Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 71

Lucian overheard their chat and cocked his head towards Lizetta, saying, “Go ahead and play with them. If you lose, I’ll take the shots for you.”

With Lucian backing her up, what’s there for Lizetta to fear? Besides, she wasn’t scared in the first place!

She grinned and gave Lucian a playful eyebrow raise before looking at Evelina, “Bring it on.”

Evelina’s eyes curved into a smile. “I’m so jealous of you, Liz. Even without Remi taking care of you, you’ve still got Lucian treating you like a princess.”

Lizetta shot back with a smirk, “What, were you raised on a diet of wind?”

Evelina was taken aback.

“How else could every word out of your mouth be so loaded?” Lizetta said while shaking the dice and slamming the cup down on the table. “Your turn.”

She lifted the cup to reveal a six and a five.

Wearing a sour look, Evelina shook the cup for a long time until Lulu leaned in.

“Let me do the honors for Ms. Hawthorne. I’m on a lucky streak.”

As Lulu spoke, she lifted the cup – two fours. Not too shabby, but still a loss against Lizetta.

With an awkward smile, Lulu handed a glass of booze to Evelina, who took it and turned to glance at Remington.

The man, still lounging back in his leather chair, was casually smoking; with his legs crossed and resting on the coffee table, he looked utterly unbothered by the whole scene.

Evelina bit her lip, “You ask the question.”

Lizetta smiled lightly, “I’m curious about something. When I was six, uncle and auntie brought me back to the Hawthome family for a visit, and that very night you had a fever and nightmares. Nora the maid said I had jinxed you, and the next day I was sent away immediately. I heard water in your room in the middle of the night, were you taking a cold shower?”

locked eyes, people

had Evelina’s expression freezing, and she could feel the prying eyes from all around.

from Hans‘ beatings, was kicked out barefoot in the dead of winter to buy him cigarettes, and she happened to run into the Hawthorne

Elara crying about how pitiful Lizetta was,

wouldn’t do!

night and feigned fever and tantrums, before she clung to Elara, saying Lizetta reminded her of

her

I would never do such a thing. You must have

Evelina, so she didn’t press

there, feeling like she was on pins and needles, as she sensed that everyone

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Lizetta and, pouting, tried to get Frank

like a woman who can stand

face and downed

luck could hold out forever.

kept on

she looked leisurely at Evelina,

afraid of Lizetta’s cunning, picked up the glass,

back, but then a hand reached over and took the glass from her.

It was Remington.

the glass looked at Lizetta, all

position to drink. I’ll take it

just managed to stay out of bed for a few days, naturally. she

spread across Evelina’s face as she leaned intentionally into Remington’s embrace.

Lucian said he’d drink for you, and Remi is