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 leaves early on; the storm had left no trace.

the morning. After Lizetta had breakfast and was. about to

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

stuff to do

could finish as

to care for him when he’s sick, fine, but you can’t

say the car

handed Lizetta the tablet, and she went upstairs to print

expect that just as she entered the hospital building, she would run into

spilling contents everywhere, and a document fluttered down near Lizetta’s

1/3

23 29

Chapter 24

the words

thinking, she bent down, picked it up, and

6

just over a month, around the time Remington was away

said quickly, snatching the

just stared at her, her mind going blank, her lips trembling, her voice hoarse.

child Remington’s?”

away, her expression one of tender sweetness, with the glow of

this child. He even named the baby ‘Evangeline.‘ Sounds nice,

gift for his and Evelina’s

in Evelina’s fallen right into his heart? How romantic

of iron stuck in her throat, her

I know Remi

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

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

him out into the rainy night–it turned out

pregnant.

given Evelina the Dashiell family heirloom bracelet, accepting her as his

something from