Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 37

It was Evelina’s mom, Elara.

Lizetta steadied her breath, slowly stood up, and called out.

“Mrs. Hawthorne.”

Elara gave her a nod, walked over, picked up a towel from the front row of seats, and handed it to Lizetta.

“Thanks.”

Lizetta took it, wiping the sweat and tears from her face, turning slightly to avoid showing Elara her disheveled state.

“Liz, I wanna have a chat with you.”

Elara spoke up, and Lizetta turned around, having a hunch why she was there. Lizetta nodded and replied, “I’ll just change some clothes and be right back.”

Elara nodded, “Go ahead.”

Lizetta took a quick shower, got changed, and came back to the venue. Elara was still in front of the stage. Lizetta walked over.

Elara didn’t turn around, staring at the stage and said, “You remember, right? You snagged your first dance competition gold medal on this stage when you were just five. You were so tiny but already rock–solid, blew everyone away. I was so proud.”

Back then, Lizetta was the little princess of the Hawthorne family, everyone said she was a chip off the old block but surpassed her parents; Elara had her successor, and Elara herself was excited to tears.

and blood, she’d have been the

Elara wasn’t here to rekindle their broken mother–daughter bond. She asked outright, “Mrs.

born dancer. The Dashiell family’s only cramping your style and soul, and Remington doesn’t love you./I hope you can continue to shine on

a check from her bag, “Here’s 500 gránd, enough to

her, feeling neither moved nor anything

leave was to clear the

she got too little, she still remembered the affection from her

nightmares

Hans abuse her and took her frustrations out on Lizetta with needles.

up; she was a child without a mother.

held no grudges for being abandoned back then, but now, to step on her for her

my future, maybe you

face turned cold, her expression flitting

two to tango. Eve getting pregnant means a guy wanted her to. Four years ago, the Hawthorne family and the Dashiell family discussed marriage, and Remington had agreed. If you hadn’t stepped in, Eve’s child would be

clenched her fists, only knowing that four years ago everyone assumed Evelina and Remington were an item. But she didn’t know Remington had agreed to tie the knot.

childhood; you stole her marriage four years ago. Now that Eve’s pregnant, it’s

but her heart didn’t soften; she stuffed

into Lizetta’s hand.

stepped back, her spine straight as it’s

it Remington has

the six years of care from me and my husband. I’m begging

love for Evelina, plotting for her daughter, but carelessly stabbing