Twisted Ties of Love

Wendy couldn't believe that the sexy white lace nightgown she'd painstakingly picked out had ended up benefiting that rascal, Casey!

The theft of a woman's love was an unforgivable act, and had Izabella not been present, Wendy would have given Casey a taste of her wrath.

With her teeth bared and lips curled back in anger, Wendy looked like a little puppy who'd had her bone stolen. She was huffing and puffing, appearing menacing but without any real threat. "Wendy?" Wendy was standing by the door when Izabella emerged from the bathroom. After a moment of surprise, Izabella called out her name.

Wendy immediately complained, "Did my brother carry you here while you were asleep?"

Izabella shook her head honestly. "No, I wanted to sleep with him. It's not his fault."

Not only did her complaint fall on deaf ears, but she was also forced to witness the affection between Casey and Izabella. Wendy felt a sourness in her heart that was akin to sitting under a lemon tree and drinking a barrel of vintage vinegar.

It felt like the sweet and innocent girl she had raised had turned against her, being swept away by a swine named Casey.

Casey's face was unabashedly smug. The word "triumph" was practically written across his face.

"Take your nightgown and never give Bella such inappropriate clothing again."

Inappropriate clothing? Wendy knew exactly what he was thinking. Despite his words, he must have relished the sight of Izabella in the nightgown she'd chosen. Even Wendy, being a woman herself, had to admit that Izabella looked stunning in it, especially when she was snuggled up in a cozy blanket.

Wendy's eyes turned red with anger, but there was nothing she could do. She stormed into the room and snatched the folded nightgown from the bed.

"I think Wendy's mad," Izabella observed as Wendy stormed off.

"Don't mind her. She's just going through a premature mid-life crisis," Casey dismissed. He was determined to nip any illusions Wendy might have of stealing his girlfriend in the bud.

"Do you still remember when you asked me if Wendy didn't like you? How do you feel now that she's clinging to you so much?" Izabella asked.

A whiff of jealousy in the morning air.

"Well, it feels like I've gained a fan," Casey responded. Izabella had previously been concerned about Wendy's cold attitude towards her, but now it seemed that Wendy was actually a fan of hers. Thinking of the wallpaper on her tablet which featured her own picture, Izabella couldn't help but crack a smile.

Casey's alarm bells started ringing. "When did she become your fan? I wasn't aware of this."

"How many times do you come home in a year? It's normal that you wouldn't know," Izabella retorted, sitting in front of a mirror. She hadn't expected to stay over when she came yesterday, so she didn't bring any change of clothes or skincare products.

Izabella had naturally flawless skin, no visible pores, and a radiant complexion. She was comfortable going out bare-faced and only wore light makeup when she was acting.

After Casey came out of the bathroom, he brought out some moisturizer, eye cream, and sunscreen for Izabella. He watched as she applied them.

"Did you secretly put eye cream on my eyes last night?" Izabella asked as she applied the cream.

"How did you know?"

"I woke up with the area around my eyes feeling very moisturized. If you hadn't put eye cream on my eyes, they probably would have been swollen this morning." Casey was not good at expressing his feelings verbally and rarely said sweet nothings. However, his actions spoke volumes. They told Izabella that he loved her.

If she had to describe this kind of love, it would be like the sea - deep, profound, and capable of holding everything.

Izabella looked at Casey in the mirror.

She was thankful that she hadn't given up on life, that she had met a man like him who gave her all his love exclusively.

Izabella remembered a quote.

-- Just be kind, and the heavens will measure it.

The world might not be as bad as she thought.

After they finished packing, they went downstairs where the maid was serving breakfast.

Bunny wanted to pretend that nothing had happened, to act as she normally did. But the harder she tried to hide her feelings, the more forced her smile became. Eventually, her gaze began to wander, avoiding Izabella.

Thankfully, Beck was there to lighten the mood. Otherwise, Bunny's feelings would have been all too obvious.

But Casey still noticed something was off. Usually, Bunny was very warm towards Izabella, fussing over her and serving her food. But today, she was quiet and kept her head down.

Glancing at Izabella, Casey noticed that she was unusually quiet. A few glances were all it took for him to realize that they were hiding something from him.

He wasn't a fool. His working experience in the entertainment industry had given him keen observational skills. He could tell that something had happened while he was unaware, and he was the only one being kept in the dark.

After breakfast, Izabella said goodbye to the Dempsey family.

Beck handed her a bottle of fine wine that he had prepared in advance.

Izabella accepted it. To ordinary people, this wine would be a luxury, but in wealthy households, it was commonplace.

When Bunny was alone with Izabella, her eyes betrayed her guilt and remorse. "Bella, you should visit more often."

"Okay," Izabella responded, her expression unreadable.

Bunny's eyes began to tear up as she said, "This will always be your home."

"Thank you, Mrs. Bunny."

