Peter ran away

Life can change in a heartbeat, right? We don’t know when, where, or what is waiting for us. In the same way that everything was fine in Bellatrix’s life two hours ago, but……

Two hours ago ,

"Two days later, it was Bellatrix’s wedding. Many of the guests had arrived, and the rest would be arriving later today. The guest house had been cleaned for them, and the scent of Solace, Beef Stroganoff, and Pirozhki wafted out from the second-floor window where Bellatrix was standing now. 

As she looked out the window and down the road, she saw Peter approaching. She blushed at the sight of him. Peter Mikhaylov was very tall and handsome, and he didn't waste his time on bars and women like other young men his age. That's why there was a competition among the girls in the ghetto to win his affection. Bellatrix was possessive of him, and seeing other girls try to win him over made her angry. Peter only belonged to her, and that was no secret to anyone.

Peter wore round-framed glasses and always seemed lost in thought. He was four years older than Bellatrix, and sometimes she wondered what he was thinking all the time. Last night, she overheard her parents whispering about Peter, and the elders of the house had secretly called him to discuss something. When she asked her mother about it, she didn't get a straight answer, but she could tell that her mother was worried.

As Peter entered the house, Bellatrix sighed without even realizing why. Her gaze was fixed on her left hand, where a diamond ring sparkled.

Two months ago, Peter gave her the ring as a symbol of their love. Although he hadn't formally proposed to her with the words, "Will you marry me, Bellatrix Alexiev?" But she knew that Peter loved her deeply. This trust was everything to her, and she couldn't bear the thought of changing it. 

Bellatrix's sister Tatiana, along with a maid, comes inside. Tatiana has a two-month-old daughter named Tasha in her arms. Tatiana gestures to the maid and asks her to put her hand on the front bed. She leaves the object covered in a cloth in her hand and leaves the room. Tatiana sits very comfortably in Bellatrix's favorite chair. She opens the three buttons on her dress's chest and says to her younger sister, 

"Mother said to check it once in a while. If there is any problem anywhere, send it back to the tailor."

Bellatrix looks at the thing on the bed. It's a wedding gown! The white gown is covered in a thin white silk cloth. She touches it and looks at it with fascination. Tatiana breaks the preoccupation with a light cough. Bellatrix turns her face and says, 

"I'll wear it later."

"No, mother told you to wear it now. Hurry up," Tatiana insists.

Tatiana's daughter is drinking her mother's milk and shaking her hands and feet. Bellatrix is looking at her sister, her eyes fixed on Tatiana's open chest on the left side. Looking at Bellatrix's sister, her eyes were fixed on Tatiana's open chest on one side.

"Ish! What a cheeky girl you are! You saw that I was here, but that's how you are," Bellatrix said.

"Cheeky!" Tatiana frowns. Bellatrix blinks at her sister's hard gaze in the corner of her eye. But her face says to foss,

 "Or what". 

"Then what are you? a chaste, virtuous girl? Follow what our mother is teaching you like a doll. Even in this modern era, your tastes and behavior are antiquated. Tell me, has any man seen you other than Peter?" Tatiana said, clenching her teeth.

Bellatrix burned with anger upon hearing her sister's humiliating words.

"Just seeing Peter is enough for me. I don't need any other man," she retorted.

Tatiana smiled wryly. Bellatrix tightened her grip on her gown and took a deep breath to calm herself down before asking, 

"Why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you, Bellatrix. You're my sister, Bellatrix. But you're very innocent, and Mother has sheltered you from the harsh realities of the world. You're living in a bubble, and I want you to release yourself from it," Tatiana replied.

Bellatrix looked at her sister, finding it difficult to understand her sometimes. She put on her gown to chase Tatiana away.

"Oh my God! Bellatrix, it looks amazing on you!" Tatiana exclaimed upon seeing her sister in the gown.

Standing behind her sister, Tatiana was overwhelmed upon seeing Bellatrix in the mirror. Bellatrix felt ashamed and later took off the gown. As Tatiana was about to say something, they heard a commotion from downstairs. The wedding ceremony was not an ordinary household affair, and someone was repeatedly calling out an unfamiliar name, “Peter”, in a serious voice. Their father, Oleg, and brother, Vladimir, also heard their voices. Bellatrix and Tatiana looked at each other curiously. As they walked towards the stairs, they heard heavy footsteps coming up. Vladimir had arrived, and his face looked pale. Bellatrix's legs stopped. An unknown fear in her chest began to shake. 

"What's the noise below? What happened, Vladimiri?" Tatiana asked him.

His eyes were still fixed on his younger sister, and Tatiana noticed his restlessness. This time, she placed her hand on her brother's arm.

"Vladimir?"

Vladimir turned his gaze away and looked at his older sister. His throat had dried up, and he swallowed before looking at Bellatrix's worried face and saying,

 "The police came down." Vladimir could see the change in expression on Bellatrix’s face as he added again, "Peter ran away, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix started running and was spotted in the middle of the palace. Everyone's eyes were on her. 

