Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Cassius couldn't help but notice, not too far off in the shadows, there was a beat-up Audi that looked like it had seen better days, probably worth around $20k.

Someone dared to mess with him!

Already in a foul mood, Cassius adjusted his baseball cap and strode over to the car.

He leaned in and knocked hard on the driver's side window.

As the window rolled down, he didn't even glance inside; he just gestured with his hand.

"Get out here. Showing off your fancy headlights, huh? You believe I won't show you..."

Before he could finish, a hand with distinct knuckles reached out from the window, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it hard.

Cassius, caught off guard, grunted as he was pulled down, his body hitting the car door.

He pulled down his face mask, about to explode in anger, when a familiar deep, magnetic voice came from inside the car.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

Cassius's eyes widened as he recognized the stern-faced man sitting in the driver's seat, lost for words.

"Remi? You playing tough guy now? Let go, you're breaking my hand."

Remington let go, and Cassius flexed his wrist, taking a step back.

Only then did Remington step out of the car, and Cassius couldn't help but look at the car that seemed so at odds with the man's aura.

"Remi, what, you're slumming it now?"

Remington shot him a glance. "What about you, playing peeping Tom?"

"I'm not spying; I was just about to head up." Cassius raised an eyebrow, feeling strangely superior.

It was clear as day that Remington was on a mission to win back his wife, sadly sitting in his car, waiting for a glimpse of the wife who wouldn't even look out the window to see him.

He didn't even dare let Lizetta know he was there, opting instead for a disguise in a beaten-up car.

Cassius was different though; he had sent Yolanda a message on WhatsApp.

"Need me to remind you how long you've been standing there? At least half an hour," Remington scoffed coldly, but Cassius remained defiant.

"She's probably taking a shower. She'll open the door for me, then I'll bring you up."

Remington mercilessly pointed out, "The lights upstairs are already off."

Cassius was speechless.

He couldn't understand it; why did men have to be so cruel to each other?

Yet, the real blow was still to come.

Remington pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it with great care, leaning against the car to catch the light, examining it as

if it

were a treasure.

Cassius, curious, leaned in, but Remington blocked him with his hand.

"A love letter to Lizetta?" Cassius chuckled.

Remington glanced at him disdainfully before returning his attention to the paper, a bizarre smile creeping onto his usually cold face, giving Cassius the chills. "Or is it from Lizetta to you?"

That didn't make sense; Lizetta was probably fed up with Remi by now, Cassius thought to himself.

Seeing that Cassius would never guess, Remington finally moved his hand away, smirking. "It's my daughter Daisyy. Look how cute and pretty she is." Cassius was genuinely surprised; he hadn't expected this. He tried to take the paper, but Remington blocked him.

"Just look; don't smudge it."

Cassius was baffled.

A sonogram, treated as if it were a competition for his daughter's affection.

"She's adorable. Did the doctor say it's a girl? Congrats, Remi, you're getting a little princess."

"The doctor didn't say, but I knew itContent from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

was a girl the moment I saw her. Look at Daisyy's big eyes, just like Liz's. And this tiny mouth and nose, so delicate. See this soft smile? Can you spot the dimple here?

Daisyy's got my hands, strong fists, she'll surely pack a punch, won't take any grief. And her ears, see? The shape's just like mine..."

Cassius touched his own ear, thinking, aren't all ears located there?

"Daughters are great; they're the most obedient and dependant on their dads."

A son might compete with him for Liz's attention, possibly even sabotaging his efforts to woo his wife back. A daughter was definitely more endearing.

Remington's demeanor softened as

he proudly pointed out each feature

on the sonogram to Cassius. In nearly three decades of friendship,

Cassius had never seen Remington talk so much.

Yet, despite Cassius's intense scrutiny, he couldn't make heads or tails of the image.

To him, the sonogram barely resembled a child, and upon closer inspection, it seemed rather unattractive.

But, of course, he wouldn't dare voice this opinion.

That night, neither man made it into the building. Cassius, intimidated by Remington's gaze, spent half the night studying the ultrasound image.

If it weren't for the fact that Remington didn't smell of alcohol, Cassius would have sworn he was drunk.