Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 24

In bed, Lizetta opened her eyes, gazing into the void outside the window.

In fact, she had squinted just a moment ago and seen it was a message from Evelina’s agent, April

She didn’t try to make him stay, knowing it was futile.

She had tried before; the scars on her feet hadn’t even healed yet, so why bring shame upon herself again?

Downstairs, the roar of a car sounded. Lizetta flipped off the covers and climbed out of bed, walking to the window.

The rain that had been holding back all night now poured down in torrents, and a black sedan sliced through the mist and vanished up the mountain road.

That was the romantic rush of the man she loved towards another woman.

Liar.

He tricked her into believing he was there when he was not.

Lizetta turned and went to the dance studio, which Remington had personally prepared for her when she was a child, complete with the best soundproofing equipment.

She chose a powerful song, violently ripping her skirt and collar as she spun wildly.

She danced with wild abandon. After taking a shower, she climbed back into bed. Though her body was exhausted, she still tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The bed was imbued with the scent of a man, making her restless.

Lizetta picked up her phone, it was past 2 a.m.

Her stomach churned; the bitter taste of medicine stirred up again.

Why should she feel this miserable, while that dog of a man was out meeting his mistress, living it up?

Lizetta opened her search engine, typed in “infertility,” used Remington’s phone number to leave messages asking for advice, and finally curled up with a blanket on the sofa and fell asleep.

The next morning, the storm had stopped, the wind and rain had ceased.

yard of broken branches and fallen leaves early on; the storm had left no

gone out to meet friends early in the morning. After Lizetta had breakfast and was.

papers. You deliver them, and maybe give him a hand. I’ve got an art exhibition to

to

she could finish as Hanna

idler? Come on, Joseph is so fond of you. If you’re too heartless to care for him when he’s sick, fine, but you can’t even

the car was ready,

handed Lizetta the tablet, and she went upstairs to print

not expect that just as she entered the

slipped off her shoulder, spilling contents everywhere, and a

1/3

23 29

Chapter 24

looked down and immediately saw the words

bent down, picked it up, and stared hard at the name on

approximately 6

just over a month, around the time Remington was away on business.

it back to me,” Evelina said quickly,

going blank, her lips trembling, her

the child

the test back to April to put away, her expression one of

is really fond of this child. He even named the baby ‘Evangeline.‘ Sounds nice, doesn’t

was a gift for his and Evelina’s

right into

felt like she had a lump of iron stuck in her throat, her face deathly pale.

force a marriage by pregnancy. I know Remi is a responsible man. I’m

contently, her left hand casually brushing the jade bracelet on her right wrist.

with grit, pain making it hard to maintain any

him out into the rainy night–it turned out Evelina was

pregnant.

family heirloom bracelet, accepting her

proud, still angry about something from