Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Those tender gazes, endearing touches, and lingering words, almost whispered as if from a lover.

It was all that Lizetta had ever dreamed of.

Her mouth was parched, her tongue bound with anxiety.

Her heart felt enveloped in warm water, soothing and inviting, irresistibly so.

But this sudden euphoria was as fleeting as bubbles in the mist, she cannot grasp it.

She bit her lip, wrestling with her fears, too terrified to speak up, thinking that there might be doom await her.

Seeing this, Fiona nudged Remington.

“It’s all due to you! Always gallivanting around, neglecting Liz. You must promise to be home every day from now on and treat Liz correctly! Otherwise, you don’t deserve her forgiveness.”

Lizetta’s fingers writhed with nervousness, but finally, she mustered her courage to glance up at Remington.

Would he assent?

With a subtle upward curl of his lips, Remington acquiesced, “Yes, yes, I’ll do as you say.”

The old lady nodded in content and turned to Lizetta, “Well, girl?”

The man also turned his attention toward Lizetta, scrutinizing her countenance.

A sour sensation filled her heart, but she couldn’t resist.

“Okay.”

Fiona then chortled with joy, intertwining Lizetta’s and Remington’s hands.

“Alright then, granny can be at peace. I’m just anticipating the day when I’ll hold my great–grandsons and great–granddaughters.”

Stepping out from Fiona’s room with servants bustling around, Lizetta tried to slip her hand out of his grip.

But Remington held firm. She looked up at him.

“Stay at the old house tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll help you move your stuff back to Oakridge Heights?”

Since she had agreed to granny, Lizetta decided to give it another go.

She nodded, “Okay.”

She seemed to have returned to that docile girl from the past. Remington looked deeply into her eyes, and he squeezed her hand before releasing it.

His gaze made Lizetta’s heart flutter, and she said, “I’ll go check on the kitchen.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

Lizetta ran into the kitchen, and didn’t emerge until dinner was ready.

By then, Remington and Nathan were talking in the upstairs study. Fiona asked her to go call them down.

On reaching the study door, Lizetta was about to knock but realized it was slightly ajar. Nathan’s authoritative voice came from inside.

“Starlight Group’s three key billion–dollar projects launch this year, and your personal image is linked to the company’s. We can’t risk any stock market turbulence now! You can spoil Evelina all you want behind closed doors, but now is not the time for a divorce. After this period, you can do whatever you want.”

“I know what I’m doing, just leave it.”

Lizetta froze at Remington’s detached reply. He hadn’t clarified the matter with Evelina, nor had he denied Nathan’s words.

“I know what I’m doing“.

Was this the reason he wouldn’t divorce, pulling out all stops to keep her? Solely for the company’s image, and she had foolishly fell for it all!

Her legs weakened, and she spun around to leave.

In just half an hour, her heart felt shattered, pieced back together, lifted and then crushed, beyond any hope of repair.

Leaning against the wall, Lizetta gasped for air before composing herself to head downstairs, only to realize she was standing outside Lucian Dashiell’s room.

Four years ago, the fifth young master Lucian decided to become a professional racer. When his family disapproved, he went abroad and never returned.

His room had always been locked, but now the door was slightly ajar.

Surprised, Lizetta pushed the door open and stepped inside, when her phone rang. It was Hogan. She picked it

1. up.

“Liz, great news! Your application was accepted, Master Dories will personally interview you during next month’s tour!”

Lizetta hadn’t expected such good news so soon, and she jumped with glee.

“Really? I’m ecstatic! Ah!”

She twirled in excitement, oblivious to the dark figure outside, which caught her off guard with a shriek.

Lizetta quickly moved sideways, “I have something going on here, I’ll have to hang up.”

After disconnecting, she turned and staggered into the man’s firm chest, her nose reddening.

“Ocf. Why stalk me like that, as silent as a specter!”

Remington took another step closer. Lizetta backed against the wall.

He reached out, cornering her against the door with a jeering smile.

“Skulking in the dark, who are you longing for?”

Recalling his icy demeanor, strikingly dissimilar to his tenderness in Fiona’s room, and replaying what he had just said, she scoffed at herself mockingly.

She had been so naive to cling to her fantasies.

She calmly retired, impatiently, “I was just on the phone with my senior brother. Didn’t you hear?”

“Is that so?” Remington seemed skeptical, his aura frigid.

“Keep your distance.” Lizetta found it hard to breathe.

When Remington thought of the night was pressed close with Hogan in the car, he didn’t relent but instead bent his knee, trapping her even more snugly between his body and the wall.

“Heh, you say I am too close, who do you want to be close with? Your oh–so–righteous senior brother?”