Chapter 83
83 Shattered Illusions
Luke only had to think for a second to figure it out.
That industry heavyweight had to be The Dreamer.
He’d said a few unpleasant things earlier while siding with Stanley, but he mostly kept quiet. That restraint had likely spared him.
Scarlett didn’t go for the kill – because he’d shut up just in time.
Luke suddenly stood straight, cold sweat running down his back.
All he felt was dread.
If he’d lost control and hurled insults like Stanley, he would’ve been blacklisted across the industry took
He’d expected to feel angry or bitter toward Scarlett.
Instead, he felt none of that.
Only a deep, crushing relief.
He was grateful he’d held his tongue.
“Mr. Stanley, one of my artists has an issue–I have to go
He said it while already running.
By the time Stanley realized what was happening, Luke had flung open his car door, jumped in, and sped away without another word.
Stanley was no fool. He’d been in the business long enough to know exactly what Luke’s reaction meant.
But he couldn’t wrap his head around it.
Why would Scarlett–who used to treat him like a god, who used to fawn over him–suddenly drop a bomb that blew up every connection he had in the entertainment world?
He might’ve expected the industry to turn on him. The company. Even those directors he barely knew.
But Luke?
Luke was his closest friend. A brother in arms. Someone who had been by his side through it all.
And now, without hesitation, Luke had ditched him too.
It hit him like a sudden downpour, drenching and warping the world around him before he even noticed.
His hands trembled as he pulled out his lighter.
It took several tries to spark the flame. Just as he brought it to the cigarette between his lips, the wind blew it
out.
He crumbled.
83 Shattered Illusions
Sinking to the ground, he gripped his hair with both hands , chest heaving with a flood of emotion couldn’t control .
Memories of Scarlett flashed through his mind. The warmth of how things used to be . He reached for it, be it shattered like glass , fragments falling too fast to catch.
What the hell happened?
Where did it all go wrong?
The difference between then and now burned like a hot iron straight to the chest. It left a mark he’d never be able to erase.
And in that moment, he finally realized something:
Scarlett had meant every
word.
When she said she was cutting ties, when she announced the end of their engagement she hadn’t been bluffing.
She truly, absolutely wanted out of the Joyner family.
He’d always known why she was brought into the family. It was for Rebecca. For her recovery.
He’d been careful not to get too close. He told himself not to develop real feelings ..
But over time, Scarlett had grown on him.
Somewhere along the way, he changed his mind. He thought: once Rebecca was better, maybe he would let Scarlett stay as his sister.
Of course, that was only because he felt guilty. Guilty she might one day be asked to donate a kidney.
He always believed what he felt was pity.
Not affection.
Not love.
Yet now…
He clutched his chest, the pain twisting his hand into a spasm. He could taste blood in his mouth from the effort to keep breathing.
It took ages to find the strength to stand.
And after only a few steps, he felt dizzy. His vision swam, and he nearly collapsed.
Luckily, a security guard was patrolling nearby. He rushed over and kept Stanley upright, immediately calling 911.
At the hospital, they ran every test.
The results? Nothing but a mild case of lumbar strain.
He was given two boxes of medicated patches and sent home.
13:04 Sat, 2 Aug
83 Shattered Illusions
Stanley left the hospital with his mind in pieces.
He didn’t even try to collect them.
Instead, he went drinking.
And it wasn’t until after midnight that he staggered drunkenly back to the Joyner home.
When he pushed open the door, the entire family was in the living room.
All of them glaring at him with unmasked fury.
He blinked, eyes glassy with alcohol.
Seeing everyone there, he actually laughed.
“Wow, look at this. Whole gang’s here.”
“What’s the occasion?”
Martha stormed over and grabbed his arm.
The smell hit her instantly, and she almost gagged.
“How much did you drink?”
She covered her nose and mouth, barely holding down the nausea. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ƒindNoᴠᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access s of novels early and in the highest quality.
“You told Rebecca to come home for dinner.”
“She’s been waiting all night.”
“And where were you? Out partying?”
“All of us were starving while you were off God knows where. What the hell were you thinking?”
Her voice grew louder and sharper.
“You made your sister wait. You know she’s not in good health!”
Rebecca quickly stood up.
“It’s okay. Really. He’s home now. Let’s just eat.”
Martha snorted.
“Rebecca, stop making excuses for him.”
“What do you take us for–idiots? You think we don’t know you went to see Scarlett today?”
The name made Stanley’s dazed mind flicker.
He looked around the room.
Scarlett wasn’t there.
83 Shattered Illusions
That’s when it hit him..
Oh. Scarlett had really cut ties that cleanly and she wasn’t coming back.
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