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!'

had been a rush, with the company barely having time to make arrangements. Thinking of Cedric, who was nearly driven to tears over the phone begging for his return, Ray felt helpless. "Take care of the surveillance," Remington

Ray knew that someone was planning another wall-scaling adventure tonight. It had become a routine over the past

it. But Mr

bound to find out, and the longer you wait, the angrier shelt be!"

couldn't bear the thought of leaving her here, especially in her condition. Regardless

leave with him. Coming clean meant facing resistance

it was deep into the night. Back in his room, he reset the surveillance and alarm systems before lying down, twirling two strands of long, fine

was that, mere minutes after his departure, six shadows approached Lizetta's courtyard and breached it. They managed to tamper

gun before peering out. Her eyes glinted sharply as