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.

nice today, huh? What do you

Yolanda responded quickly.

just one

Lackeys?

off to Cassius. He checked Yolanda's WhatsApp

of Yolanda's updates

post; she

an instant,

in a private

message while Stella, still unconscious on the hospital bed,

the photo, even

blurry figures, Remington could

tell the woman

men

her expression was indiscernible, somehow

Smiling at other men.

on the phone tightened, ready to turn

Please, don't!

paused, turning back to see

sweat, hands flailing in the air,

Stella's visibly injured right

decided to approach, and

gently

patting her shoulder.

to fall deeper into her nightmare,