It was only when Izabella smiled that Bunny was able to breathe a sigh of relief. She looked at Beck, his eyes filled with encouragement and relief as he put his arm around her. Wendy reluctantly saw Izabella off, following her all the way to the garage. She made to hug Izabella, but Casey pushed her away.

"Stop hugging other people's

girlfriends. If you're lonely, let Mom

and Dad set you up on a blind date. he suggested offhandedly. But the idea was a good one. Once Wendy

had a boyfriend, got married and

had children, she wouldn't have time to think about Izabella.

Wendy retorted, "We're just showing our friendship by hugging. It's pure and innocent, unlike your dirty thoughts."

"Dirty? Wendy, don't think I don't know what's up your sleeve. Are you eyeing my girlfriend's beauty?"

"Don't you appreciate beauty? Hypocritical shallow dog, I wonder what Izabella saw in you?"

"Of course she sees my caring nature."

From the side, Izabella, intrigued by the sibling squabble, couldn't help but interject.

"Well, I am attracted to your brother's good looks, and his rock-hard abs."

At this, the siblings turned their attention to her.

Izabella successfully interrupted their argument.

"Izabella, do you like abs?"

Izabella nodded, or more accurately, she liked Casey's abs, the touch of them, following the lines down to his V-cut. It was a pity that she hadn't had the chance to do so often. Wendy was clearly on the verge of tears.

Casey looked triumphant, as if he'd won a battle, pushing Wendy further away.

"Hear that? With your love handle, my girlfriend will never be into you." Despite his usual gentleness towards Izabella, when it came to others, Casey could be ruthlessly blunt. Tears welled up in Wendy's eyes and she fled. No one could stop her.

Casey, adding fuel to the fire, called after her, "A fan should keep a distance from their idol. Know your place."

Izabella gently pinched his arm, "Is that how a brother should talk to his sister?"

"Why not?" Izabella's pinch was more ticklish than painful, sending a sensation from his arm straight to his heart. He casually took Izabella's hand, the other holding car keys. "She does have a love handle. I'm not making stuff up."

"How do you know?" Izabella asked curiously.

Casey, unlocking the car, responded, "She's always posting about wanting to lose weight on her social media. She spends all day at home, not exercising, and eats a lot. How can she not put on weight?" Wendy wasn't fat, but in her eyes, there were always flaws.

Izabella settled into the passenger seat, buckling up.

Casey navigated to the driver's seat, one hand on the wheel as he reversed, the other on the window, watching the rearview mirror. He smoothly pulled out of the parking spot.

"What are your plans for the future?" Casey asked as they joined the main road.

"Plans?" Izabella paused before

answering, "Being an actress was

never really my plan, so I think I'll leave the entertainment industry and focus on my production company. I might need to recruit some new faces. Our movie is about to release overseas, and I won't have much time, so I'll need you to handle the planning."

"No problem." Casey wasn't surprised to hear Izabella wanted to leave the entertainment industry. Acting was tiring, both physically and mentally.

As for leaving the industry, it was usually a gradual process. With so many news in the entertainment industry every day, people would soon forget about her.

If Izabella announced her departure now, it would cause quite a stir.

Casey glanced at the rearview mirror and turned the steering wheel to the right.

"Why did you decide to join the industry and act?" Izabella had been pondering this for some time. According to her understanding, Casey had just woken up at the time, his memory muddled. He had been in a coma for over a decade.

"I spent a long time in a haze. I knew my name, my age, and everyone in the Dempsey family, but everything felt strange. I had some bizarre thoughts, like maybe I wasn't the person they said I was, Bella." Near the end, Casey turned to Izabella, serious.

"What?"

"Could it be that, like you, my soul has possessed another body after death? The memories belong to this body, not mine, hence the strangeness?"

"Probably not. You were abroad for heart surgery, right? Then you were in a coma for a long time. It's normal to feel strange when you wake up."

Casey believed Izabella unconditionally, taking her word for everything.

But deep down, Izabella felt a pang of bitterness.

She changed the subject. "You haven't said why you decided to join the industry."

"To be in the industry, to act, if you

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become famous, many people will see you. I wanted a girl to see me. didn't understand why I had such a thought until I saw you on the plane. Everything I did seemed to be just so I could meet you." He was telling the troth, but for some reason, speaking the words made him feel awkward.

Casey blushed, focusing on the road ahead.

"What if you hadn't met me?" Izabella looked at him, her voice trembling slightly, as if she was holding back something.

Casey was silent for a moment before responding, "I don't know. Perhaps my life would be meaningless, and I would achieve nothing. But as long as I am alive, I would keep looking for you, even if I couldn't

find you."

"You fool. Silly."

Casey curiously responded, "Hmm? How am I a fool?"

"One's life should not be wasted on a single person." Her past life was a perfect example. "As long as one is alive, life has meaning."

Casey was silent for a while before saying, "Izabella, I'm grateful that I met you. Because you're in my life, everything is more colorful and meaningful."

"Me too." Only she, who knew the past, could truly understand these words.Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.