Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

The cleaning lady responded, and Lizetta turned off the water, dried her hands, and stepped out.

Days flew by in a blink, and on the eve of Lizetta's departure to Summer City, Remington's car once again stopped at the dance company's entrance.

Tall and distinguished, Remington stood by his car, cradling a bouquet of flowers in his arms.

They were roses, a refreshing shade of green, unique, understated, and elegant. They matched his demeanor perfectly. Lizetta recognized them instantly as the rare matcha forest roses.

She froze in place until Remington approached, offering her the roses with a voice as soft as the breeze.

"Here's your bouquet. Still mad at me?"

Taking the flowers, Lizetta felt a lump in her throat and a sting in her eyes. She lowered her head to smell them and then looked up at him, smiling gently.

"They're beautiful. The first flowers you've ever given me."

Remington saw she was happy, his lips relaxing into a relieved smile as he playfully tapped her head.

"Nonsense, I've given you flowers before, about twelve or thirteen years ago."

Lizetta paused, and then remembered.

school days. Mr. Dashiell was the golden boy, talented and handsome, naturally

dared to secretly send him flowers and

slip through to his bag, and sometimes, flowers would be secretly left

those secretly placed flowers, which he intended to throw away, she insisted were too good to waste, once

flowers to her,

Lizetta thought back, her smile grew more playful;

the

herself, of course, it was different. Did he give her those flowers back then because he liked

her thoughts, afraid to delve deeper. Instead, she clutched the

visit, today Remington had

settled into

е

help but ask him, "These

eternal love, a love for

"Cedric recommended them."

her evident joy and thought to himself that this year's

you like them, I can have the florist deliver a bunch to our house every

often would take away the surprise." Remington, with a non-committal furrow of his brow, replied, "As you