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.

kid, Lizetta had been coddled and attentively groomed by Elara and Kevin. Had she been their own flesh and blood, she’d have been the luckiest little princess in the world, smooth sailing all the way up.

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

only cramping your style and soul, and Remington doesn’t love you./I hope you can continue to shine on

to set you up for studying abroad. Leave Zion City, will you?”

at the check handed to her, feeling neither

plea for her to leave was to

who ditched her, maybe the love she got too

wake from nightmares calling out for her

her and took her frustrations out on Lizetta with needles. Lizetta never saw Jolin as her

up; she was a

own daughter. Lizetta held no grudges for being abandoned back then, but now, to step on her for her own

about my future, maybe you should focus more

face turned cold, her expression flitting with discomfort.

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

Evelina and Remington

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

but her heart didn’t soften; she stuffed the check

into Lizetta’s hand.

spine straight as it’s

“Ewan it Remington has to tell

consider it paying back the six years of care from me and my husband. I’m begging you to do

for