Twisted Ties of Love

Chapter 11 

In that moment, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face, drenching her clothes. The world outside fell into a deafening silence, and she couldn’t be sure if Brett had overheard her words But one thing remained crystal clear he had no concern for her life, and he would never care 

Izabella’s voice trailed off, and she hastily brushed away her tears, sinking down the door until she found herself curled up on the cold floor Biting her hand to stifle the urge to cry out, she fought to contain the pain that consumed her 

Her youth, her love, her marriage–all of it had begin and ended with Prell 

Brett, I’ve loved you for sixteen years How many sixteen years are there in a lifetime? How can you hurt me by using my love for you? 

Izabella let out a miserable sob She hadn’t had breakfast, only a glass of milk, and her stomach was empty and aching from hunger 

Summoning the last remnants of her strength, she dragged herself towards the bathroom and retched into the toilet, feeling the acrid saliva scorching her throat 

Even after emptying her stomach, her abdomen convulsed relentlessly, and the relentless pain made her aware that she couldn’t endure without seeing blood Clasping her hand tightly over her mouth, she struggled to stifle the agonizing groans that escaped her. 

Izabella went back to her room and grabbed the two bottles of pills from the drawer. She would need them over the next three days. There was no purified water in the room, so she had no choice but to hold the pills and drink tap water 

Her esophagus was narrower than most people’s, and the dry, bitter taste of the pills lingered in her mouth. Swallowing four pills at once was difficult, but she had no other 

choice. 

She couldn’t hold back a gag reflex after swallowing the pills The bitter taste lingered in her mouth, refusing to dissipate 

Izabella huddled on her bed, gripping her blanket tightly, as she anxiously awaited in the engulfing darkness. The once sultry weather had transformed into an icy coldness that threatened to drain her consciousness 

Her pupils dilated unnaturally, and as the room descended into deeper darkness, she sought refuge beneath the covers. Outside, thunder resonated with a booming force. followed by a momentary blaze of lightning that illuminated the room 

Her once cozy and inviting bedroom now appeared menacing amidst the storm. The wind howled relentlessly, lightning continued to illuminate the surroundings, and the thunder clashed overhead, as if the very fabric of the sky was being torn apart 

“Ahh! Izabella screamed grasping her blanket, her body covered in a cold sweat 

In the pitch–black stormy night with fear running wild, she imagined monsters emerging from the ceiling and hands reaching out from under the bed, intending to grab her She dared not move, only holding herself tighter 

“Bret Brett” 

“Brett…” 

“Brett‘‘ She called out for him with increasing desperation, wanting to cut him out of her heart. 

No one responded in the empty room, the only sound the rumble of thunder outside. 

She felt abandoned, unwanted and forgotten. 

Izabella started crying again, unsure whether these tears were physical or emotional. 

Brett locked the door of the Quiet Forest Estates and left. His phone beeped with an alert: a weather report predicting thunderstorms for the night. 

Brett glanced at it before putting the phone back in his pocket. He knew Kaley was afraid of thunder, but what about Izabella? The girl who had the guts to defy him couldn’t be scared of storms, could she? 

Driving to Kaley’s house, his thoughts couldn’t help but drift back to Izabella, making him restless. 

He despised his lack of control, suddenly punching his steering wheel while waiting at an intersection. 

Kaley, who had recently recovered from an illness, appeared slightly pale. However, as soon as she spotted Brett entering, her eyes sparkled with delight. 

Her typically pallid complexion transformed with a newfound radiance upon his arrival. “Brett, have you had anything to eat?” she asked, her face beaming 

“No.” 

“Let me make something for us.” The house was bought by Brett, who had also arranged for the finest ingredients to be stocked in the fridge. 

Watching Kaley bustling in the kitchen, he found his thoughts drifting back to Izabella 

He remembered the days when she would cook, waiting for him to come home and eat, but he had never once tasted her food. 

Kaley noticed Brett gazing at her, and as she turned to look at him holding a ladle in one hand, she smiled “Brett, go sit in the living room. You can’t stand the smell of 

cooking 

She had known Brett since cildhood, understanding his likes and dislikes better than anyone else. Even Izabella couldn’t compare to that 

Brett nodded, silently, walking back to the living room. He turned on the TV, trying to get lost in the latest show, but found no amusement in it 

His gaze remained fixed on the screen, but his mind incessantly wandered back to Izabella, haunted by the image of her eyes filled with tears and her face drained of color 

His heart ached with a deep anguish 

Upon leaving the bedroom, he had been tormented by the sound of her sorrowful cries echoing in his ears. The words she had uttered lingered in his thoughts–she had claimed she was dying 

He tried not to care, but tus heart suddenly ached as if pierced by a needle, the pain eventually spreading throughout his body. He couldn’t help but twitch 

Brett pressed his thumb to his temple, increasingly agitated Sitting on the couch, he subconsciously moved closer to the door 

As Kaley emerged from the kitchen wall a steaming bowl of freshly made soup, she detected a bitter scent permeating the air Curiosity piqued, she followed the trail of the smell and discovered Brett lounging on the couch, his sleeves rolled up, holding a cigarette between his fingers. With each inhale, the smoke veiled his face, rendering his expression inscrutable and difficult to decipher 

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