Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Lizetta was scared stiff as she propped herself up, her knees awkwardly and clumsily shuffling backward, a bitter irony in her strong demeanor.

“Mr. Dashiell, when did you start moonlighting as a sushi chef, how come I–ah!”

Remington came over, his hand wielding a knife that he thrust down fiercely.

Lizetta screamed, closing her eyes.

Of course, there was no pain, but when she opened her eyes, she saw her large tail fin pinned to the bed by his knife, unable to pull it free despite her efforts.

She was immobilized.

Remington sat down beside the bed, casually tugging at the pinned tail fin, asking.

*Realized your mistake yet?”

Lizetta didn’t think she had done anything wrong. She turned her head, tears swirling in her eyes.

“I earn my keep, and if you think I’ve shamed you or tarnished the Dashiell family name, then hurry up and let’s get the divorce papers.”

Her words only fanned the flames, and Remington’s face turned cold as he gripped the knife handle and slashed upwards.

Rip!

Lizetta clenched her eyes shut, feeling as if her legs had felt the cold sharpness of the blade.

In an instant, her tail fin was split, and although she broke out in a cold sweat, her legs were finally free.

She bent her knees and kicked out at Remington.

The man grabbed her feet and bent them upwards, Lizetta’s knees pressed into her stomach, a humiliating position that left her immobile, her face red with frustration.

“Do you think I’m dead? Or that I’m lacking money for food and clothes, that you need to go out and do this to support yourself?”

His

s expression was gloomy, and Lizetta, biting her lip, was too tired to speak.

He had never been stingy with money towards her. Even when he wasn’t home for the past two years, his secretary would transfer half a million to her account every month, and the latest fashion and bags were delivered to her door on time.

Jewelry too; she had it all.

From a young age, he had given her the best. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

But because of this, Lizetta could never hold her head up in their marriage, lacking the confidence to even stand

tall.

She felt greedy for desiring his love, feeling unworthy.

“Speak up!” Remington angrily pinched Lizetta’s chin, forcing her to face him.

Tears were in her eyes, but her lips curled up in self–mockery.

“Right, you’ve never wronged me. I’m like your pet canary. No, at least a sugar daddy gets pleasure from keeping a pet canary. But you don’t love me. After marrying me, you came home even less, spending years abroad. You shouldn’t be called Devil Remington; Poor Remington suits you better!”

14-21

She owed him a great debt, feeling that even liking him was a desecration, dirty.

Since her first crush at fourteen, she had worked hard to make money, paying into the Dashiell family account every year, trying to repay what she could.

She thought that once she had paid it all back, maybe then she could leave the Dashiell family and pursue him with dignity.

Unfortunately, later on.

Her efforts were probably a joke in Remington’s eyes.

“So I’m just the big sucker, am I? Splurging money and energy on an ingrate. Ha, at least an ingrate has warm blood, unlike you, now a cold–hearted, cold–blooded mermaid of beauty.” Remington scoffed coldly.

Lizetta felt a tightness in her chest, “Then stop being the big sucker. I’ll leave with nothing. Shouldn’t you be happy? You can marry Evelina; she’s pregnant. Aren’t you in a hurry to avoid having your child born a bastard?”

“Of course, I’m in a rush.”

Remington released her legs, seemingly unwilling to look at Lizetta any longer.

Thrown to the side, Lizetta’s tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, her heart dying.

It was laughable that she had once doubted Evelina’s child was his because of the slight difference in his behavior towards her and had even thought about verifying it.

Ridiculous.

“Leaving with nothing is too easy for you. I’ve said before, divorce will cost you three million. I raised you, I can’t just let you go for free, to the benefit of some other man.”

The man spoke again with a cold voice, and Lizetta laughed, “Then don’t get in the way of me making money.”

Before she could finish, Remington flipped her over and pressed down on her.

Lizetta, worried about the baby in her womb, struggled and pushed, “Get off me!”

“With what you earn as a mermaid, I’ll be in my grave before you can pay back three million. Instead of being so clear–cut with me, why not just sleep with me? I’ll pay you two thousand each time. Stop acting like a paragon of virtue in bed! What do you say? Agree, and for last night’s three times, I’ll transfer the money right away.”