Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Caroline blinked, "You know, like a spontaneous camping trip, Movie Star Cassius plays it pretty wild. Accidentally got some footage of it..."

Cassius's gaze darkened slightly, his voice cool, "Text it to me."

Caroline's lips curved into a smirk, raising her glass in a toast.

Cassius, with a lazy grip, clinked his wine glass against Caroline's and took a sip, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Caroline, with a sultry look, passed him a QR code.

After adding her on WhatsApp, Cassius said, "Send it."

Caroline chuckled, sauntering back to her seat and, with a twist of her waist, sent him a photo.

Cassius tapped open the message.

In the photo, under the curve of a crescent moon, the night over the creek illuminated a tent. Inside, the silhouettes of two intertwined figures were unmistakable. Zooming in, Cassius's lips quirked in a mix of wild desire and amusement.

Catching his smug smirk, Caroline typed a message.

"Got something even more thrilling. You in?"

After sending, a red alert popped up immediately, changing Caroline's expression in a flash.

Meanwhile, Cassius, without looking up, saved the photo, then switched to Facebook, refreshing his feed only to find Yolanda's recent post had vanished. Was it actually deleted?

So obedient?

With a click of his tongue, Cassius opened Yolanda's chat.

huh? What do you

Yolanda responded quickly.

just one of Badass

Lackeys?

felt off to Cassius. He checked

enough, all of

deleted her post;

instant,

the hospital, in a

checked Cassius's message while Stella, still unconscious on the hospital

the photo,

blurry figures, Remington could

the

fawning men

though her expression was indiscernible, somehow Remington felt she was

Smiling at other men.

to turn away, when suddenly Stella

Please, don't! Mom,

back to see Stella

drenched in sweat, hands

Remington's gaze fell on Stella's visibly

to approach, and

gently

patting her shoulder.

to fall deeper into her nightmare, crying out in