Ribbons of fate

Chapter 26: The Escape Plan

Tracy Rsman’s POV

The shock had burned away the tears, leaving behind a cold, hard resolve. I was not marrying Gabriel. I refused to be another pawn in the Rsman legacy. Henry—my brother only in name—was right: we had to act, and we had to act fast. The wedding was only two days away.

“There has to be a way out, Henry,” I said, clutching the shredded contract copy in my lap, my voice steady despite the adrenaline racing in my veins.

“There is,” Henry affirmed, his eyes sharp, calculating. “Mom—Mrs. Ana—is furious at Dad’s actions, and she hates what Kingston did. We need her help.”

I nodded, heart hammering. Every second counted. Together, we began strategizing, outlining escape routes, disguises, and false identities. The wedding ceremony was imminent, and the Rsman-Andrez web of control was tightening.

I approached my mother, keeping my tone measured. “Mom, I… I am pregnant,” I said, letting the words hang like a bomb. I knew it would hit her hardest, given her medical expertise and guilt over the family’s manipulations.

“Why did you not tell me sooner?” she gasped, her composure dissolving instantly into maternal panic. Her hands shook, clutching mine.

“I planned to tell you later,” I admitted, letting the lie mask my desperation. Time was not our ally.

Henry barged in, acting as if he were shocked as well. “You knew about it, Mom? You’re a doctor! How could you not know your daughter was pregnant?” His lie served its purpose, amplifying the guilt and compelling her to action.

Mom’s resolve hardened. “The wedding is in two days, and we have to act quickly.”

Henry’s eyes lit with purpose. “We can help her escape on the day of the wedding. I have a friend in Puebla, Mexico. It is far, difficult to track her there.”

Mom nodded, taking my hand. “We need a new identity, new look. Change your style. Hoodies, baggy clothes. Disguise everything.”

Within minutes, we were at an upscale salon. Mom suggested wigs, but I shook my head. “No, I want a bob cut, a wavy coat. Something permanent. I need to disappear entirely.”

Mom’s hands moved quickly, approving yet worried. “We will dye it on the eve of the wedding. You need to change everything.”

As the scissors sliced through my hair, I felt the weight lift off my shoulders. This was no longer just escape—it was rebirth. Tracy Rsman was being left behind; Raya was emerging. A new name, a new face, a new life. And one thing was clear: the Andrez twins would never touch me again.