Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption ( Lizetta )

"It's not like that!" Lizetta pressed herself closer into Remington's embrace; her small face nuzzled against his chest as she continued. "I'm a selfish person, Rem. All I want is for you to always take care of yourself! And isn't that what everyone should do anyway? How could that be wrong?

I also believe that if Stella had a better shot at escaping that day, you would've given her that chance without a second thought, right?"

Lizetta sniffed, while tightening her arms around Remington's waist.

"I don't care about anything else; if you hadn't escaped back then, I wouldn't have you with me now! And that's just not acceptable!" Listening to Lizetta's somewhat childish reasoning, Remington felt a deep stir within him.

When he was found and brought back, the West family, of course, said nothing.

Even if they didn't blame him out loud, they did in their hearts.

Even his father, Nathan, felt guilty towards the West family, probably thinking he, as a boy, should not have left Stella behind.

As for his mother, Hanna, who loved Stella as if she were her own daughter, probably wished it was Stella who had come back, not him.

And Fiona, standing in such a position, couldn't voice such selfish thoughts to defend him either.

So, after all these years, it was the first time someone told him he did nothing wrong.

He should have saved himself.

"Alright, I get it," Remington said softly, his chin gently brushing the top of Lizetta's soft hair.

Lizetta's eyes were rimmed with red. Despite her words, the thought of that dreadful situation still weighed heavily on her heart.

The desperate kidnappers, the girl with a severed thumb, Stella not receiving timely medical help.

After all these years of searching with no sign of her, the odds were grim.

No wonder Barbara cried herself blind.

"Four months ago, I found Eileen, who was missing her right thumb and had lost her memory. Her appearance and age were so similar to Stella's. She was the closest I've ever come to finding Stella; I was so hopeful, and I immediately called Quinn.

Quinn rushed over, but got into a car accident from driving while exhausted. He held on just long enough in the hospital to hear the DNA results, but I had found the wrong person, and just like that, another life from the West family was lost.

Quinn didn't find his sister. He didn't want his mom to carry this regret to her grave, so he asked me to bring Eileen back. If Barbara couldn't hold on, we would tell her we found Stella, even if it was a lie. You know the rest."

These were the burdens that weighed heaviest on Remington's heart.

Too heavy.

Remington had never wanted to share these deep, painful secrets with anyone. Revealing them was like reopening wounds every time.

He especially didn't want to burden Lizetta, to have her carry this weight with him.

That wasn't her burden to bear.

Barbara's health was failing, and he had planned to wait until Barbara had passed for Eileen to leave.

He hadn't seen the need to tell Lizetta any of this, but he hadn't anticipated Lizetta discovering Eileen and forming her own conclusions.

"Do you still blame me?" Remington asked quietly, his gaze falling on Lizetta.