Shattered Illusions Love Lies and Redemption (Lizetta and Remington) novel Chapter 950

Lizetta felt a sudden pang at her nose, a sensation she couldn't quite place, and snapped the box shut with a decisive thud.

"Who are you calling grandma and grandpa anyway? Mr. Dashiell, you better watch it, or Grandpa Nelson might just come after you with his trusty cane."

Remington wasn't referring to Fiona Dashiell or the late Mr. Dashiell, but rather to Grandpa Nelson and Grandma Bernice.

He was talking about the ivory hairpin Grandpa gave Grandma over forty years ago, something Lizetta had seen herself.

Though Grandma's mind was not as sharp as it used to be, she treasured that hairpin dearly and would not let anyone touch it.

Lizetta had always admired her grandparents' relationship and found herself pleasantly surprised that Remington was following in Grandpa's footsteps by gifting her a hairpin.

And, just like the one Grandpa had given Grandma, it was crafted by the same master artisan.

As far as Lizetta knew, this artist rarely carved jewelry, favoring landscapes and figurines instead.

This had to be one of the only two hairpins ever made by Mr. Ethan Jade, making Remington's gift all the more thoughtful.

"Every time Grandpa hits me, I'll call him that again. Eventually, he'll get used to it and won't have the heart to hit me anymore."

Lizetta chuckled softly, "You seem quite confident. I'm off to work now, gotta go."

With that, Lizetta hung up without a moment's hesitation.

On the other end, Remington was left holding the phone, slightly stunned by the abrupt end to their conversation.

He shook his head with an amused smile, a hint of resignation in his eyes.

Just then, Cedric walked into the room.

"Mr. Dashiell, I've got a couple of videos and some photos for you to look at."

Cedric placed a tablet in front of Remington and played the videos.

The first video showed Stella's glove accidentally catching fire, revealing her missing fingers to all.

The second video featured Remington cradling a baby, with Stella leaning in to gently touch the child's forehead.

Remington recognized the scene; it was from the time he had run into the nanny at the hospital with Ron.

He had stayed late that night to care for the child, with only Stella and the West family's nanny present.

Apparently, the nanny had secretly recorded the moment.

And it was unlikely she would do so without Stella's prompting.

The video was brief, barely ten seconds long, which is why Remington hadn't realized it had been filmed.

As for the photos Cedric mentioned, Remington opened them and felt his temper flare.

They were all strategically taken, showing him and Stella in seemingly intimate situations, either by clever angles or by cropping out others.

At first glance, one might easily jump to conclusions about their relationship.

"Mr. Dashiell, these videos and photos are making the rounds in several company chat groups in Zion City, and people are talking..."

They say Mrs. Dashiell threatened to harm herself to force your hand, and that you were pressured by family to go through with the wedding against your will.

But, supposedly, because your true love was Stella, you never showed up for the wedding, which made Mrs. Dashiell hate Stella so much that she tried to run her over with a car.

Unfortunately for her, you showed up just in time to save Stella, risking your life, which led Mrs. Dashiell to divorce you and disappear from Zion City."

Remington's forehead pulsed with anger at the ridiculous tales.

If Lizetta heard this, how hurt and furious would she be?

It wasn't hard to guess who was pulling the strings behind this mess.

Remington's gaze hardened; the Wests were truly something else.

They must have realized he wouldn't give them what they wanted, so they turned to public opinion to try and corner him.

As if swaying the narrative in the West family's favor would make him comply without question? Preposterous!

"Mr. Dashiell, while these rumors are outlandish, the problem is that some of it is based on true events, which makes it harder to clear up. People have preconceived notions, and even if you explain, they might not believe you."

For instance, Remington had indeed missed his wedding, and he had indeed gone to pick up Stella that day.

And Lizetta really had driven into Stella, causing quite a scene.

Even if they tried to keep it under wraps, secrets have a way of slipping through the cracks. Walls can only hold so much before whispers start leaking out.

Cedric was worried sick. If this situation wasn’t handled properly, it could spell disaster for the boss's romantic pursuit. He feared the CEO's path to winning back his love might hit a dead end.