Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 33

Evelina looked all woebegone as she stepped forward.

Liz, are you still ticked off about what happened last time? I’m sorry, okay? It was my pregnancy messing with my appetite, and me being all weak and hypoglycemic that made me fall and Remi thought you pushed me. He’s just super protective of the baby. Liz, I’m seriously saying sorry here. Can you forgive me?”

She was skinny as a rail, with a plain face and features that weren’t anything to write home about individually, but together, they kinda worked–in a lost–little–lamb sorta way, especially with that pure, innocent look plastered on her face.

Right then, she was the picture of sincerity, which made it hard for anyone to give her a hard time. But Lizetta? She saw right through it, seeing nothing but bad news.

She couldn’t stand Evelina pulling that act, as she still remembered their first meeting clear as day.

Evelina had been led into the Hawthorne family’s living room by Elara, where she had gone straight for Lizetta with a hug, then quickly let go, all jittery, apologizing.

“Liz, I’m so sorry, did I get your dress dirty? I swear it wasn’t on purpose.”

Before Lizetta even got a grip on what was going on, Elara, all heartache and worry, scooped Evelina up and glared at her.

“Mommy, who’s this?”

Little Lizetta didn’t get why her mom was cuddling some other kid, and just asked, but Evelina freaked out like a startled deer.

“Does Liz not like me? I’m sorry, I’ll just go.”

Elara had whisked Evelina away, and turned sharply to Lizetta: “Don’t call me mom anymore, I’m not your mother!”

Years had passed, and Evelina hadn’t changed a bit.

a lip, “Fine, take

and Lizetta was dripping with

I’d be letting you down

Evelina would go for

with a pleading look

her clear

10.12 M

day, with her hair casually clipped up, and a couple of strands falling softly beside

sat next to Hogan, her dress swayed and brushed against his sult pants,

bolted from home for eight days, not to mention hopping on

man.

sour crispy eggplant in the lunch box–a dish that’s

already icy demeanor seemed to drop a

Since you slapped her, you’ve blew off some

what she was expecting; why would she

Pfft.

respond, Hogan

a leg to stand on still tries to argue

the room, almost like a standoff with blades

spouses isn’t about being right or wrong; it’s

gaze to Lizetta and beckoned her with

at his outstretched palm, Lizetta felt

for each other, but did he even care about