Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

However, just as Lizetta began to move, Remington suddenly quickened his pace. The man took the stairs two at a time, quickly disappearing from sight. Downstairs, Sophia and two clerks were chatting by the stairwell, waiting. When they saw Remington coming down, Sophia immediately approached him.

"Did everything meet your expectations, Mr. Dashiell? Would you like Mrs. Dashiell to try on a couple more dresses?"

Remington, on his phone, responded with a deep voice, "I'll be right out; take him to the hospital. I'll ask in person."

He seemed to brush past Sophia without hearing her, striding briskly out of the bridal shop.

A Maybach was parked outside, Ray got out to open the rear door for Remington, who bent down to get into the car, and Ray walked around to the other side and got in.

Remington immediately asked in a stern voice, "Is the news reliable? Have you checked its authenticity?"

A message had just come from the border. A villager claimed that sixteen years ago, he had seen a girl with a severed finger, burning with fever, abandoned in the mountains near their village. Based on the timing and location, it all matched up with when Stella had disappeared. It was very likely that the girl was Stella.

Zion City by

spilling

had been too many false leads in the search for Stella. But he prayed this time it was true, to bring Stella back as soon as possible. Sixteen years had passed; failing to bring her back intact, seeing her parents in such agony, he felt overwhelmingly guilty, unworthy of happiness, let alone the right

of Stella possibly enduring inhumane torture somewhere, he found it hard to rest, unable to face

gaze towards the window, his eyes piercing through the

for me a little longer, Liz. Once I find Stella,

to try a different style? What do you think?" Sophia said with a smile as she came upstairs and

and smiled at her,

quickly said, "Looking for Mr. Dashiell? He just

early, leaving her behind like this. Her smile slowly faded as

me take my measurements, Sophia? Once

the interest to try