After two days,

The pain of rejection and betrayal had spread like poison throughout Bellatrix's body. Peter had cheated on her, and even the elders of the house knew about it, but they did not say anything to her. Danil was angry with his son, and the police had interrogated him, but he was reluctant to inquire about his son. The guests who had come for the wedding had left a message of comfort the day before. Bellatrix had fainted on hearing Peter's words from Vladimir and had been lying in bed for two days, just sitting at the window, looking for a way out, realizing that Peter had walked down the wrong path, but he never came back. A group of young women eager to take Peter's place stood on the street and raised their voices, saying,

"Your prince has run away. Ah! Now you understand that no one wants a donkey like you. If you are dressed as a grandmother, there will be no more lovers on the forehead, and the husband is far away."

Tatiana's threads broke the girls' faces, but their words shattered Bellatrix's heart. Tatiana and Vladimi rushed in and hugged their sister. She didn't even talk to her step-sister, Valeria. Although, honestly, the relationship between the two sisters is praiseworthy, sometimes it seems that Valeria understands Bellatrix more than Tatiana. She has lived in this house for ten years after her mother's untimely death. Anne Marie loves her no less than her own daughters. If Bellatrix has spoken her mind to anyone, it is Valeria. Since Valeria's arrival, Bellatrix has been able to let it all out. She cried with her head on her chest.

"Can I tell you something, Valeria?"

Valeria takes her gaze away from Bellatrix's sleeping face as she looks at Anne Marie.

"Yes, Mom."

"Now take Bella with you. If she stays with you in a holy place for some time, she will return to her normal life in God's company."

Valeria is shocked, like she saw a ghost. She replies with a dried swallow,

"It's impossible, Mom. You know I have to be out of the church for a variety of duties most of the time. Besides, she cannot be kept in the church. Well, do you want me to make her "sister"?" Valeria's forehead wrinkles at the end. Anne Marie also says in a loud voice,

"No, no, I just want Bella to leave this house and visit for a while. If that happens with you, I'll be free from anxiety."

How will Valeria explain her true situation to her mother? She is not what everyone thinks she is. It has been three years since she became a "Sister", but her life as a "sister" is not as easy as it seems. She hasn't come home since then, but when Father Jalonov's letter arrives at the door, she has to return. She doesn't know if she will ever come back again. Anna Marie also asks again, noticing her daughter's unconsciousness.

"Will you take Bella with you, Valeria?"

"Mom, It won't be safe for her there. Take her to church on Saturday and Sunday, and spend time with her every day. I'll talk to the sisters at the church here and request them to give her some time."

Anna Marie's face turns grim. She looks at her daughter's face, sighs, and stands up saying,

 "I can't trust her with anyone else except you. Please consider my words."

There is nothing to consider. Valeria cannot involve Bellatrix in her dangerous life. She loves her sister and doesn't want anything bad to happen to her. 

"Valeria."

Bellatrix's call returned Valeria to Sanbit. She smiled and said, 

"Have you woken up? Let's eat something." Everyone called her Bellatrix, but for Valerie, she is Krasivaya.

"No, I'm not hungry. Get me closer to you; I'll hug you," Bellatrix replied.

Valeria hugged her. She did not say anything for a long time, with her head on Bellatrix's chest like a cat. Valeria put her hands in Bellatrix's light brown hair and said,

 "Krasivaya, life doesn't go on easily. You have to be strong."

"They all put me in a lie, Valerie. How can I be strong? Oh Valerie, why did Peter shatter my heart like this?" Bellatrix said with a frown.

Valeria fell silent, and Bellatrix continued, "I don't want to live anymore, Valerie. I'm suffocating here. Take me with you, will you?"

"God bless you. Don't talk nonsense; you have to learn to live here," Valerie replied.

Bellatrix hugged Valerie's neck and said, "I don't want to hear anything. If you don't take me with you this time, you'll see my dead body. Don't keep me with you; take me from this city of Riga. 

Bellatrix fell asleep while crying on Valeria's chest.

The dark black of the night had covered the surroundings. Valeria had gone to a nearby church    for an hour. When she returned to the entrance of the house, she heard the sound of a horse's hooves digging on the north side of the road. The maroon-colored Fitton arrived and stopped in front of her. A man in his 40s stepped out of the car. He was wearing a black shirt, a black turban on his head, and a cross around his neck. Valeria recognized him as someone she had seen several times with Father Jalonov, but she couldn't remember his name correctly. The man bowed his head softly and greeted her before pulling out an envelope from his pocket. Valeria's throat dried up when she saw the envelope with a photo stamp of a dry rose. She took the envelope, and the man got back into the Fitton. Before leaving, he looked around carefully, and then Fitton disappeared on the road to the north with the man. Valeria tightly clenched the cross around her neck and slowly went up to the Bellatrix room on the second floor, where she left the envelope on the small table in front of her before entering the washroom.

Suddenly, Bellatrix woke up from a nightmare and realized that Valeria was not in the room. She sometimes wanted to become a "Sister" like Valeria or a nun, but her mother wouldn't agree. Bellatrix’s throat was dry; she couldn't find the water on the side of the bed. She got out of bed, found it on the small table, and drank it. After putting the glass down, her eyes fell on the envelope lying on the table. She picked it up and wondered if the letter was from Peter. However, her joy faded away as she saw the writing above the letter, and she couldn't read the name of the sender, which was written in a foreign language. Suddenly, her eyes fell on the picture of the dry rose on the stamp. It was not an ordinary dried rose; it looked as if it were drying up but still alive. She felt as if she had seen such a picture before, but she couldn't remember where.