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.

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. But

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

gránd, enough to set you up for studying abroad. Leave Zion City, will

at the check handed to her, feeling neither moved

her to leave was to clear the

love she got too little, she still

nightmares

and took her frustrations out on Lizetta with needles. Lizetta never saw Jolin as her mom; it was

up; she was a

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

marriage. Rather than worrying about my future, maybe you should focus

turned cold, her

Four years ago, the Hawthorne family and the Dashiell family discussed marriage,

Remington were an item.

owed Eve from childhood; you stole her marriage four years ago. Now that Eve’s pregnant, it’s time for you to step

her heart didn’t soften; she stuffed the

into Lizetta’s hand.

stepped back, her spine straight as it’s

snap. “Ewan it Remington has

six years of care from me and my

love for Evelina, plotting for her daughter, but