Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 37 It was Evelina’s mom, Elara.

Lizetta steadied her breath, slowly stood up, and called out.

“Mrs. Hawthorne.” Elara gave her a nod, walked over, picked up a towel from the front row of seats, and handed it to Lizetta.

“Thanks.” Lizetta took it, wiping the sweat and tears from her face, turning slightly to avoid showing Elara her disheveled state.

“Liz, | wanna have a chat with you.” Elara spoke up, and Lizetta turned around, having a hunch why she was there. Lizetta nodded and replied, “I'll just change sclothes and be right back.” Elara nodded, “Go ahead.” Lizetta took a quick shower, got changed, and cback to the venue. Elara was still in front of the stage.

Lizetta walked over.

Elara didn’t turn around, staring at the stage and said, “You remember, right? You snagged your first dance competition gold medal on this stage when you were just five. You were so tiny but already rock-solid, blew everyone away. | was so proud.” Back then, Lizetta was the little princess of the Hawthorne family, everyone said she was a chip off the old block but surpassed her parents; Elara had her successor, and Elara herself was excited to tears.

As a kid, Lizetta had been coddled and attentively groomed by Elara and Kevin. Had she been their own flesh and blood, she’d have been the luckiest little princess in the world, smooth sailing all the way up. But alas.

Lizetta knew Elara wasn’t here to rekindle their broken mother-daughter bond. She asked outright, “Mrs.

Hawthorne, you ctofor something, right?” “Liz, you're a born dancer. The Dashiell family’s only cramping your style and soul, and Remington doesn’t love you./l hope you can continue to shine on stage.” Elara pulled out a check from her bag, “Here's 500 grand, enough to set you up for studying abroad. Leave Zion City, will you?” Lizetta looked at the check handed to her, feeling neither moved nor anything but humiliation and disappointment.

She knew Elara’s plea for her to leave was to clear the path for Evelina. Even though she knew she shouldn't take it to heart from those who ditched her, maybe the love she got too little, she still remembered the affection from her parents when she was a kid.

Sometimes she’d even wake from nightmares calling out for her mom.

Jolin was selfish and Indifferent, let Hans abuse her and took her frustrations out on Lizetta with needles. Lizetta never saw Jolin as her mom; it was Elara she called for.

But Elara had long given her up; she was a child without a mother.

Evelina was her own daughter. Lizetta held no grudges for being abandoned back then, but now, to step on her for her own daughter, to expect gratitude was too much.

Lizetta looked up, “Evelina got pregnant before marriage. Rather than worrying about my future, maybe you should focus more on teaching your own daughter, Mrs. Hawthorne.” Elara’s face turned cold, her expression flitting with discomfort.

“Lizetta, it takes two to tango. Eve getting pregnant means a guy wanted her to. Four years ago, the Hawthorne family and the Dashiell family discussed marriage, and Remington had agreed. If you hadn't stepped in, Eve's child would be born into their wedded bliss!” Lizetta clenched her fists, only knowing that four years ago everyone assumed Evelina and Remington were an item. But she didn’t know Remington had agreed to tie the knot.

“You owed Eve from childhood; you stole her marriage four years ago. Now that Eve’s pregnant, it’s tfor you to step aside!” Seeing Lizetta’s peace, Elara frowned but her heart didn’t soften; she stuffed the check into Lizetta’s hand.

Lizetta stepped back, her spine straight as it’s stepping aside, if ready to snap. “Ewan it Remington has to tellhimself.” Elara sighed, “Liz, consider it paying back the six years of care fromand my husband. I'm begging you to do right by Eve.” Her face was full of love for Evelina, plotting for her daughter, but carelessly stabbing at Lizetta’s heart.

To do right by Evelina, but who was gonna do right by her? Lizetta's throat tightened; Elara left the check on the chair and walked away quickly. As she gazed at Elara’s retreating figure, the last bit of warmth and admiration in her eyes vanished.

Elara was wrong; she owed nothing to the Hawthorne family. Their six years of love were for their daughter, not for Lizetta.

And now, by what right did they have to guilt-tripping her? Elara left the building, the sky outside already dark, the Hawthorne family car parked under a tree not far away. She was about to step forward when a voice called from above.

Mrs. Hawthorne.” Elara looked up; the second-floor window opened, and Lizetta’s beautiful face shone in the night, her hand slightly raised.

“Your generosity is too much forto bear. Please take it back.” The check fluttered to the ground by Elara’s feet as the window closed.

Elara’s face turned ugly with anger and humiliation, mixed with an unspeakable dejection. Inside the car, Evelina, unable to wait, pushed the door open and ran over, “Mom, how did it go? Did she agree?”