Shattered Illusions Love Lies and Redemption (Lizetta and Remington) novel Chapter 976

Stella’s heart clenched, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Remington, I…”

But Remington looked at her as if the mere sight of her was enough to ruin his mood. He turned away, cutting her off, and addressed Margaret instead.

“Ms. Miller, I suggest you think carefully before you speak. Some consequences are more than you alone can bear.”

His meaning was perfectly clear: Stella held no sway with him. He wasn’t about to grant Margaret any leniency just because Stella pleaded on her behalf. In fact, it almost seemed like Remington was encouraging Margaret to push all the blame onto Stella.

No man who felt even a shred of affection for a woman would react this way.

Even Margaret, as naive as she sometimes was, realized in that moment that Stella had used her—completely and shamelessly.

She shoved Stella away with a snarl, her voice shaking with anger. “Stella, drop the act! You’re still trying to trick me? Do you really think I’m that stupid?”

“If it hadn’t been for you telling me how close you and Mr. Dashiell were—if it hadn’t been for your endless sob stories about all you’d sacrificed for him, how much you loved him—do you think I would’ve gone through all that trouble to help you stir up public outrage?”

The force of Margaret’s push sent Stella stumbling; she barely caught herself on the edge of the coffee table before she could fall. Her face had gone pale, her expression wounded and innocent as she looked at Margaret.

“Margaret? How could you say that? I never told you those things, I swear. Remington, you have to believe me—I didn’t. I really didn’t.”

“It was you who hinted that if I helped you become Mrs. Dashiell, you’d repay me someday. That’s why I did all this for you! And now that things have gone wrong, you want to back out and leave me with the blame? Not a chance!”

Margaret’s fury burned hot, her cheek still throbbing from the slap her father had given her earlier. She wanted Stella to taste some of that pain herself. Storming over, she grabbed Stella and slapped her hard across the face.

Stella let out a piercing scream. Margaret wore long, sharp French tips, and the blow left a red, bleeding scratch down Stella’s cheek.

Crying now, Stella sobbed, “Fine, fine! You’ve made your mess, but I’m your friend—of course I’ll share the blame with you. If you say I did it, then it’s all my fault, all right?”

She shook her head in disbelief, face streaked with tears. Turning to Remington, she pleaded, “Remington, if this has caused trouble for you and Lizetta, I’ll apologize to her on Margaret’s behalf. Even if Lizetta lashes out at me, I won’t say a word in protest. Will that be enough?”