Twisted Ties of Love

Izabella had made it clear; she would not give Brett another opportunity to step into her life again.

She had been entangled with Brett for nine long years, and it had cost her her life. She wasn't willing to die one more time.

Death was painful. Even now, Izabella could recall the searing pain when the flames engulfed her body during that horrible fire. But, if she had to go back to her previous life, she would still choose to "commit suicide".

The pain of death was nothing compared to being "imprisoned" by Brett. That was true torture, a fate worse than death.

Everyone thought she had moved on, but only Izabella knew the shadow of the past was like a wound that never healed; it never scabbed over, and the sharp pain was always there.

People like her, who had already died once, feared most to repeat the same mistake.

Izabella had long wanted to marry Casey, but he fell ill and needed recovery time, which delayed their plans. Just when he was fully recovered, the Dempsey family faced a crisis.

"If you really want to propose, you can do it now. I don't need a rose diamond ring or a grand gesture; I just need you to ask me gently, and I will answer you."

They were still in the car; the door was open, and the outside wind was cold, but Casey's face was flushed. Without saying a word, he jumped out of the car, knelt on one knee, and proposed. "Bella, will you marry me? Even if the Dempsey family goes bankrupt, and I have nothing."

"Bankruptcy and having nothing are trifles. I like you, even if you were a silly kid from the orphanage, I would still like you. If I didn't like you, even if the Dempsey family didn't go bankrupt and you inherited a fortune, I still wouldn't like you. Casey, have you heard the vows at weddings? For richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, through good times and bad, I will always be with you," Izabella said, word by word. She got out of the car and walked towards Casey. She looked at Casey's extended hand and asked.

"The financial crisis of the Dempsey family was caused by me. Brett once told me that if you let me go, the Dempsey family will return to its former state. Would you do it?"

"Money can be earned again, but there's only one you in this world," Casey didn't hesitate. He took Izabella's hand.

"Then marry me. After today, we will be a legally recognized couple."

She wanted to be selfish for once. In her past life, she was always the one giving, never having anything for herself.

In this life, she wanted to hold Casey's hand tightly. Even if she became penniless, as long as she had him, it would be enough.

It was almost closing time, and City Hall was very quiet. The only people present were the staff. Indeed, they were the last couple to register for marriage that day.

The staff gave them a marriage application form. They both signed and filled it out at the same speed, lifting their pens and putting them down at the same time.

They looked at each other, and Casey turned his head and smiled at her, revealing a canine tooth, reminding her of the first time they met.

Twenty minutes later, they left the place. Izabella was staring at the certificate in her hand, her shiny eyes not blinking.

They were married. Izabella was a bit dazed, as if she was in a dream, it didn't feel quite real.

She looked up at Casey beside her. He was carefully looking at their wedding photo on the marriage certificate, gently tracing the outline of their faces with his fingers. He treated it as if it were a priceless

treasure.

At that moment, everything was worth it.

From that moment on, she and Casey officially became husband and wife, the closest relationship to each other.

Casey, feeling Izabella's intense gaze, turned his head to look at her. His eyes were a bit red as he asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's just that it hasn't been easy."

Time didn't talk, but it always gives the most complete answers. Watching Casey carefully put the marriage certificate into his pocket, Izabella suddenly felt that the light object in her hand had become heavy. She had been to this kind of place before. Nine years ago, she and Brett had hurriedly applied for a marriage certificate.

She still remembered that day. It was raining heavily, and there weren't many people in the office. Those who were there were not there to get married but to get divorced, and the whole hall was noisy. Izabella had taken her wedding photo with Brett and received their marriage certificate under such circumstances.

After they came out, Brett casually threw the marriage certificate into a puddle on the road, as if he was discarding a piece of garbage.

Back then, Kaley was still recovering in the hospital. After getting the marriage certificate, Brett rushed back to the hospital, while she watched him from behind.

She watched him get into the car, the car moving further and further away until it was out of sight.

She still remembered that the

temperature that day was 12

degrees, the rain was heavy, and the wind was cold. She stood in the rain and picked up the marriage

certificate from the mud, wiped the dirt off with her clean sleeve, and carefully put it in her pocket.

Did she mind? Of course, she did. She even regretted it. The later Izabella always comforted herself. Brett would realize her worth one day; he would realize who loved him the most. She was also waiting for him to change his mind, for him to regret. But people couldn't endure loneliness and pain for long. And she was a person who was extremely afraid of pain. Later, Izabella thought, when she was tired one day, if someone extended a helping hand to her before Brett treated her well, she would let go of him and find someone who loved her. Unfortunately, she didn't manage to wait for Brett to change his mind, nor did she manage to wait for someone who could help her up. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Her marriage certificate with Brett had been soaked in mud. Even if she had cleaned the outer shell, the inside was still dirty, and it could never be restored to its original state.

Brett had casually bought a ring for three dollars on the roadside. She wore it for four years, until it loosened and fell off her hand. She never wore it again.

- Love was like this.

It was true to treat others as one would like to be treated. If someone was good to her, she would be good to them. If someone treated her poorly, she would do the same. It all depended on whether they deserved it.

Did Brett deserve it?

She had transformed her body, a shell of new skin that cloaked her past scars. But what a shame, while bodies could be changed, memories could not.

Casey held her wrist, responding, "Yeah, it's been a real challenge; it took me so long to finally win you over. We have a long journey ahead, and all I can hope for is that we walk it together till the end." That day, Izabella found herself grateful. She was lucky enough to be given a second chance by fate, to meet Casey, to savor the taste of enduring, unconditional love.

Inside a villa in the heart of the city, the living room was in complete disarray. The coffee table, chairs, flower pots, decorative trinkets, all tossed around and smashed.

Brett was slumped on the couch, his

face pale, suppressing a cough. His lungs had been damaged, but the pain in his heart was even more unbearable; it was throbbing, almost overshadowing his physical pain in the lungs. No amount of medication could alleviate it.

When Brett heard from his associates that Izabella and Casey had gone to City Hall, he lost it. He was like a madman losing control, picking up objects and smashing them on the floor. Liam tried to stop him, but instead, almost got hit.

Brett roared, "Izabella is married with someone else!"

The thought of Izabella and Casey getting hitched so quickly made him feel suffocated, as if the oxygen in his chest was being squeezed out, leaving him gasping for air.

He kicked the coffee table hard across the room. Still not satisfied, he grabbed a chair and began smashing it against the wall in a fit of rage, smashing flower pots and shattering ornaments.

His eyes were bloodshot, his face flushed with fury. The pain in his chest spread throughout his body, even reaching his temples, causing them to throb.

His hands were numb from the impact, his strength was drained, but he still felt a tidal wave of anger coursing through him, like countless nails piercing his body, leaving him helpless.

"Why didn't you stop her from marrying Casey," he coughed out.Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.

Seeing Brett collapse on the couch, coughing and finally calming down, Liam approached him, paused for moment and then advised, "President Windham, let it go. If she wanted to stay, she would have. There's no stopping someone who's determined to leave."

Upon hearing this, Brett clenched his fists.