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."

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

understandingly and walked into the living room, carrying

in shock, turned

hoped the reality wasn't as grim as

that led me to her. I thought she was Stella." Remington's voice was hoarse

beat; it seemed disbelief

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

to bring Lizetta here today was to share his past with her, a past that included Stella; it was a taboo subject that he had never been able to discuss with anyone. "Some

Stella, always the adventurous one, had cut her hair short to match mine. I had gotten hot and took off my jacket and hat,

of the memories pressing down. "The ransom drop went wrong; the 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, which gave us a

while the remaining kidnapper