Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

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Lizetta sniffled and nuzzled her little face against Remington’s chest, her damp hair sticking to his skin, tickling him with a cool itch.

Remington pressed his lips slightly, “Cut the act; it won’t work! Do I need to list your recent shenanigans?”

Lizetta wrapped her arms around Remington’s waist, feeling his warmth seep into her, all that comforting. familiar scent.

Her eyes brimming with heat, “Don’t wanna talk.”

As her body warmed up, she belatedly felt an extreme chill Lizetta snuggled closer into Remington’s embrace, clinging tighter. He looked down at her with those deep, inscrutable eyes and didn’t press further.

His body was like a big ol‘ furnace, not losing any heat to Lizetta, but seeming to get even toastier.

Lying there in his arms, Lizetta stopped shivering and felt a cozy comfort, like she was back in the womb. Eyes closed, the exhaustion from her fear and tension washed over her.

“Lizetta, just try falling asleep on me!”

Thinking she could just snooze her way out without explaining anything? As if! Remington gave her a nudge, and Lizetta looked up at him, her eyebrows and eyes curving.

“Remi, you remind me of someone.”

Something seemed to click in Remington, his eyes flickering, his voice tense, “Who?”

Lizetta smiled, “Mama Bird.”

His reaction to her unexpected answer was a moment of silence, then his lips pressed together in a sharp curve of restrained irritation.

“Mama Bird’s a person?”

Mama Bird, what the heck, wasn’t that just a fancy way of calling someone a beast? He suspected she was implying he wasn’t human and scoffed, tossing her aside, “Let go! Scram.”

Lizetta chuckled softly, her laugh tinged with a bitter sweetness.

Sometimes she truly felt like Remington was her Mama Bird, simply because he had scooped her up from the snowstorm when she was barely alive. Just like a chick imprinting on the first thing it saw, she had latched onto him, and he had taken on the role of protector and caretaker.

Like now, warming her with his body, he did it so naturally, as if it was an instinct etched in his bones.

But he wasn’t Mama Bird, and he had no obligation to her. It had always been unfair to him. Could it be that one day, if she got over her chick complex, she’d stop loving him?

‘Fine. I’ll scram.”

Lizetta let go and rolled to the other side of the bed, but before she got far, Remington pulled her back by the

waist.

He leaned over to grab a bottle of whiskey from the nightstand, flicked off the cap with his thumb, took a swig. and then leaned down to block Lizetta’s lips with his own.

The rich scent of alcohol and his breath overwhelmed her in an instant. Startled, Lizetta clenched her teeth, turning her head to dodge.

“Mmm, no, let go.”

She struggled fiercely, and after swallowing the liquor, Remington gripped her chin.

“Didn’t you said I’m Mama Bird, so why the fuss?”

Lizetta’s face flushed red from the struggle, her pale complexion receding, her moist eyes reflecting her damp hair like dewy begonia blossoms.

Remington’s eyes darkened, and Lizetta quickly panted out an excuse.

“I can’t drink.”

His deep gaze narrowed sarcastically, “Oh, your intermittent alcohol allergy acting up again?”

Lizetta pressed her lips, “I’ve got a bit of a cold; took some antibiotics this afternoon.

Remington scrutinized her, his piercing gaze almost tangible. Lizetta bit her tongue, managing not to shy away guiltily from his stare.

Just then, the phone rang abruptly.

Remington was only trying to warm her up with the booze, not really digging into whether she had actually taken any antibiotics, so he put the bottle back and picked up the phone..

It was Lucian calling. Before Remington could answer, Lizetta suddenly lifted her head from his chest.

“Come on, answer it!”

She urged; her own phone was busted and left at the police station’s evidence room.

Lucian calling at this time must be about something important, possibly concerning Daniel, and naturally, Lizetta was anxious.

Remington saw her eagerness and kept a cool face, though his eyes turned icy as he said, “You want to talk to him so badly; shall I hand you the phone?”

His tone was dripping with irony, but Lizetta, in her haste, didn’t catch it and reached for the phone he offered to swipe the answer.

“Lucian, it’s me.”

Before she could finish, the phone was snatched away.

Remington’s face slightly stern, “Been back a few days and your body clock still off? Still on overseas time?”

“Did I interrupt your rest, Remi?”

“Glad you know!”

