. I turned in the direction she’d pointed and began to run, my feet pounding against the cold, hard ground, I didn’t look back. If I did, I was afraid I’d lose the courage to keep moving forward. As I ran, I sent a silent thanks to the goddess for this unexpected gift of help, for Martha’s kindness when I had so little left.

11:28 am PP

Chapter 100

Fan with all the strength Hhad, fueled by fear, by desperation, and by the iron resolve forming in my heart. The South and the North had taught me harsh tessons–lessons that had harderred me. I made myself a promise, one that felt as vital as the air in my lungs: I would never be a victim again. Love had betrayed me, trust had broken me. Those were luxuries I could no longer afford. Love makes you weak, makes you foolish, and trust opens the door to heartbreak. From now on, I would live by my own rules. No more love. No more trust. Never again

Branches scraped against my skin as I sped through the dense forest, the cold biting at my cheeks. I stumbled a few times, my knees scraping against rocks, but I pushed myself to my feet, determined not to stop.

The satchel Martha had given me bounced against my side, and I felt a surge of gratitude for her foresight. If I’d had to carry everything in my hands, running would have been near impossible. The bag kept me light, kept me free. I could keep moving.

After what felt like an eternity, I burst out of the woods and found myself on the highway, the vast, empty road stretching before me. I knew I couldn’t

stand still—if the guards resumed their posts, I’d be caught.

So I kept running, my eyes darting around, hoping, praying for a car. The sound of my footsteps was loud in the silence, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

Finally, headlights appeared in the distance, cutting through the night like a beacon. Without hesitation, I ran into the middle of the road, waving my arms

wildly, hoping they’d see me, hoping they’d stop.

The car’s tires screeched as it came to a halt. Heart pounding, I hurried to the passenger side, bending down to see through the window. Inside, a man with striking red hair looked back at me, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.

“Please,” I gasped, breathless and shivering, “I need to get to the center of Rainville. I need help. I’m going to Woodshire, and I have to get there quickly.”

He watched me for a moment, his gaze steady, as if he were trying to read the desperation in my eyes. Finally, he nodded, his lips quirking into a small, sympathetic smile. “I’m heading to Woodshire myself. Hop in.”

I couldn’t believe my luck. Relief flooded through me as I climbed into the car, the warmth enveloping me like a blanket. For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to breathe, to feel a glimmer of hope.

Maybe, just maybe, I’d make it out of this nightmare alive.

Comments

Michele Gremillion

I have a feeling she’s going to find herself in more trouble.

7 days ago

(*

5

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