Twisted Ties of Love

Chapter 345

Some things were unforgivable, man. It's not about tolerance. Everyone had their line in the sand. She endured all the shit by herself and died in that fire. Why should she forgive the one who pushed her to that end?

Izabella pulled out a disposable hair tie from her hair.

As she fixed her hair, she said, "I mean, forgiving you ain't totally out of the picture."

At that moment, Brett was left speechless. The surprise was too sudden, too unbelievable, too overwhelming.

But then, he watched as Izabella nonchalantly tosses the hair tie into the river: "Go pick it up. If you can find it, I'll forgive you. How's that?"

How's he supposed to find a tiny hair tie in a river? The river's filled with all sorts mixed up with mud and rocks. Even if Brett had ten hands, he'd be hard-pressed to find it.

The hair tie sank into the river. It's so light it barely made a splash.

"Too much for you? Then don't go fetching it..."

"So, if I find it, you'll forgive me and give me another chance?"

Izabella looked into Brett's earnest eyes and smiles, "Guess you'll know when you find it."

Her smile was enigmatic. Brett knew Izabella was punishing him. She knew he can't swim and is scared of water.

In this world, nothing came free. Everything had its price.

He striped off his coat and jumped into the river without a second thought. Luckily, the river was being cleaned out these days, so the water level was pretty low. Up to his thighs, not enough to drown him but cold enough to chill him to the bone.

Brett was like a man possessed. He bent down, Izabella's words echoing in his ears.

Just find that hair tie she tossed into the water, and she'll forgive him. Give him a chance.

That's his obsession. The one that's been haunting him for three years.

Brett bents down and started rummaging in the river. To reach the bottom, his head had to go under. The once clear water turned murky from all his movements.

Brett can't swim, and he's a neat freak, yet here he was, seriously searching for an insignificant hair tie in the river.

The river bottom was filled with rocks, covered in mud. Slippery and uneven. Brett stumbled and fell a few times, getting himself covered in mud. His palms were cut by sharp rocks. He's a complete mess.

He forgot about his cleanliness obsession, forgot about the pain, numbly repeating the action, earnestly searching the rocks in the river, his fingers moving through the mud, the stench hitting his face.

Where's the hair tie? Where's Izabella's hair tie?

The rain starts and stops again as if mocking him. Already chilled to the bone, this was just adding insult to injury. Brett's face turned white from the cold.

Izabella standed under an umbrella on the river bank with a mocking smile on her face. The sound of rain hitting the river surface, breaking the smooth reflection.

Izabella checked the time. It's been eight minutes. If she doesn't get back soon, Casey might start worrying. She calls out to the man in the river. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

"Brett, if you can't find the hair tie, don't bother seeing me again. It's getting dark. I'm heading back." With that, she turned and left, her cold demeanour reminding one of Brett from the past.

Brett paused for a moment, then continued his search. He searched for a long time but came up empty-handed. His body was shivering from the cold, his breathing becoming more difficult, buthe refused to give up even then.

His clothes were soaked and clinging to his body, almost transparent. If Izabella were still there, she might be able to see the burn scar on his chest.

Brett's hands were swollen and white from being in the water for so long. The tips of his fingers hurt like they're being pricked with needles. His skin was peeling off in places. The cold wind and rain have blurred his vision. He can only feel his way around.

After a while, his body stiffened from the cold, and he started coughing. He covered his throat, coughing so hard he can't breathe. His chest was heaving.

He had been suppressing a mouthful of blood, which now flowed out from the corner of his mouth into the murky river water.

Every inch of him hurt, especially his stomach and heart. It felt like there's a cactus wrapped around it. He struggled, managed to steady himself, then bent over, his steps weak. He stumbled in the water and eventually fell in.

The water was up to his thighs. When he fell, he sank like a stone.

For a moment, Brett thought he might die like this. He reached out for something to hold on to but found nothing.

"President Windham!" Liam's voice briefly brought him back to his senses. Brett tried to get up, but he can't. He's too tired, but he knew he can't stop. Izabella's back. How can he die?