Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Bang.

Mid-sentence, Cara felt a sudden thud at the back of her neck, darkness enveloped her vision, and she collapsed onto the bed.

Lizetta was standing with a metal pipe in her hand, carefully dismantled from a floor lamp just moments ago.

Seeing Cara go down, Lizetta quickly jumped off the bed and dragged Cara onto it.

Afraid that Cara would wake up, Lizetta tied Cara's hands and feet with some clothes and gagged her. Only then did Lizetta, panting heavily, slump beside the bed. Even these actions had left her feeling drained.

But Lizetta had noticed, for the past two days, Cara had been leaving the house at 4:30 AM to do her shopping.

Time was almost up. Pushing herself to stand, Lizetta hurried out of the room.

The mansion was eerily quiet, allowing Lizetta to sneak into Cara's room with ease.

When Lizetta emerged from the room, she was wearing a hat and carrying a shopping bag, her head slightly bowed and back hunched, mimicking Cara's walk to a tee. She grabbed the car keys at the entrance, took a deep breath, and left the mansion.

Outside, under the portico, stood two bodyguards.

walked past them, heading

bag tilted, and a pen rolled

after it, picked it up, and

lean to the right in her shoulder as she walked, and her attire, left no doubt in their minds that she was Cara. Lizetta managed to

as she left the

up to dress

hour and wasted no time speeding

him that Lizetta had impersonated Cara to escape the mansion, his face

Dashiell, I'm on

now I'll check the surveillance footage and track her down," Ray said, about to start his search when

to the West residence. Redirect

his mind, his hands

been too eager for

the loss of their baby? When she had asked him where he was going and grabbed his arm, he had foolishly thought she was softening towards

have known he left last night and

throbbing on his forehead. Damn it, he just hoped he could find her in time,