Twisted Ties of Love

Izabella gazed at the photo of Casey. Despite the time that had separated them, the sight of these photos instantly brought back the moments they were taken.

She gently touched the image of him, trying to feel his past.

Thankfully, he was still alive and healthy. He was still the same person whose smile lit up her summers.

Compared to these "thank goodness" moments, his loss of their shared memories seemed insignificant. As long as she remembered, that was enough. She was used to being the only one who remembered. Izabella stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open. The summer breeze felt good against her skin. Dressed in a thin nightgown, she stood by the window, feeling a chill run down her spine. She couldn't help but reflect on her life, a bitter smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Love was hard. The more she cared, the more she seemed to lose sight of her own feelings. In trying to prove something, she ignored her own emotions.

She admitted that she had once loved Brett. However, his constant coldness and insults had worn away her affection for him.

Later, she couldn't tell if her feelings were due to stubbornness or resentment.

The reason she continued to hold on was because of a blurred figure from her past. It wasn't until Ryker died in front of her that she realized her "stubbornness" had been a mistake. She had mistaken her feelings for the wrong person.

Ryker had been shot right before her eyes, shattering her convictions in an instant.

She still remembered the last words Ryker said.

"Cry Baby, don't cry. I can't carry you home this time."

"Don't love Brett. He's not worth it."

The wind whipped her hair across her face, covering most of it with tear-stained strands.

Her eyes were sore and swollen from crying.

Could Cry Baby still be called Cry Baby if she didn't cry? She knew everything now, but he had forgotten.

She had listened to his words. She no longer loved Brett. He was right, Brett wasn't worth it.

She had started to love someone new, another version of him. It was wonderful to think that the childhood love she thought she would never forget had come back to her in a roundabout way.

If Ryker and Casey were considered

two different people, Izabella's feelings for Ryker were more about conviction, persistence, guilt, and obsession. Her feelings for Casey had overcome all of these.

Izabella loved Ryker from the past as well as the current Casey. Because they were the same person. The only difference was that Izabella loved him more now than she did in the past.

Her tears had dried up long ago, leaving her skin feeling tight where they had trailed down her cheeks. She didn't care, just washed her face and returned to her bed. Her tablet was next to her pillow, displaying

photos of Casey.

Izabella didn't sleep that night. She wondered if Casey was asleep. At that moment, a thought crossed her mind - she wanted to see him.

She picked up her phone and sent Casey a tentative message: [Are you asleep?]

She had forgotten about the time difference, and only then did she realize it was 2 am.

Just as she was about to put her phone down, thinking she wouldn't receive a reply, her phone vibrated.

Her heart pounded as she flipped her phone over. The reply was indeed from Casey.Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

[I can't sleep either. Why are you still up? Are you feeling unwell?]

Izabella bit her lip, her fingers trembling as she typed a reply to Casey: [I suddenly miss you.]

Not long after she sent the message, Izabella received another text.

[The door's open.]

Izabella didn't hesitate, rushing to open the door. The person she had been missing all night suddenly appeared before her.

He must have run over as soon as he saw her message, his breath slightly ragged. Izabella raised her head to meet Casey's gaze.

A single lamp illuminated the room with a warm orange glow. Casey was smiling, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He reached out and pulled Izabella into his arms, his voice husky.

"I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about you. Was it the same for you?" His heart pounded in his chest so hard that Izabella could hear it.

Tears threatened to overflow once again. She wondered why it had taken her so long to realize.

"Casey, I love you more now than I did before. You've always been you, you never changed."

Casey blushed, his ears twitching awkwardly. He held Izabella tightly, suddenly noticing something was off.

He looked down at Izabella, her white lace nightgown clinging to her figure, outlining her perfect curves in the dim light.