Shattered Illusions Love Lies and Redemption (Lizetta and Remington) novel Chapter 1045

Lizetta listened to Remington systematically making one phone call after another. Through the speaker, she could occasionally hear the wail of sirens on his end. She knew he was rushing toward her. She also knew he had engineered a flawless escape route for her. A sense of calm finally settled over her, wiping away her panic. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she tore down the empty streets, hurtling straight toward Mirror Lake. She trusted Remington completely. She knew that as long as she made it to the water, she would survive. Even if she couldn't save herself, Remington would be there to pull her out. Soon, the results of Remington's sheer authority became visible. The road to the lake was completely deserted, and every single traffic light was locked on green. The call remained connected, but neither of them spoke. Only the sound of their heavy, overlapping breathing filled the silence. As Mirror Lake finally came into view, Lizetta couldn't help but speak up, a faint, bittersweet smile in her voice. "Remi, if I..." Before she could finish, Remington aggressively cut her off, as if anticipating her morbid thoughts. "Focus on driving! There are no 'ifs'!" He refused to accept any outcome other than her absolute safety. Lizetta sighed softly, but there were things she needed to say. "I just reunited with my grandparents. I absolutely cannot let them experience the agony of burying their child twice. I haven't been able to get justice for little Joy yet. I haven't found the evidence to send the culprit to prison. My brother just woke up, and I haven't even seen him walk freely yet. And Yolanda... she's been so depressed lately, just faking a smile to keep me happy." She listed off a barrage of regrets before her voice hitched. "And Fiona Dashiell, Joseph... and you. All of you..." Lizetta's vision blurred. The sports car had reached its absolute top speed, the scenery outside blurring into streaks of color. Flashbacks of her past flashed before her eyes, every single frame intrinsically tied to the man on the phone. A sharp pain twisted in her chest. There were still so many things she wanted to do with him... Remington's voice cracked like a whip, furious and desperate. "Don't even think about it! I am not going to take care of your friends and family for you! And if your sabotaged brakes have anything to do with the Madden family, I won't spare a single one of them! Do you hear me?!" He couldn't lose her. He couldn't even entertain the hypothetical thought of it. Lizetta bit her lip so hard she tasted the faint, metallic tang of blood. She choked back a sob, a mix of helplessness and surrender in her tone. "I hear you. Stop yelling at me, you're making me more nervous. I'm about to hit the bridge." Remington let out a heavy, guttural breath before speaking again. "Good. Pull toward the edge and scrape the barrier. Let the friction slow you down." The moment his words faded, a horrifying, ear-splitting screech of metal grinding against concrete echoed through the phone, tearing at his eardrums and his heart. Remington's jaw clenched tight enough to crack. He prayed to every god listening that the friction would stop the car. He waited for the next second, praying he would hear her cheerful voice announcing she had stopped safely. But instead... Crash! Bang! Smash! Following three violent, consecutive impacts and the sickening sound of a heavy plunge, the phone went dead silent. Remington's handsome face turned deathly pale. "Lizetta!" he roared, his voice tearing. "Baby! Lizetta! Answer me! Wake up!" The prolonged, agonizing silence that followed caused his expression to twist in pure horror. He stomped on the gas pedal, pressing it so hard it felt like it would snap through the floorboard.