Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

"Would you mind taking off your gloves to show my wife?" Remington asked gently, his voice filled with a subtle curiosity. "I don't mind at all. I was just worried about startling Mrs. Dashiell," came the calm reply.

Lizetta was somewhat puzzled by their exchange, but Eileen set down her glass of water and slowly removed her gloves. Despite preparing herself for something unusual, Lizetta couldn't help but flinch and pale slightly at the sight of Eileen's hands.

Eileen's right hand was missing a thumb, cleanly it had been severed at the base.

The scar was smooth, healed over time, but the sight was still jarringly discomforting.

Lizetta, managing to suppress her shock, politely averted her gaze and spoke with a strained voice, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really. It's been many years. I've gotten used to it."

in his own, before saying to Eileen, "I'd like a moment alone with

walked into the

still in shock, turned to

had her suspicions but hoped the reality

it was her hand that led me to her. I

beat; it seemed

you'd rather not talk about it, that's okay. I won't ask further," she murmured, with her

included Stella; it was a taboo subject

and took off my jacket and hat, and she picked them up to wear, which led to her being taken by mistake. When the kidnappers realized their error, they came back for

cops showed up, and the kidnappers, furious and panicked, took us both and ran. We were beaten, starved, tormented for weeks. One kidnapper died in an accident,

we chewed through our bindings while the remaining kidnapper was out. We never