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.

branches and fallen leaves early on;

early in the morning. After Lizetta had breakfast and was. about to head to Tempo Dance Studio,

lecture notes and papers. You deliver them, and maybe give him a hand. I’ve got an art exhibition to attend and can’t make it, so you’ll have to accompany

stuff to do today.”

she could finish as Hanna impatiently interrupted.

you possibly have, you big 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

in to say the car was ready, and Hanna

the tablet, and she went upstairs to print Joseph’s notes and

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

with April. April’s bag slipped off her shoulder, spilling contents everywhere,

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Chapter 24

saw the

down, picked it up, and stared hard at

Evelina, approximately 6

cold; it had been just over a month, around the time

give it back to me,” Evelina said quickly, snatching the pregnancy test result from

just stared at her, her mind going blank, her lips trembling, her

the child Remington’s?”

the test back to April to put away, her expression

really fond of this child. He even named

gift for his and Evelina’s

Evelina’s fallen right into his heart?

felt like she had a lump of iron stuck in her throat,

Remi is a responsible man. I’m not greedy; his

brushing the jade bracelet on her right

her, filling her chest with grit, pain making it hard to maintain any facade of composure.

was enough to send him out

pregnant.

bracelet, accepting

about something from four years