Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Remington's fingers clenched around his phone with such force that his knuckles stood out starkly in the night.

A chill crept up his spine, that unsettling feeling sweeping over him once again.

"Get it sorted!" he commanded, his voice a deep growl. He didn't wait for Ray's response before hanging up and immediately dialing Lizetta's number. During those few seconds waiting for the ringtone, even his breaths became short and rapid.

His mind raced with a flurry of thoughts. He had assumed Hans had spotted a tail and bolted out of fear.

But now, the idea that Hans's flight from Zion City was just a decoy, and that he might still be lurking there, raised the question: what was he planning?

The image of Hans confronting Lizetta flashed before Remington's eyes, her face pale with shock.

He couldn't bear to think what might happen if Hans was still around, biding his time...

His palm, gripping the phone, grew clammy.

But the phone kept ringing with no answer.

Remington's brow furrowed deeply, then dialed Bess's number.

Meanwhile, Evelina was being carried out, her screams piercing the air as she was loaded into a vehicle.

Stella approached rapidly, urging, "Remington, let's go. We need to head to the hospital..."

She reached out to pat his shoulder, but he turned abruptly.

of lightning lit up the night sky,

his eyes were

back

a gust of wind, his silhouette cold and hurried, his steps betraying his

answer her phone either, an unmistakable

something was wrong at

Stella's voice trailed off as

fierce, with rain pouring

already dashed into the rainfall, heading straight for the parked Bentley. The chaos in the courtyard, illuminated by the flashing lights

echoed from the stretcher as

from the bodyguard, chased after

you doing? Where are you going? You'll get sick running out in the rain like

torn apart

of it seemed

thought: he needed to

left with her would keep her safe, that

phone ringing Maybe she was just

And Bess, probably taking

of Liz's sleep

extra shut-eye herself. Such laziness, he thought, deserved

he opened the car door, and as if