Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Lizzy hurried past, her footsteps catching his attention, making the man slowly lift his head.

A slight smile played at the corners of his thin lips. He knew deep down she couldn't bear to be too harsh on him. As he watched her approach swiftly, a clap of thunder boomed overhead.

Boom!

As if the earth itself was trembling, Remington could clearly see the shock on Lizzy's face, her body swaying slightly. His expression tightened, "Liz!"

In a moment of panic, he crawled forward a couple of steps, wrapping his arms firmly around her slender waist.

"Ah!"

Simultaneously, the umbrella Lizzy was holding slipped from her grasp, and she covered her ears with a startled cry.

The thunder continued, each boom more ferocious than the last.

Lizzy felt as if she was reliving that thunderous night, lying in the back of a car, being rushed to the hospital by her grandfather, with thunder rolling outside the window. She was bleeding profusely, beyond saving.

At that moment, she had wished for nothing more than Remington to be by her side, but he never showed up until she was taken into the surgery room.

She woke up to Remington's cold, harsh news that Daisy was gone.

She had never hated him more.

Yet now, nestled in his arms, hearing him desperately calling her name, Lizzy felt a sharp pain in her heart.NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.

Slowly opening her eyes and lowering her hands from her ears, her legs gave out beneath her.

But she didn't hit the ground; Remington steadied her.

Bending one knee, he helped her sit on his raised leg.

"Liz, are you scared of the thunder? I thought you were over that fear..."

Remington asked gently, his fingers lightly brushing her wind-tossed hair behind her ear.

He looked tenderly at her pale face, even under the cover of night.

He stopped mid-sentence, realizing the significance of the stormy night, and held her tighter, apologizing.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here in this weather."

Lizzy had calmed down, turning to look at him.

"Now that you know, get up and let's go. Stop doing this pointless stuff. ha work tomorrow, I

time here with

belongs to en.kikist

She tried to stand, and Remington let her.

Lizzy stood up, expecting him to follow.

However, he slowly lowered his other knee to the ground, saying solemnly. "I'll call Cedric to come up and escort you down the hill and take you home."

Lizzy watched him reach for his phone, both shocked and irritated.

Just as Remington was about to make the call, she snatched the phone away.

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"Cedric's phone isn't working for some reason, and he wasn't in the car. I came up here because I couldn't find him. Just get upand take me home... Ah!"

Before she could finish, another clap of thunder cut her off.

Already feeling guilty for lying, the sudden thunder scared her into crouching down, covering her ears again, curling up into a ball. Remington looked down at her, his eyes filled with amusement.

He once again pulled her into his embrace, creating a haven of peace in the midst of the chaotic storm.

He whispered in her ear, "Still dare to lie to me?"

She had come up because she was worried and cared for him, even

trying to trick him down the ven

hillto

prevent him from hurting himself, yet she refused to admit it.

He hadn't realized before how stubborn and hard to coax she could be.

Lizzy, "..."

Truly frightened, she was too stubborn to admit it, fearing her defiance might summon another bolt of lightning.

She clung to the edge of his shirt, softening her voice.