Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Remington was clearly exerting a lot of force, causing Ethan's shoulders to slump in anger.

"Remington, I'm your Uncle Ethan! Didn't I carry you around when you were a little boy? Was there ever a birthday when I didn't painstakingly pick out a gift for you? Remember that time in elementary school when you had a fever in the middle of the night? It was me, Ethan, who rushed you to the hospital. And now that you're calling the shots, feeling all grown-up, you're picking fights with your own uncle?!" Ethan's cheeks trembled with rage.

Remington released his grip but coldly retorted, "If I wasn't considering the family ties, considering how many times Shirley has stirred up trouble, do you think she'd still be comfortably lying here? Ethan, if you truly care about her, you should discipline her properly! Show some generosity and wisdom as an elder!"

Rubbing his sore wrist, Ethan's chest heaved with emotion.

To an outsider, it might seem like this family was facing the gravest of injustices.

Liz couldn't help but laugh at the scene, though she was worried she might miss Thaddeus waking up. She was almost tempted to grab a chair and enjoy the drama unfold.

"Enough already. I didn't come here to watch your family's tragedy unfold. I've got something to show you."

Liz said as she walked over to Shirley with her phone in hand. She pulled up a series of photos and presented them to Shirley.

"Take a good look, Shirley. You better stay out of my way from now on. Otherwise, I guarantee these will be all over Zion City's high society by tomorrow."

Shirley, initially unbothered, glared at Liz before shifting her gaze to the phone screen.

Her face went pale the next second.

It was a record from a gynecology clinic about an abortion, with the name of a servant from the Dashiell family, but followed by photos of Shirley, face hidden, in a hospital gown being assisted in and out of the operating room and the maternity ward by that servant.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Once this got out, Shirley's ongoing engagement talks with the Taylor family would definitely be off.

"How... how do you have these?! Give that to me!"

Panicked, Shirley snatched the phone, frantically deleting the photos.

Liz didn't stop her, simply chuckling, "You don't seriously think I don't have backups, do you?"

"Liz, you little..."

Shirley, filled with rage, looked up to retort but met Liz's smug gaze. Remembering the evidence on the phone, she abruptly closed her mouth, her features contorted in frustration.

Wendy, realizing what Shirley was deleting, turned to her daughter in shock.

"Shirley, how could you be so reckless? Haven't I told you to stop messing around outside? How could you just..."

Liz snatched her phone back from Shirley, smiling at Wendy.

"Wendy, no need to scold your daughter. After all, like mother, like daughter, right?"

Liz swiped through her phone, showing Wendy a few photos of her passionately kissing a young artist in an underground parking lot.

Wendy's face turned even paler than Shirley's, while Ethan was clueless about what Liz had shown the mother and daughter.

He leaned in, only to see Wendy's scandalous photos. His vision darkened, and he swung his hand, slapping Wendy across the face.

"Have you lost your mind, doing such shameful things and setting a bad example for your daughter!"

Wendy, struck sideways, crashed into the wall, her hair disheveled as she turned to claw at Ethan's face.

"Ethan, how dare you judge me! You

think I

Con't know about you keeping

a college girl on the side, taking models for abortions?"

The two started dredging up each other's dirty laundry, quickly escalating into a full-blown fight. Shirley, limping, got off the bed to try and break up her parents, turning the hospital room into a scene of complete chaos.