Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Remington met Lizetta's inquisitive gaze and his lips curled into a faint smile. "It's nothing. You go ahead and take care of your brother. I'll handle things here."NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.

Lizetta, however, shook her head. She looked at Wendy and said, "Didn't we agree to clear the air in Shirley's hospital room? Sure, let's do that."

Wendy paused for a moment, taken aback.

Lizetta turned back, instructing Zora to look after Thaddeus, then she briskly walked towards the elevator.

Wendy watched her leave, her eyes filled with mockery. She thought to herself how Lizetta seemed so strong-willed now, but the moment Remington showed up, she was putting on an act of vulnerability and goodness, bowing her head to apologize to Shirley and the others.

Upon reaching Shirley's hospital room, Wendy pushed the door open and announced to Shirley, "Shirley, Remi brought Lizetta over to see you."

Shirley was lounging on her bed playing video games. Hearing Wendy's words, she quickly hid her phone, lay down properly, and pulled back the blanket to reveal her two swollen legs that had yet to heal. Ethan, who was sitting beside her, immediately grabbed an ice pack and placed it on his daughter's legs.

As Lizetta entered, Shirley glared at her. She assumed Lizetta was apologizing only because she was afraid the Dashiell family would kick her brother, who was in a vegetative state, out of the hospital. She snorted and lifted her chin proudly. "Lizetta, make a proper apology to me. From now on, whenever you see me, walk the other way, and maybe I can forgive you."

Remington followed Lizetta into the room, and upon hearing Shirley's words, his gaze swept over her coldly. "Shirley, it seems your knees haven't knelt enough for you to learn your lesson!" Shirley shrank back at his words and icy demeanor, looking fearfully towards Wendy, confused. If Remi was willing to bring Lizetta over, wasn't it to visit and apologize?

Why then was Remi still looking so stern?

She tugged at Ethan's sleeve, and Ethan stood up to shield Shirley. "Remington, my niece had a fever all night, and it's only just broken. Don't scare her. She must know she was wrong she was crying and calling out in her fever that she was sorry. Now that she's suffered this injury and exhaustion, surely Lízetta can make a gesture too, right?"

Ethan's stern gaze turned to Lizetta, who simply smiled amusingly. "Mr. Dashiell, what a peculiar logic. So because your daughter made a mistake and was punished, suffering for it she's now the aggrieved party? And, the victim, should apologize to her?"

"Lizetta, what are you saying? You mean you didn't come to apologize but to gloat?" Ethan frowned.

To which Lizetta immediately nodded. "Yeah, who said I was here to apologize?"

Ethan was taken aback, his anger directed at Remington. "Remington, what's the meaning of this?"

Remington's lips curled slightly. "Didn't you insist she come here to enjoy the show?"

He had an air of 'you asked for it, and there's nothing I can do about it.'

Ethan's face turned dark, and Shirley's eyes filled with tears of self-pity. "Remi, I'm in this state, and you still come to mock me, to laugh at me! This is too much!"

Wendy quickly hugged Shirley,

inet

patting her back and wiping her tears. She turned angrily to Ethan. "Ethan, what kind of head of the

family are you? You just stand there

and let us suffer this indignity

bullied to this extent!"

Ethan, struggling to maintain his dignity, didn't dare provoke Remington. He extended his hand towards Lizetta in anger. "Today, you must apologize!"

But before his hand could reach Lizetta, Remington swiftly grabbed his wrist. "Ethan, I'm still standing here! Do you think I'm dead, daring to lay a hand on her?"