Twisted Ties of Love novel Chapter 490

The searing pain in his lungs wasn't subsiding anytime soon, yet Brett couldn't afford to wait. He traced Casey's location through his mobile and had someone follow him immediately.

As Brett stared at the computer screen, he saw a faint reflection of himself, shrouded in darkness, a stranger riddled with anxiety and fear.

Ever since Christmas, he had deliberately avoided any news about Izabella and Casey.

Yet at this moment, he missed Izabella terribly, an insatiable longing that he couldn't shake off. He wished she was right in front of him, hearing her voice, whether she was happy or angry, as long as he could see her safe and sound. Even if she were to insult him or beat him, he would willingly take it.

The thought of Izabella disappearing, the possible dangers she could be facing, it was enough to wrench his heart apart.

For Izabella, he would willingly give up his own life, despite the fact that his life was already hanging by a thread, and hence, not worth much.

People were always drawn to what they loved at first sight.

Brett had attempted to forget Izabella, he had even tried hypnosis, but every time he would give up at the last minute. He couldn't bear to forget Izabella, to be reduced to a mere stranger in her life.

Their relationship was such that if he chose to let go, it would mean a permanent end.

Brett and Casey agreed to meet at the destination.

Both their faces were grim. The road ahead led to the outskirts, a place devoid of surveillance cameras, making it difficult to track Izabella's abductors.

While Casey analyzed the terrain to deduce Izabella's possible route, Brett tasked his men to investigate Nathaniel. Working together, they were able to pick up on Izabella’s trail once more.

At the base of the outskirts, there was an abandoned brick factory. As Casey was about to step on the accelerator, the passenger side door opened and Brett slid in.

Casey had no time to converse with Brett. If he wanted to come along, so be it. The dimly lit roads of the outskirts seemed endless as Casey pressed the pedal to the metal, the path becoming more remote as he turned into a winding mountain road.

The silent journey was a torment for Casey as every passing second felt like an eternity.

Without a location, Casey had no way of knowing Izabella’s current situation. Was she terrified?

Casey didn’t want a repeat of the helplessness he felt years ago, when he was unable to do anything as Izabella suffered.

Brett, too, remained silent, staring at the road ahead. After a while, he finally turned to look at Casey, his gaze cold and scrutinizing, lingering on every inch of Casey’s face. Then, out of the blue, he asked, “Do you want to know about my past with Izabella?”

Brett was unaware that Casey had regained his memory. As Casey drove, he had to divide his attention between driving and listening to Brett's words. He remembered how Brett had told him that he was merely a replacement.

In a way, Casey should be "grateful" to Brett. If not for him, he wouldn't have known he held a place in Izabella's heart.

“You mean, you want me to know how you mistreated Izabella? How you drove her to her death?” Casey retorted, his lips pressed tightly together, his right hand gripping the steering wheel so hard that the car wavered slightly.

Brett had shaved his head, revealing his handsome features. However, his illness had left him pallid and sickly, especially in the chilly night, his lips turning white due to lack of blood.

Casey glanced at Brett in the rearview mirror, catching sight of his eyes.

Brett was known for his endurance, but now his eyes were red, filled with suppressed pain.

“You’re not me. Izabella and I have been through a lot. I love her.” Brett wanted to tell Casey that his love for Izabella was no less than Casey's. He was willing to give up his life for her. In the three years following Izabella's death, he had thought of ending his own life multiple times. But Izabella's last words, asking him to live until natural death, had prevented him from doing so even in his darkest moments.

As he had said, if Izabella were to disappear one day, he would go insane. He loved her to the point of obsession, and indeed, he had lost his sanity for three to four years, only recovering when he met Izabella again.

Now diagnosed with lung cancer and with no effective treatment available, he knew he didn't have much time left. Unlike Casey, he didn't have the luxury of time, and he knew he wouldn't get to grow old with Izabella.

His life was simply too short to afford to hold Izabella back any longer.

Facing death, he had no choice but to let go of Izabella. All he hoped for was Izabella's forgiveness before he died, to make amends for the mistakes he had made. He wished Izabella could spend more time with him before his death.

So, Casey, you're not me. If you were me, dying, wouldn't you want to see more of Izabella? When time is running out, how can you talk about letting go?

Casey laughed sarcastically. His lips were curved into a smile, but his face was devoid of any humor, his eyes cold as ice. He opened his mouth, and Brett heard his words.

“Indeed, I'm not you. If I were you, I wouldn't have mistreated her in the first place. So don't compare me with you.” If Izabella had married him from the start, he would've cherished her, held her in his arms. Casey had never even raised his voice at Izabella, he couldn't even imagine how Brett could've raised his hand against her.

Brett changed his line of attack, “I thought Izabella would be safe with you, but she's been kidnapped and threatened time and again. What can you offer her, Casey? Your fans are even shaming her online. If you can't keep her safe, then I won't let go this time.”