Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

After being vigorously pressed on her chest, Lizetta suddenly choked and coughed back to life.

Leaning against the person behind her, Lizetta was in a daze, with near–death memories flashing back as she saw through her bleary eyes Remington carrying Evelina away at a brisk pace.

He didn’t look back.

“Lizetta! You’re faking it, right? You’re like a fish in water, come on, speak up.”

The person who rescued Lizetta from behind patted her face, bringing her back to her senses as she looked at him.

She was surprised to find it was Cassius Sterling.

He was Remington’s brother, from the Sterling family, long–time acquaintances of the Hawthorne family. Cassius treated Evelina like a sister and always thought Lizetta was a gold digger who had delayed Remington’s life, and therefore, he had a low opinion of Lizetta.

“Thanks, cough cough.”

Lizetta apologized, feeling grateful despite everything since he saved her life.

Cassius just huffed and ran his fingers through his drenched hair.

“Don’t thank me; I didn’t save you out of any personal regard, just basic human decency. If I’d known it was you, I wouldn’t have bothered getting wet! You sure you’re okay?”

He looked at her with pure distaste, and Lizetta gave a self–deprecating laugh.

“A scourge like me can survive a millennium; what could possibly happen to me?”

Already humiliated enough, she had no desire to seek sympathy from someone who loathed her.

Cassius sneered, pushed Lizetta away from him, and got up to leave. Lizetta didn’t say another word.

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e were still onlookers: Kevin was frowning and staring at Lizetta with a stern look.

“Liz, you pushed Eve in, didn’t you? You really are… never mind, you’re not welcome here. Just go.”

He then apologized to the other guests, “Sorry for the scare. Let’s go inside, I’ll apologize with a drink.”

He ushered everyone away, leaving Lizetta alone, drenched and kneeling by the poolside.

A servant, taking pity on her, sneaked over and tossed her a big towel.

“Ms. Gardenia, better get going.”

Lizetta thanked the servant and wrapped herself up, stumbling away.

Upstairs, in Evelina’s room, several servants and Elara were fussing over her.

Someone was fetching hot water, someone else was drying her hair, others were checking on her condition.

Evelina was leaning pathetically against Elara, clutching a cup; seeing she was all right, Remington turned to

leave.

But Evelina suddenly raised her voice, “Mom, it was sister who pushed me! She dragged me into the water, I can’t swim, I was so scared! Sister didn’t save me; she hit my head, kicked me. It was terrifying, too terrifying. I thought I’d never see you again!”

Elara stood up enraged upon hearing this.

“This is attempted murder, call the police! I’m calling them right now!”

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Remington stopped in his tracks; Evelina saw this and a gleam of laughter flashed in her eyes, though her crying

intensified.

Remington walked back, snatched the phone from Elara’s hand.

Elara looked at him in disbelief and demanded, “Remington, what do you mean by this?!”

Remington coldly replied, “They both fell in together, no one saw Lizetta push her. How can you claim attempted

murder?”

Evelina looked hurt as she gazed at Remington, “Remi, you saw it! You must have. She was hitting me in the water, how could you?”

Her tears flowed profusely, partly acting, partly genuinely heartbroken.

At that moment under the water, she fell in with mental preparation. Naturally, she was much more composed than Lizetta, who choked and panicked immediately upon falling.

She also saw Remington coming out then, which is why she and Lizetta fell into the water together, and only let go of Lizetta after seeing Remington swim towards them.

She was convinced that Remington had seen Lizetta hit her.

But to Evelina’s dismay, even after witnessing Lizetta’s wicked acts, Remington still unhesitatingly defended her. Evelina was dead with envy!

“I didn’t see anything! You were just panicked and imagined things, right, Evelina?”

Remington came to the bedside, looking down at Evelina from above. He was asking her, but his tone was declarative.

He was defining the situation, warning her to drop it.

With red eyes, Evelina clenched her cup and grabbed Remington’s sleeve.

“Remi, stay with me, and I won’t press charges. I’m really scared.”

“No, we must call the police,” Elara insisted, clearly dissatisfied.