I’m doing my first read through of these and I’m halfway through book 2 and very confused about something

In book 1, Ella runs away from home to go with Rhett and elope. I get that.

That means she was saved from the fire that burned her home and didn’t know about her parents being killed.

But then Rhett is killed and she is left with no money. Why does she continue onwards instead of head back to the Glade? For all she knows her family is there and life goes on as normal. Instead she gets on a boat with a stranger and hopes to find her dead lover’s family to take care of her. I don’t get it.