Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 4

But back in the day, she got pricked by her mom Jolin Gardenia with a needle and it left her with some serious mental scars. She tried to get her ears pierced three times and chickened out every time, yet she was green with envy seeing others rock some snazzy studs

Remington was off studying in Astoria and somehow caught wind of this. He came back for Christmas and, out of the blue, whipped out an ear piercing gun, claiming it was just a toy, and duped her into giving it a whirl-

The guy brushed her hair aside, the gun aimed at her lobes, and before she knew it -bam, bam- she had pierced ears.

Fuming, she chased after him swinging her fists, “I hate you, Remi!”

He turned around, she stumbled into his arms, and under the warm sun, he bent down and tenderly wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes.

“Little Liz, such a drama queen.”

Later on, Remington went all out and had the world–renowned designer Jonathan whip up a custom pair of earrings just for her.

A masterpiece, starting at six figures, no less. She wasn’t one for bling, but she wore those earrings for ten years straight, never taking them off.

A decade. She’d think something that felt like a part of her, in her flesh and blood, would be excruciating to let go. Turned out, not so much.

On the big screen at the street corner, some gossip news was playing, and a reporter cornered Evelina at the airport, grilling her about her love life.

“Yeah, there’s a guy I’m mad about. We split over a misunderstanding four years ago, but I believe true lovers will eventually reunite.”

She turned to the guy next to her with a smile, and the gutsy reporter shoved the mic his way.

Dashiell, are you the man Ms. Hawthorne is head over

step up, and

her lips. Happily ever after,

the wife was the last

the driver piped up. “Miss, there’s

glanced back, a black Bentley on their tail with a license plate too bold to ignore. In a

slammed the brakes; Lizetta lurched forward, then snapped back by the seatbelt,

the window. Deliberate and rhythmic, it struck a

went white gripping the seatbelt, refusing

driver, who, caught in that icy stare, felt like prey under the gaze of an alpha wolf and quickly unlocked

door swung open, and

yanked off her seatbelt, his hand pressing against the inside of the seat,

Lizetta

thought he might kiss her, but all he did

Chapter 4

that night, he hadn’t called her “Liz” with that affectionate tone, nor had he let her

Lizetta turned her head, “Playing possum sure beats your time–management show.”

was hoarse, and without another word,

She struggled.

out!” His grip on her hip was firm and