Twisted Ties of Love

"Are you out of your mind? This virus could kill you, and you're too young to die. You've got your whole life ahead of you. If fate has given you a second chance, you should cherish it, not squander it to die with me."

"I've been trying to figure out why I was given a second shot at life, and it wasn't until I met you that I realized why. My life is only worth living because you're in it, Casey. Without you, there's no point in living. This time, I don't want to watch someone important to me die."

Whether the virus was as deadly as Nathaniel claimed, Izabella didn't know. But it's too soon to be talking about death. She beat stomach cancer once before, thanks to Presley's research and groundbreaking cancer treatments, didn't she?

But if something were to happen to Casey, she wouldn't want to live without him.

In her previous life, Izabella suffered from stomach cancer and the torment of Brett, living a life that was worse than death.

Despite this, she clung to a sliver of hope. A tiny, fragile hope that continued to exist in her heart.

Like warm sunlight on a cold winter day, Casey brought light into her dark world and reignited the dwindling spark of hope within her.

He made her believe that there was someone in this world who would love her unconditionally, protect her no matter what. If Casey were to "leave," she'd want him to take her with him.

Nathaniel always knew that Izabella and Casey cared deeply for each other. But he underestimated the depth of their feelings.

Or maybe, he just forgot. He forgot about seven years ago, when Izabella endured the excruciating pain of having nails driven through her fingers to save Ryker.

Sitting in his wheelchair, with tears welling in his eyes, he watched Izabella and Casey as chaos erupted around them. His world turned dark and noisy, but in that moment, everything became eerily quiet. So quiet, he could hear his own breathing.

Nathaniel gripped the gun in his hand, focusing on one thing - destruction.

When Izabella looked up, she saw the dark muzzle of a gun pointed at her. She held her breath as a gunshot rang out, hugging Casey tightly. In a split second, a figure rushed forward and shielded them from the bullet.

A gunshot shattered the quiet night. Izabella's eyes widened in fear, her pupils shrinking to the size of a needle's tip.

Against the light, Izabella saw a tall figure collapse. As he fell, she saw his face and the world around her fell into an eerie silence.

Brett lay on the ground, his usually bright eyes suddenly clouded over, devoid of all light and heat. But his gaze was fixed on Izabella.

He watched as she and Casey clung to each other after the gunshot.

Only belatedly did Brett feel the pain. His chest was soaked in blood. He coughed, each cough bringing fresh pain and blood. He didn't want to cough up blood in front of Izabella, but he couldn't control it. Brett looked at Izabella, his fingers twitching slightly.

Nathaniel's bullet was aimed at Casey's back and wouldn't have hit Izabella. But Brett saw it and shielded them from the bullet without a second thought.

He knew that if anything happened to Casey, Izabella would be devastated.

Seven years ago, Izabella had called him ten times to save Ryker. He didn't answer a single call, and Izabella suffered horribly.

Now, seven years later, he took a bullet for Casey. Would Izabella hate him a little less because of it? Could he diminish her hatred for him, even just a little?

He didn't ask for much. He just hoped that when Izabella looked at him, her eyes wouldn't be filled with hatred.

His vision blurred until he could no longer see Izabella's face. His consciousness began to fade, and he fell into darkness.

Izabella, still holding onto Casey's neck, was shaking violently, still trapped in her fear.

She watched Brett fall, her throat constricting as if someone was choking her. She tried to speak but couldn't make a sound. Brett lay in a pool of blood, his face deathly pale. The blood gushing from his mouth stood out starkly against his pale face. Izabella watched in stunned silence as his lips moved slightly. Reading his lips, she saw Brett utter several words.

"I'm sorry."

Time seemed to freeze in that moment. The image of Brett uttering those words was etched into her mind. It was a brief moment, but it felt like an eternity to Izabella, long enough for her to reflect on her life and its many ups and downs.

Chaos ensued at the scene, and Nathaniel was detained by the police.

Casey turned around to look behind him. When he saw Brett lying in a pool of blood, he held Izabella even tighter, trying to comfort her.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered. "I'm here."

Izabella shook her head, burying her face in his strong, comforting shoulder.

She thought she despised Brett with every fiber of her being, wished him dead even. But when Brett took a bullet for her and fell to the ground, bleeding and dying, she realized that this was not the outcome she wanted.