Twisted Ties of Love

Was it really Saturday? After a string of long workdays without a break, Casey had completely lost track of his days off.

Izabella had prepared a cozy scarf and was now wrapping it around Casey's neck, her movements as tender as they had been the day before. Even on tiptoes, wearing her slippers, she barely reached his height.

This picture of tranquility felt almost sacred, not to be disturbed. After tying the scarf, Izabella patted Casey's shoulder. "Off you go to work, then."

As he turned to leave, Bella tugged him back. "Be safe, layer up if it's chilly, and don't you dare skip meals. I've set alarms on your phone to remind you to eat. Starving is not an option. In my past life, I'm pretty sure I died of hunger-stomach cancer that left me vomiting blood. I don't want you to suffer the same fate. It would break your parents' hearts and mine too."

It was rare for Izabella to ramble on like this, her face glowing with a soft smile, a spark of light dancing in her dark eyes.

"Get some rest when you're tired. No staying up late. You can't focus when you're worn out, and that's when mistakes happen."

"I promise I won't push myself too hard. Safety and health first. I'll take good care of myself," Casey said, amused by Izabella's unusual chatter. He playfully tapped her nose. "What's with all the talk today? It's like you're saying goodbye."

"Don't be silly, we're married. Where would I go?" Bella's ring remained firmly on her finger, never removed, not even for showers.

She gently pushed Casey out the door, staying inside herself due to the chill and her light clothing. From the doorway, she watched him leave.

"Bye, Casey."

He looked back and waved until he got into the car. For a moment, he turned sharply to look at Izabella, unable to see her eyes redden from the distance.

Just the sight of her standing alone at the door filled him with a pang of heartache. His head felt foggy, his desire for sleep growing, his concentration slipping. He couldn't dwell on the details, like how Izabella rarely said "bye" and preferred "see you," implying a promise of return.

As he drove away, he caught a glimpse of Izabella running out, her hair flowing in the wind. He had this irrational fear that he might never see her again.

Why this sense of foreboding? Everything was fine. Izabella was her usual self. They had just gotten married, with Izabella proudly presenting their marriage license. Why would she leave him now? After a deep breath and a rub of his temples, Casey concluded he was overthinking.

The morning dew fogged up the glass, blurring Izabella's figure. She stepped outside, a smile tugging at her lips, but the light in her eyes slowly dimmed.

As the car became a speck on the desolate road and disappeared, her smile faded. The wind was strong but it couldn't dry the moisture in her eyes. Suddenly, she crouched to the ground, her body shivering with cold that couldn't match the chilt in her heart.

Would she see Casey again?

Would he ever carry her home again?

Would she taste his lollipops once more?

Did she have a future?

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wept until the biting wind numbed her senses. Then she staggered to her feet and walked back inside.

The villa had everything she needed.

Izabella drafted a divorce

.ne

agreement, signed it, and left it one the nightstand, along with their. marriage license, which she had barely warmed with her hands

before having to return it.

Gazing at her wedding ring, Izabella had thought she was fully prepared to be with Casey, but one accident had proven her wrong.

She couldn't gamble with Brett, nor could she risk Casey's life. Casey had already sacrificed so much for her; she couldn't let him be harmed again.

And what about Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey? They had finally found Casey; how would they cope if something happened to him? Casey wasn't like her, having already faced death.

The accidents from the day before could be followed by another at any time, and with Brett's current "situation" and desperation, he was capable of anything.

After removing her ring, Izabella looked at it, then slipped it back on, a keepsake of memories.

Besides the divorce agreement, Bella wrote a will, leaving everything neatly on the nightstand for Casey to find upon his return.

She put on a coat, slipped a small knife into her pocket alongside her phone, and left with just some spare change, stepping out of Spring Bay.

On the curb,

she

hailed a taxi. As the

car pulled away, she turned on her phone to view a selfie they had taken the day before. Casey's smile was that of a radiant young man. Izabella touched the screen, and a single tear dropped onto it.

In truth, she had no regrets. She had met someone who truly cared for her, married the man she had longed to be with, and they had shared a past that brought a smile to her face just thinking about it.