Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Lizetta's phone erupted with the voice of Thaddeus's caretaker, Zora, snapping her awake from the couch with a jolt. Panic-stricken, she called out for Bess, not bothering to change as she hurried outside. Bess quickly grabbed a thick coat and rushed out of her room to follow, both darting out the front door and into the elevator.

Lizetta tried to ask Zora for more details, but the call was filled with the chaotic sounds of nurses urging family members to hurry, before abruptly cutting off. Thaddeus had been on the mend lately; how could this be happening?

Bursting out of the elevator, Lizetta quickly found the number for Dr. Alman, Thaddeus's primary physician, but there was no answer. At that moment, the hospital called to inform her that Thaddeus was in critical condition.

Without a doubt left, Lizetta, disregarding the storm, dashed out of the building. Security guard Dean drove up, with Zora helping an anxious Lizetta into the car, where another guard, Ansel, sat in the passenger seat. They sped away from Pine Villa towards the hospital.

The weather had taken a turn for the worse; it was a quiet night with few cars on the road, allowing them to make quick progress. Sitting in the back seat, Lizetta was beside herself with worry, Bess holding her hand, trying to offer comfort.

"Ms. Gardenia, try not to panic. If Dr. Alman's not answering his phone, he's probably already at the hospital working on Mr. Gardenia. Everything's going to be okay, just don't stress too much..."

It was then that Ansel, who had been on the phone in the passenger seat, spoke up. "Something's not right, I can't get through to Mr. Dashiell's phone..." Initially thinking it was just the bad weather affecting the signal, Ansel's failed attempts to connect made him realize something was amiss.

Hearing this, Dean instinctively slowed down, but it was already too late. As they approached an intersection, a glaring headlight suddenly flashed at them. Then, out of nowhere, a truck barreled towards Lizetta's car from another road.

All Lizetta saw was a blinding light before her. "Watch out!" "Protect the lady!" Shouts filled the car, but Lizetta couldn't make out who was yelling. In a split second, the truck collided with them. With a loud bang

In that critical moment, Dean

managed to swerve, causing the

truck to miss hitting Lizetta's side of the car and instead scrape past the passenger side, sliding far off in the rain before crashing into a barrier. Lizetta was thrown against the door frame, with Bess tightly embracing her to cushion the impact.

Lizetta, dizzy and disoriented, cried out, "Bess!" Bess's head slammed against the window, and as Lizetta, fought the nausea and dizziness,

she felt sticky blood dripping onet

her face. The truck, however, didn't stop. Its glaring lights shifted direction, piercing into the car again, illuminating the crimson Blood on Lizetta's hand.

It was clear this was no accident; they were targeted! The passenger side took the brunt of the impact, and Ansel's phone flew out of his hand, his head lolling lifelessly on the seat.Dean, regaining his senses, shook his head vigorously and reversed quickly while drawing his gun and firing at the truck's driver's seat. The sound of tires screeching was deafening as bullets pierced through the truck's windshield, shattering the glass to reveal a

familiar, menacing face. Blood

streamed down his face from a near

miss.

It was Hans! Lizetta's pupils dilated in shock. Before Dean could fire again, the truck surged forward in a crazed assault. Bang! A whirlwind of chaos followed, then an eerie silence filled the car. "Bess... Dean!" Leaning against the window, with sticky, crimson blood trailing down her forehead, Lizetta called out, hoping for a response. What happened to them? Why was there no sound at all? This couldn't be happening! She couldn't bear the cost of surviving this!NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.

Tears streamed down Lizetta's face as she tried to do something, but searing pain in her abdomen followed by the warm, thick flow of liquid signaled that Daisy was in trouble.