Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Remington grabbed the smartphone and hit play on the video.

Cedric wasn't wrong - Lizetta had only rushed back because of the mess Yolanda found herself in. Yolanda, that poor thing, always the bearer of good news and never the bad. If it hadn't been for Hamilton spilling the beans to Lizetta, she would've been in the dark about the whole debacle Yolanda was embroiled in.

When Lizetta made it to Pine Villa, the place was swarming with media vultures, all hoping to catch a glimpse of Yolanda, who was effectively trapped in her own home. Reporters were camped out in the hallway, banging on her door relentlessly, when suddenly, a voice cut through the tension.

"Move it, move it! Hamilton's love life's blown wide open. Seems he's shacking up with a mystery lady, right here in this very complex. Let's get moving, we might catch them in the act. This is front-page gold, folks, the kind that keeps on giving for days!"

"Seriously? Are we really this lucky?"

"You bet. It's all over the trending searches. Look it up if you don't believe me. I heard Hamilton's car was spotted heading this way. Let's go, or we'll miss out."

Since his debut three years ago, Hamilton had been a major force in the industry, his popularity only skyrocketing with time. Yolanda, still a budding star, couldn't hope to compete with Hamilton's draw, especially with juicy rumors of a secret romance and cohabitation swirling around him. In an instant, the reporters who had been hounding Yolanda's doorstep scattered, fearing they'd miss out on scooping the bigger story. Those who couldn't squeeze into the elevator dashed for the stairs.

No sooner had they left than Lizetta emerged from another elevator and quickly knocked on Yolanda's door. Yolanda flung it open. "Lizetta."

Though she was bundled up, Lizetta could still make out the bruises marring her friend's face. The memory of that video, with Mrs. Davis and her bodyguards barging in and striking Yolanda, filled Lizetta with both pity and rage.

"Archie managed to draw the media away. Let's get out of here."

Lizetta and Yolanda shared a quick hug before heading to the elevator, which took them down to the parking garage. But just as they started to make their escape, shouts rang out.

"That looks like Yolanda!"

"It is her, get her, quick!"

Footsteps rapidly closed in on them as two groups of reporters charged their way. Lizetta hadn't expected any reporters to have stayed behind. Instinctively, she stepped in front of Yolanda to protect her.

"Ms. Yolanda, what's your relationship with Charles? Are you his mistress?"

"Mrs. Davis claims you secured your roles through under-the-table deals. Besides the roles, what else did Charles give you?"

"This complex doesn't come cheap. Did Charles buy this place for you?"

The onslaught of questions was relentless and unforgiving. Lizetta's eyes were icy as she stood her ground.

"What kind of questions are these?

You're basing all this on a clip that's out of context. Have you even. bothered to verify any of it, or is it all just baseless accusations about affairs and backdoor deals?"

Lizetta was frantic, having signaled for her driver to come around, but for some reason, he hadn't shown up yet.

"Ms. Yolanda, there's a rumor going around that you're carrying Charles's child. Is it true?"This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

One of the male reporters reached out to grab Lizetta, trying to pull her away from Yolanda. "Lizetta, you..."

Yolanda, worried for Lizetta's safety, was about to step forward. But her face was bruised, and as someone

still hoping to make it in the

е

entertainment industry, her image

was everything.

Lizetta stepped aside, shielding Yolanda once more, her voice cold and firm.

"This isn't journalism; it's slander and defamation. Back off! Otherwise, you'll be receiving a letter from our lawyer by the end of the day!"