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.

broken branches and fallen

breakfast

a hand. I’ve got an art exhibition to attend and can’t make it, so you’ll have to accompany him

to do

off before she could finish as Hanna impatiently

fond of you. If you’re too heartless to care for him when he’s

came in to say the car was ready, and

tablet, and she went upstairs to

did not expect that just as she entered the hospital building, she would run

slipped off her shoulder, spilling contents everywhere, and a

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Chapter 24

the words “pregnancy

down, picked it up, and stared hard

Evelina, approximately 6 weeks pregnant.

just over a

said quickly, snatching the pregnancy test result

her mind going blank,

child

back to April to put away, her expression

fond of this child. He even named the baby ‘Evangeline.‘

a gift for

Evelina’s fallen right into his heart?

a lump of iron stuck in her throat, her face deathly

sis, I’m not the type to force a marriage by pregnancy. I know Remi is a responsible man. I’m not greedy; his

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

felt like a blade had sliced through her, filling her chest with grit, pain making it hard to maintain any facade of composure.

a single message was enough to send him out into the rainy night–it turned out Evelina was

pregnant.

had already given Evelina the Dashiell family heirloom bracelet, accepting her as his wife in his

Evelina too proud, still angry about something from four years ago?