Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Cedric sent the video out and was on pins and needles waiting for Lizetta's reaction.

He was so distracted that he caught Remington's stern glares more than a few times throughout the day.

When the afternoon rolled around without any word from her, Cedric started to sigh heavily, feeling more dejected than if he'd gone through a breakup himself.

By the fifth time he let out an involuntary sigh, Remington had had enough and reassigned Cedric to run errands at a branch office.

But as Cedric left, Remington couldn't help but notice the odd look in his eye, akin to how one might gaze at the infamous stray dog of Oakridge Heights, Archie.

Little did they know, Lizetta only saw the video that evening.

Her belly had grown a bit larger over the past few days, prompting her to stay in and cut down on her phone use.

After dinner, just as she was about to head out for her usual walk, she realized her phone had died.

Charging it up, she finally saw the video.

"Do you love Liz, Remington?"

In the video, Stella's face was streaked with tears, looking utterly pitiable.

"Yes, I love her. We had many misunderstandings, and I've hurt her in many ways, leading us to the brink of divorce. But I never wanted to truly separate, nor did I ever intend to give another woman a chance. My wife, my love, it's always been her!"

The man's figure was turned away from the camera, hiding his expression from Lizetta, but his voice was clear and resolute.

breath became erratic, her grip on the phone

snap as if fearing

lips curled into

instruction, how could

when had Remington

rather quickly. After doing some

out, walking slowly along the greenery-lined

reason, Lizetta felt like she was being watched these last few days, especially today, making her quicken

of being followed persisted, yet every time she looked back, no one

building, she glanced behind her one more time to find no one, only the

turned back around only to be startled by a dark

clenched in fear, but

recognized the

the complex,

uniform cap.

sensing her tension,

touched her belly, her lips curling lightly, "Daisyy, are you laughing at mommy for being a

saw the janitor approaching, his face illuminated by

man in

furrows between his

his right ear missing, making him appear rather

face was both familiar and strangely foreign, triggering a flood of brutal, chaotic, and

Hans Gardenia!