“I just have a few words to say to Litchi; can you pass her the phone?”

apter 99

Lizetta sniffled and nuzzled her little face against Remington’s chest, her damp hair sticking to his skin, tickling him with a cool itch.

Remington pressed his lips slightly. “Cut the act; it won’t work! Do I need to list your recent shenanigans?”

Lizetta wrapped her arms around Remington’s waist, feeling his warmth seep into her, all that comforting. familiar scent.

Her eyes brimming with heat, “Don’t wanna talk.”

As her body warmed up, she belatedly felt an extreme chill. Lizetta snuggled closer into Remington’s embrace, clinging tighter. He looked down at her with those deep, inscrutable eyes and didn’t press further.

His body was like a big ol‘ furnace, not losing any heat to Lizetta, but seeming to get even toastier.

Lying there in his arms, Lizetta stopped shivering and felt a cozy comfort, like she was back in the womb. Eyes closed, the exhaustion from her fear and tension washed over her.

“Lizetta, just try falling asleep on me!”

Thinking she could just snooze her way out without explaining anything? As if! Remington gave her a nudge, and Lizetta looked up at him, her eyebrows and eyes curving.

“Remi, you remind me of someone.”

Something seemed to click in Remington, his eyes flickering, his voice tense, “Who?”

Lizetta smiled, “Mama Bird.”

His reaction to her unexpected answer was a moment of silence, then his lips pressed together in a sharp curve of restrained irritation.

“Mama Bird’s a person?*

Mama Bird, what the heck, wasn’t that just a fancy way of calling someone a beast? He suspected she was implying he wasn’t human and scoffed, tossing her aside, “Let go! Scram.”

Lizetta chuckled softly, her laugh tinged with a bitter sweetness.

Sometimes she truly felt like Remington was her Mama Bird, simply because he had scooped her up from the snowstorm when she was barely alive. Just like a chick imprinting on the first thing it saw, she had latched onto him, and he had taken on the role of protector and caretaker.

Like now, warming her with his body, he did it so naturally, as if it was an instinctretched in his bones..

But he wasn’t Mama Bird, and he had no obligation to her. It had always been unfair to him. Could it be that one. day, if she got over her chick complex, she’d stop loving him?

“Fine, I’ll scram.”

Lizetta let go and rolled to the other side of the bed, but before she got far, Remington pulled her back by the waist.

He leaned over to grab a bottle of whiskey from the nightstand, flicked off the cap with his thumb, took a swig. and then leaned down to block Lizetta’s lips with his own.

The rich scent of alcohol and his breath overwhelmed her in an instant. Startled, Lizetta clenched her teeth, turning her head to dodge.

“Mmm, no, let go.”

She struggled fiercely, and after swallowing the liquor, Remington gripped her chin.

“Didn’t you said I’m Mama Bird, so why the fuss?” Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Lizetta’s face flushed red from the struggle, her pale complexion receding, her moist eyes reflecting her damp hair like dewy begonia blossoms.

Remington’s eyes darkened, and Lizetta quickly panted out an excuse.

“I can’t drink.”

His deep gaze narrowed sarcastically, “Oh, your intermittent alcohol allergy acting up again?”

Lizetta pressed her lips. “I’ve got a bit of a cold; took some antibiotics this afternoon.”

Remington scrutinized her, his piercing gaze almost tangible. Lizetta bit her tongue, managing not to shy away guiltily from his stare.

Just then, the phone rang abruptly.

Remington was only trying to warm her up with the booze, not really digging into whether she had actually taken any antibiotics, so he put the bottle back and picked up the phone.

It was Lucian calling. Before Remington could answer, Lizetta suddenly lifted her head from his chest.

“Come on, answer it!”

She urged; her own phone was busted and left at the police station’s evidence room.

Lucian calling at this time must be about something important, possibly concerning Daniel, and naturally, Lizetta was anxious.

Remington saw her eagerness and kept a cool face, though his eyes turned icy as he said, “You want to talk to him so badly; shall I hand you the phone?”

His tone was dripping with irony, but Lizetta, in her haste, didn’t catch it and reached for the phone he offered to swipe the answer.

“Lucian, it’s me.”

Before she could finish, the phone was snatched away.

Remington’s face slightly stern, “Been back a few days and your body clock still off? Still on overseas time?”

“Did I interrupt your rest, Remi?”

“Glad you know!”

“I just have a few words to say to Litchi; can you pass her the phone?”