Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Lizetta was no stranger to this pang of emotion. It was a mix of nostalgia, regret, and a hidden pain that seemed to surface whenever she saw a baby. Not for the first time, she felt this way.

The click-clack of high heels brought her back to reality. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw two waitresses in long dresses and high heels, carrying plates and soup bowls, heading towards a corner. Right in their blind spot was a stroller parked, unnoticed. Lizetta's heart raced at the thought of the disaster that could unfold if they turned the corner and collided with it. The food could spill, or worse, the stroller could be knocked over.

Without a second thought, Lizetta shouted, "Stop! Don't move!"

The waitresses halted, puzzled, as they saw Lizetta rushing towards them with a look of urgent concern.

"Ma'am, is there something wrong?" one of them asked.

Ignoring their question, Lizetta hurried to the stroller, pushing it to a safer spot.

The waitresses, realizing the close call with the stroller, apologized profusely. "We're so sorry, ma'am. Did we scare you? Is your baby alright?"

"He's such a quiet little angel, not making a single fuss," the other added.

Lizetta felt a bittersweet pang at their assumption that she was the baby's mother. "He's not my baby. I don't know how he ended up here alone. Please find his family as soon as possible," she explained.

The baby, sensing the commotion

and the presence of strangers,

began to cry. Lizetta, moved by the cry, peered into the stroller and saw a baby boy, no more than a few months old, crying with his little mouth turning downwards in distress.

His skin was fair, and as he cried, his cheeks flushed red, revealing his soft, toothless gums. Everything about him seemed so delicate.

Lizetta wanted to comfort him but

hesitated, unsure how to pick unt

such a small baby without causing harm. Her heart ached, and she felt tears prickling her own eyes.

Just as she was about to try, the baby surprisingly reached out and grabbed her finger, pulling it into his mouth. The warm, wet sensation was oddly comforting, and Lizetta stood frozen in place. Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

While she was lost in this moment, she barely registered the waitresses saying they would contact the manager to find the baby's family.

Then, a woman with a phone in hand rounded the corner, saw the scene, and quickly approached. "What are you all doing around my child?"

As the woman took the stroller, Lizetta's finger slipped from the baby's grip, leaving a cool sensation that seemed to seep into her heart.

Instinctively, Lizetta reached out for the stroller, a move that made the woman wary. "What are you doing?!"

The baby, missing the comfort of Lizetta's finger, began to cry again. The woman pushed Lizetta aside, picked up the baby, and started soothing him on her shoulder.

In that moment, Lizetta felt an overwhelming sense of loss, as if the brief connection she had with the baby was a reminder of what she missed.