Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Lizetta's sleep was anything but restful. In her dream, she was transported back to the summer she was eleven.

That day, she had received her prize money from a competition and had dashed off to the mall after school to buy a diamond-encrusted business pen she had been eyeing for a while.

It was meant to be a gift for her brother, but when she returned to their family mansion, she overheard the servants talking and learned that Remington was leaving for studies abroad. That evening, the Temples had thrown him a farewell party.

His departure meant he would be gone for years. She waited on the tree-lined path outside the mansion until midnight before he finally arrived.

As he stepped out of the car, she stumbled over to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and looked up at him through tear-filled eyes.

"Remi, why do you have to go? There are good universities here too. Why go abroad?"

"I have to. There's a reason I must go."

don't want us to

I can't watch

I come with you? Food abroad is terrible; you won't like it. I can cook

I'll be too busy

don't need." she still tried to fight for

head, shaking it firmly, "Liz, be good.

His unavoidable reason was Stella. He had left abroad for many years just to find Stella. The dream shifted abruptly to an operating

look in her eyes, urged the doctor, "Cut her open! I need to save my Joseph; it's almost too late!" As the doctor approached with a scalpel, she struggled and

me. Remi won't

you are? Stella's back; she's the one Remington is marrying. She's pregnant, and your

can't be

but then saw Remington walk in, with a pregnant Stella by

"Do it!"