Twisted Ties of Love

Chapter 14 

trabella fell like she had been struck by lightning, her whole body trembling It was as if there was a thorn stuck in her throat that she couldn’t swallow or spit it out, it just lodged there 

The courtroom was packed with people, all the once–dysfunctional relatives had come together There were all kinds of expressions on their faces, and all Izabella could see was mockery 

Lucas Salotti, sitting near the front, had a fierce and resentful look in his eyes after seeing Izabella coming He suddenly stood up and went straight to slap her across the 

face 

This slap was unrelenting Izabella tilted her head, her night ear roaring She didn’t even know where her mind had flown off to 

“Izabella, where the hell have you been these past four days? How dare you show your face here! You’ve ruined Dad! It wasn’t enough for you to kill Mom, now you want to kill Dad too!” 

The sound of the stap grabbed everyone’s attention as dozens of eyes stared at Izabella, leaving her no place to hide. 

She felt as if the gazes on her were like knives, trying to strip her skin and tear her bones apart. 

Lucas’s eyes were scarlet red, and his face twisted in anger as he shouted, “You damn batch, you brought nothing but disaster to this family! Mom never should have given birth to you, and even if she did, I should’ve told Dad to drown you alive! Izabella, you took everything away from me!” 

Each sentence was more vicious than the last, aimed at Izabella. Her brain went blank as her eyes lost focus, swaying uncontrollably and eventually locking on Lucas’s ferocious face 

Just when it seemed like another stap was about to hit her, Brett, holding onto Izabella’s waist, dodged backward, “If you break her, you have to pay for it.” 

Brett had a smile on his face, and what would have been a mild expression appeated grim on his face 

Lucas was the type to pick on the weak but be afraid of the strong, so he dared to hit Izabella but not mess with Brett. 

He glared at Izabella with disdain, as if she wasn’t his sister but his enemy 

Brett dragged the bewildered Izabella to sit in the front row, a place with a better view and clear hearing She tightly held onto her hands, nails digging into her flesh until it hurt in her chest. She knew this was only the beginning 

The judges took their seats one by one, and Alan was brought in. Upon seeing Izabella, hope flickered in his eyes, and he shouted without hesitation, “Izabella, my daughter, you must save me! I was wronged.” 

“Quiet!” shouted the judge, banging his gavel. 

The courtroom went silent in an instant, leaving only the sound of the judge flipping through papers on his table 

Izabella didn’t remember what happened or what was said after that; it was as if her soul had left her body. She stared at Alan blankly 

This man was her father, right? 

But why did he feel so foreign to her? 

Alan lowered his head, now sporting a buzz cut, but Izabella could still see his white hair mixed in. The wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen, and at that moment, she truly felt that her father, whom she had been with for 24 years, had aged 

When the verdict was announced, Alan cried out loud in the courtroom. Izabella, still in a trance, tugged Brett’s sleeve, asking “What was the verdict?” 

“Didn’t you hear that? Brett leaned closer to Izabella’s ear and whispered, “Your dad’s finished” 

No, it can’t be real She didn’t believe Brett, but then why was her dad crying? 

“WHY?” Over her four years of marriage to Brett, she had often wondered why didn’t he love her? Why didn’t he come home to eat the meals she’d prepared? Why did he forget about her altogether? 

“There’s no use asking why” Brett leaned back in his chair with an amused look on his face. 

“Does this have anything to do with you? Izabella asked 

Brett scoffed, “Did I force him to sign the agreement? Was I the one who told him to invest that three million dollars?” 

“Come to think of it, if you hadnt transferred the money to him, he wouldn’t even have the ability to sign the contract” 

“In the end, you were the one who indirectly hurt your own father. Your brother was right” 

His voice was cold, causing chills to run through her entire body. Izabella’s eyes became redder, as if tears of blood were about to flow. 

Hands clasped tightly on her lap, she was still shivering from the cold 

Brett did not seem to see her pari, flirtatiously hooked her shoulders into his arms, touching the slap mark on the right side of her face and said, “Izabella, you can beg me. I have some evidence it wont be of much use, but it can help your dad live a comfortable life in jail. Do you need to think it over?” 

He was pressuring her 

Izabella clenched her teeth and looked at him with a pale face. She had once fantasized about Brett treating her gently, even if it was just an act. But she never thought the day would come when it would make her feel sick and repulsed 

She didn’t understand why Brett hated her so much. 

Even if their past was made of misunderstandings and mistakes, she had come to terms and chose to let him go, why did he continue to torment her over and over again, taking advantage of her love and tolerance? 

The proud Izabella refused to have her spirit easily broken by a few words from Brett. 

His eyes darkened, and he said, “It seems like you don’t want this opportunity 

With a disoriented look, Alan was led away while the courtroom staff left one by one. The large space was filled with noise, but to Izabella, it was as if she had gone deaf. 

With Alan’s fate sealed, many of those who worked for or held shares in The Salotti Group were in disbelief and anger 

They vented their wrath at Izabella, calling her useless and a jinx, destroying the entire Salotti family 

Her disappearance for those four days became a reason for attacking her, claiming the current situation was caused by her neglecting her father while pursuing love and a 

romantic life 

The one who hurt her the most was Lucas, her own brother His harsh curses were like ropes tightening around her heart. Izabella covered the position of her heart and 

leaned forward 

Brett didn’t notice anything different about her. When he dragged Izabella outside, the press was already gathering outside, and when they saw Brett and Izabella coming out, they immediately swarmed them with microphones 

Brett stood at the door and made a call to Liam, asking him to send some people over 

After hanging up, he glanced at the woman beside him, who was staring intently in one direction. 

Izabella’s eyelashes were damp, and she blinked before mumbling to herself, “What do you want me to do?” She didn’t believe that her words could persuade Brett to let her father go, knowing her position in his heart. 

Brett looked at the sea of reporters and fell into deep thought, planning to strip Izabella of everything she had, piece by piece. 

First the Salotti Group 

Second, her family 

And third, her pride and dignity 

After destroying these, Izabella would become like a dodder plant, entirely dependent on others for survival 

All of this was only to satisfy Brett’s twisted desires and to prevent her from continuing to fight against him, as she had in the past, and demanding a divorce 

Brett suddenly had an idea and smirked coldly, pointing at the crowd of reporters. “They want to see you. Play the victim, and maybe they’ll leave you alone, as will ” 

“That’s it? Izabella expressionlessly asked. 

Brett was slightly taken aback, expecting her to put up a fight, considering how important her pride as a Salotti heiress was to her. 

Brett’s smile faded slightly “Yes.” 

“Fine” 

As Izabella turned to leave, Brett grabbed her arm, half–closed his eyes, and hid his emotions. 

“Izabella, your father used you as a moneymaker, but called you a loser, a bitch, and said he should have strangled you when they gave birth to you. Even if you save him, he still won’t care about you later. You really willing to give up your own pride for him?” 

Izabella stared at his hand gripping her arm and whispered, “What else can I do? He’s my dad, my family, and he held me when I was little…” 

With that, Izabella pushed him away, stood tall, and walked towards the crowd 

Izabella, who was once dressed in high–priced custom gowns, now seemed to become transparent in the camera flashes. 

What was pride, anyway? Could it save a life? 

Her eyes were lifeless, as if her hope had been stolen by darkness, her soul wiped away, and her lifeline destroyed.