Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

I never expected to get caught in a downpour, with both the signal and the mountain roads cut off, delaying my journey. What I least expected was for Stella to come down with a relentless fever halfway

through, nor did I anticipate Yolanda's accident at the wedding."

It was his arrogance, always believing he had everything under control, but he forgot that things didn't always go according to plan.

Lizetta slowly turned her head to look at him. Perhaps it was the dim lighting of the hospital corridor, but the man's handsome features seemed shadowed, almost pale.

But Lizetta realized she no longer felt sorry for him.

With a voice as calm as it could possibly be, she said, "Whatever issues you're wrestling with, whether you've let go of the past or not, I don't care anymore. Mr. Dashiell, please, show some self-respect." Remington's grip on Lizetta's arm loosened slightly. She took a deep breath, about to pull her arm away to leave, but then he suddenly pulled her in closer, holding her tight.

His familiar scent overwhelmed her. But all Lizetta felt was revulsion as she pushed against him.

"Remington, what exactly are you trying to do!"

the person you confessed your love to in your

struggling woman firmly in his embrace as if not letting go could somehow

bare, Lizetta felt

you anymore! I'm begging you, let me go!" Lizetta managed to lift her head from his embrace, her eyes red but dry, her face ghastly pale,

a painful strike to his

been misunderstanding you and Lucian all this time. I've been so foolish; Liz, you can't do this! You can't just let me know about

me, then continue to do so. I refuse to believe that you can just stop

emotion raising in his icy gaze. His demand was fierce; he commanded her

in a burst of anger, she

understand what he'd said

a bitter

peak, a qualitative change brought on by quantitative accumulation. Believe it or not, I truly

your bed, you didn't believe me! When I said I liked you, you didn't believe it either. The year we got married, I gathered

ago in the hospital, someone slandered me with that handwriting, and you said you believed me, said you'd get to the bottom of it.