Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 44

Remington must have hightailed it out of there in the dead of night. In the video, the guy’s trench coat was flapping in the sea breeze as he weaved through the bustling crowd, looking all frosty and serious.

Lizetta let out a sigh. No clue when he’d be back, but it was crystal clear this divorce wasn’t happening today.

Right then, she got a message from Yolanda.

[Don’t come back yet.]

Half an hour later, Lizetta got another message from Yolanda, and she rushed home, bursting through the door with urgent questions.

“What’s gone down?”

“People from the Dashiell Group showed up. Look at this.”

Yolanda nodded toward the coffee table, where a business card and a few printed contracts were laid out. It was all about that gig for Evelina, where Lizetta had used Yolanda’s info online.

Lizetta wasn’t surprised they’d come knocking. “Did they give you a hard time?”

Yolanda shrugged, “Just the usual stick–and–carrot tactics. Pfft, as if I’m buying it. They think they can ruin my future and get me kicked out of school? The Dashiell family ain’t exactly mobsters.”

Lizetta’s expression turned somber. The Dashiell family might not be mobsters, but they sure had their ways.

If they decided to cut off someone’s air supply, squashing little fish like them wouldn’t even cause a ripple.

She was kicking herself for not busting Evelina’s hand yesterday, making it impossible for her to ever play the violin again. That’d show her for stealing tunes.

“Let her play, then,” Lizetta tossed the contract back on the table.

get to play? Who’s

for sale, but Evelina can have a one–time performance license for 200 grand.”

see what kind of hot mess Evelina would

gig? That’s a real bargain for Bitch Evelina! I’m

shooting off an email, she reached out to Lizetta,

14:07

Gotta Taunt it on Facebook and find some new

sofa. “Didn’t go through: Remington’s left the

but couldn’t help cursing.

side chick while dragging his feet on the divorce, You could make a bulletproof vest out of his thick skin and it’d stop a nuke!

she heard about the 200–grand for

what a money grab!

the outcome, and she was in a

act all high and mighty, but throw enough cash

Later, we can spin it as Mr. Dashiell’s favoritism toward

putt piece written, and

this game of stepping on one and touting another. She nodded, “Got it. You practice with the violin; it’s

the violin since returning home; her mind was no longer on playing.

and Evelina reluctantly struck a pose. The violin screeched, and she tossed it aside, her

“What’s going on?”

fault; my arm and hand are killing me. I’m done

She remembered Elara sneaking a peek at Lizetta’s childhood dance competition videos the other night after meeting her, and her jealousy burned even hotter, venom

only Lizetta’s legs

trace, and only after a day did he send

left the