Twisted Ties of Love

Brett was deaf to Liam's words. He got up and opened a drawer, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, ignoring Liam's protests. He lit up a smoke and held it in his mouth.

He hasn't smoked in a long time, and the familiar scent now made him cough violently, causing him to spit blood onto the cigarette.

The cigarette fell from his mouth onto the clean floor, its dying embers extinguishing into a layer of ash.

Liam's voice faded into the background, as Brett couldn't focus on his words. As Liam rushed to get some water and medicine, Brett lifted his hand and knocked the glass of water over. He leaned against the armrest of the couch, using all his strength to stand up. His legs were trembling, swaying like a tree about to fall.

Seeing Brett in this state reminded Liam of Izabella in the past. She too was suffering from a terminal illness, enduring unimaginable pain. However, Izabella's situation was much worse.

At least, Brett had never been forced to kneel in the pouring rain, had never miscarried, and had never been falsely accused and humiliated.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Brett's pain wasn't caused by external torment, but by his own unrealistic expectations.

Liam, as Brett's assistant and work partner, couldn't abandon him. Seeing Brett swaying, he walked over and supported him, "President Windham, where are you trying to go?"

"I'm going to the Dempsey family to find Casey and Izabella."

"And then what?"

Brett was at a loss for words. His head felt heavy, and his vision was blurring.

"President Windham, have you considered that your feelings for Ms. Salotti stem from your resentment over the past?"

Yes, he couldn't let it pass. Brett looked at Liam, at loss for words. It was the first time Liam looked at him with those emotionless eyes, which baffled him.

"What do you mean?"

Liam let go of Brett, his hands hanging by his sides, his attitude neither overbearing nor servile, his voice slightly low, "You're just upset that you lost control over her. You claim to want to let Ms. Salotti go, but you never do. Your constant betrayals are why she keeps her distance from you."

Liam decided that even if he might get fired, he needed to voice his thoughts.

Brett was too fixated on Izabella. It was not only tormenting her but him as well. When would this mutual torment end?

Sometimes, Liam didn't understand what Brett was thinking. He had worked with him for many years but had never truly understood him.

Brett claimed to care for Izabella and wanted to respect Casey's decisions. Yet, when he saw them together, he couldn't handle it, as if the one last inutile wail made from a stranded beast that was doomed to

die.

Liam, a man in his thirties, was still

single and had once harbored

romantic nations. But after

witnessing the relationship between and Izabella, he was scared

off. If he, as an outsider, was scared, how could Izabella, who had suffered so much, not be afraid?

People didn't search degradation by themselves. Izabella wasn't that kind of person who would come around, let alone her previous life bristled with hardship, humiliation.

As outsiders, they tended to see through things more easily than those stuck in their own stories; Liam had figure it out, and yet Brett hadn't. He needed someone to snap him back to the truth.

Since others didn't have the audacity, Liam would do it. He would tell Brett the true picture.

"President Windham, you did fine without Ms. Salotti in those three years she was gone. Now that she's back, you're clinging to her. Have you considered that you're just acting out of habit, out of need to possess her? Maybe you don't love her as much as you think."

For the first time, Liam voiced such thoughts. Brett's face turned dark, and his breath went cold. After a long pause, he uttered, "I love her. I know I do."

"President Windham, wake up. What

you're doing isn't love." Liam took a few steps back, putting distance between them, and spoke slowly, "Think about everything you've done, forcing her to do things she didn't want to do, causing troubles for those she loves. You watch her suffer and cry. Is that love? President Windham, love is not about possession but letting go and forgiveness."

Brett exclaimed, "But they don't deserve her!"

"You're the one who doesn't deserve her. How long do you think you have left with your terminal lung cancer? If you truly love Ms. Salotti, you should find someone who can take care of her, not driving everyone away from her. Even if she forgives you and things go back to the way they were, can you be with her till the end? Have you thought about what will happen to her after you're gone?"

"I never thought I could be with her till the end," tears welled up in Brett's eyes; his face felt icy, making him uncomfortable.

He was indeed used to making decisions on his own, decisions that many people, including Liam, didn't understand.