Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Lizetta handed Remington's phone to the nurse at the desk, asking her to deliver it to Remington before turning to leave. The nurse, true to her word, immediately took the phone to him.

Barbara had been rushed into surgery, and Remington was pacing anxiously alongside Martin in the waiting area. Seeing the nurse with his phone, he had his brow furrowed in irritation as he took it and asked, "Who brought this?"

"She left it with me and then took off," the nurse replied.

Clutching the phone, Remington told Martin, "I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, he strode towards the elevator.

But by the time he got to the lobby, there was no sign of Lizetta. He quickly dialed her number.

After a few rings, she answered.

Remington, now in the elevator, asked in a deep, worried tone, "Where are you?"

Lizetta was on her way out of the hospital; her voice was calm as she replied, "I'm beat. Caught a cab home. I know you're busy; just carry on." Remington could detect the chill in her tone.

heart squeezed. He knew she must

a moment of silence, his grip on the

the right words to explain, Lizetta cut him

hitched, "Alright, just text me when you

she said before

Lizetta didn't actually board any cab. She

because she

to hear his

she knew what he

all about making Barbara

wasn't Stella that he had played along with Barbara's demands, just for the

wanted to hear. She yearned for a husband who would stand by her side, steadfastly, under any

long she had been sitting on the bench until her phone

numbly answered; her expression changed as she listened to

was from a paternity testing clinic, informing her that the DNA results for Evelina and

hailed a cab and headed to the

to in such a hurry?