Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

"Let's do it tomorrow."

Remington's voice was deep, a cigarette dangling unlit between his fingers. He was a man of discipline, rarely indulging in the habit unless under the weather. Yet, the past two months of fruitless searching had seen him reaching for the pack more often than not.

Now, with Lizetta right in front of him, he didn't want his smoking to affect her, so he had been trying to kick the habit for the past few days. But to his annoyance, what had been a casual indulgence seemed to have morphed into a full-blown addiction, stirring up an unexpected irritability within him.

Crushing the cigarette between his fingers, Remington withdrew his gaze and repeated, "Let's do it tomorrow."

Turning to enter the house, Ray ran his hands through his hair, practically on the verge of screaming.

'Remington, you said the same thing last night and the night before!'

trip had been a rush, with the company barely having time to make arrangements. Thinking of Cedric, who was nearly driven to tears

mentioned this, Ray knew that someone was planning another wall-scaling adventure tonight. It had become a routine over

it. But

out, and the longer you wait, the angrier shelt be!" Ray tried to reason, feeling like

couldn't bear the thought of leaving her here, especially in her condition. Regardless of how content she seemed, the distance was too much for him to bear.

him. Coming clean meant facing resistance or, worse, another escape. These thoughts made the usually decisive man

Remington snuck into Lizetta's room, leaving only when it was deep into the night. Back in his room, he reset the surveillance and alarm systems before lying down, twirling two strands

it. They managed to tamper with a couple of cameras, but as one of them touched the doorknob to Dora's room,

a gun before peering out. Her eyes glinted sharply