Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

When Lizetta arrived at the city hall, Remington was already there, surprisingly early.

Dressed in a sleek gunmetal gray suit that hugged his frame perfectly, he looked both handsome and aristocratic, completely belying any signs of a sleepless night.

He was smoking a cigarette, half gone, with wisps of smoke curling from his lips, partially obscuring his expression but leaving his profile looking somber and contemplative. Feeling her approach, he turned, met her gaze, extinguished the cigarette, and tossed it into the nearby bin.

Lizetta walked over, and he mentioned, with a slight furrow of his brow, "Didn't sleep well last night, needed a bit of a pick-me-up. Hope you don't mind."

He stepped aside, waving away the lingering scent of smoke with a gesture of his hand.

Given the day's agenda-filing for divorce-Lizetta found herself treating him with an unusual dose of patience and understanding. She nodded, "It's fine, let's go."

As they entered, their striking looks and evident social standing, compounded by Lizetta's visible pregnancy, drew many curious and speculative glances.

Lizetta overheard a couple whispering nearby, the woman speculating, "They must be here to get married. Looks like she's pulled the classic Cinderella, pregnant and all. He looks like he's got no choice but to marry her, see how gloomy he looks."

The man countered, "No way, this is clearly a divorce in the making. Don't let the guy's looks fool you; he's got that scoundrel vibe. Probably got caught cheating during the pregnancy. Bet on it!"

Lizetta ignored the idle gossip, but Remington, trailing slightly behind, shot the girl a look so icy it silenced her immediately, a clear reminder not to judge what she didn't understand.

The divorce paperwork, signed swiftly and without a request for mediation, was completed in less than ten minutes.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders, Lizetta turned to Remington, smiling slightly, "Mr. Dashiell, goodbye then. I'll reach out next month for the formalities."

Her message was clear: let's keep our distance until then.

Remington, catching her implication, looked at her intently. In the sunlight, she seemed to him like a wild rose, thriving despite the storm, now free from their entanglement.

His heart clenched. He had truly lost her, the one he thought he'd never let go.

Struggling to find his voice, he finally suggested, "Let's head over to the West family's place, sort out that mess with the hit."

Taken aback, Lizetta considered for

a moment before agreeing. The assailants had acted in Luminesia, and with an extradition treaty in place between Luminesia and Seraphine Realm, the legal process to repatriate the criminals back to Zion City was underway, facilitated by Remington's connections.

As a victim, Lizetta wanted closure and followed Remington to his car.

Upon arriving at the West residence, they encountered Martin West pulling in. His confusion was palpable upon seeing them together.

"Remington, what's going on? You

said it was urgent," Martin began only to be interrupted by the arrival of another car. Ray emerged, flanked by two bodyguards dragging a bloodied man between them.

Martin's concern was immediate, "Remington, my mother's health is delicate, and Stella's faint-hearted. What are you planning? Don't scare them."