Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Three days whizzed by, and Lizetta was preoccupied with dance rehearsals. and choreography, preparation for auditions, and side gigs here and there, leaving her to crash into bed for merely five or six hours a day.

That noon, after checking in on Thaddeus, she was stopped by Tina as she left the hospital.

Tina had come to drop off an invitation and a gown for the evening’s

–

shindig a farewell dinner the Hawthorne family was throwing for Evelina.

“This gown was a treasured piece from the old lady’s collection. If she were still with us, she would have been delighted to see you wear it,” Tina said, and Lizetta, running her fingers over the gown, looked wistful, filled with longing and memories.

Rachel had a soft spot for Lizetta. When she passed away, Lizetta was still the Hawthorne family’s golden girl, and that made Rachel the most loving granny

in her heart.

Lizetta agreed, but upon entering the venue in that gown that evening, she could tell something was off.

She had unwittingly chosen a dress identical to that of the evening’s main character, Evelina.

Evelina wore a dark green, V–neck, velvet mermaid dress that accentuated her slim figure, complemented with a ruby necklace that radiated grace and elegance.

Lizetta’s gown, while identical in material and color, featured an intricate ruffled neckline, which seemed overly cumbersome.

Lizetta’s figure, demeanor, and beauty were evident, and the gown did not look bad on her. But next to Evelina, her dress–from style to taste–seemed hopelessly outdated.

“Pfft, what’s she wearing? Some kind of ancient relic?”

“A faux heiress remains a faux heiress. Even after years with the Dashiell

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family, a sparrow doesn’t become a phoenix.”

“Today is Eve’s spotlight. Who’s she trying to impress by dress–clashing? It’s like she’s trying to embarrass Eve, but, bless her, she just ended up being the joke of the night. Hilarious!”

The moment Lizetta walked in, the place was buzzing with snickers and gossip.

Of course, Evelina heard of it. She smiled, sauntered over to Lizetta, and took her arm through hers.

“Sis, what brings you here? Ah, my bad–I’m thrilled you could make it.”

Everyone was paying attention to the exchange, and Evelina’s words only made them look down on Lizetta even more.

So, it turned out she hadn’t even been invited–how shameless she was!

Elara noticed the commotion too and was about to butt in when the entrance stirred up a new frenzy.

“Gosh, it’s Mr. Dashiell! Mr. Dashiell actually showed up–guess the rumors with Ms. Hawthorne are true!”

“So handsome, what a presence! He and Ms. Hawthorne are just perfect for each other–such a match made in heaven!”

The murmuring surged once again.

The Hawthorne family and the Dashiell family were not of the same social class; there was quite a gap.

Lizetta’s marriage to Remington was a secret one, hence no one here really knew she was the faux golden girl turned Mrs. Dashiell.

Overhearing the snide remarks, Lizetta turned to see a tall, dapper man in a sharp, dark grey suit approach, while Evelina had already let go of Lizetta, joyfully going to greet him.

“Remi, you finally made it! We’ve all been waiting for you to start the feast.”

Then, out of the blue, all the lights went out, and a spotlight hit Evelina and the

man in front of her.

With music swelling up, Evelina reached out her hand, bending her knees slightly in a playful invitation to dance.

“Mr. Dashiell, may I have the honor of a dance?”

Cheers filled the air, and Lizetta, jostled by someone, stumbled to the side, her side slamming into the edge of a table, a sharp pang shooting through her.

Tears of pain welled up in her eyes, and as she looked up, her vision blurred with the sight of the man and woman dancing gracefully among the crowd.

It must be the pain, she thought, as she turned away and fled the scene, hurrying into the restroom.

But she hadn’t expected that even there, someone wouldn’t give her a break.

Elara followed, frowning, “Lizetta! Who allowed you to come here, dressing like that? Who are you trying to outshine, and who are you trying to embarrass? It’s not right for you to be here. Leave, now!”

“I came with an invitation, and Tina brought me this dress, saying if granny were alive, she’d want me here,” Lizetta explained.

But Elara cut her off, furious, “What granny? That’s Eve’s granny, not yours! Tina retired from our house last month. You’re just a web of lies! After all these years, must you still take what’s Eve’s?”

Lizetta pressed her lips together, fully aware this was all Evelina’s doing.

If Tina hadn’t deliberately brought up Rachel, striking at Lizetta’s soft spot, she wouldn’t have come at all.