Twisted Ties of Love

Chapter 78

When it came to food, no matter how much they talked, Brett just didn't get it. Dr. James thought for a bit and replied, "I'll prepare a meal plan and send it to your email when I get back."

"Mm."

Brett called Trista over and handed her the prescription he was given, "Get the medicine for Izabella tomorrow according to this, and make sure she actually drinks it."

Izabella hated bitter medicine, so she wouldn't even take normal ones, let alone extra strong ones. She would probably just dump it the second it gets prepared.

Dr. James glanced at the time, "President Windham, I should get going."

Brett nodded and instructed Trista, "Trista, please walk Dr. James out."

The bedroom emptied out, and Brett went out to chat with Kaley for a bit. After making sure she was okay, he went back to Izabella's room.

Once sick, even the strongest people show a bit of vulnerability, just like Izabella now. The room was too quiet with only a dim wall lamp on.

All she had to do was to bear the situation, but Brett made it worse with his fuss and having her see the doctor. In the end, he didn't even say a single word of concern. She felt wronged, sniffing and burying her face in the pillow, shaking slightly.

When Brett came back, he saw Izabella had buried her entire head in the blankets, and it didn't seem like she could breathe properly.

He went over, grabbed her neck, and pulled her out of the blankets.

With her fair skin, just pinching her neck a little would leave a red mark. She shivered a bit and mumbled, "I don't feel good."

"I know, but burying your face in the blankets will make you feel worse."

Seeing her pale little face, he couldn't help but reach out and touch it. Izabella acted much more behaved when she was sick, and for a moment, he felt like it was back to the old times.

If Izabella would only behave like this when she's sick, he thought, maybe it's better for her to just stay sick.

He was so biased, wanting to control every aspect of Izabella's life---her time, her mind and body, hell, even whether she felt comfortable or not.

A lot happened tonight, but it wasn't too late – just past ten. Brett usually slept before eleven, so he took a shower and received a call, going to his study to deal with work stuff.

Not long after Brett left, Izabella's phone rang too. Groggily, she reached for the phone in the drawer.

She focused her eyes on the caller ID on the screen and saw that it was her old assistant.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Salotti, are you resting?"

It had been too long since she had heard that title, and it felt like a lifetime ago.

"I was about to, what's up, Mr. Briggs?"

"Ms. Salotti, remember the Happy Nest Orphanage you were sponsoring before? The dean of the orphanage contacted me again, asking if you would be available to attend a banquet there on May

21st."

She had sponsored the orphanage for four years, and each year on May 21st, the dean would invite her to a banquet there.

May 21st was a special day. It was her birthday and the memorial day of her mother.

She never celebrated her birthday and never mentioned it to anyone.

For the four years she was married to Brett, every year on that day, she'd go to the cemetery in the morning and wait for him to come back in the afternoon.

Two years ago, to have him come back and spend the night with her, she even had Kaley taken away. That night, Brett was like a demon and nearly strangled her to death in bed.

"Ms. Salotti, will you go? If so, I'll tell her."

Izabella came back to her senses, "Yes, please let her know and send me the dean's phone number in a text message." Perhaps this year would be her last birthday, and she didn't want to spend it alone.

"Alright."

A moment after hanging up, Izabella received the text message with a location attached. She checked the location; it would take an hour by car from Quiet Forest Estates, not too far. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

She had never been to the orphanage herself, always donating directly, and she had no idea what kind of gift to get for the children.

After searching online, Izabella decided to buy a big load of rag dolls and have them sent over. She quickly placed the order, filled in the address and paid.

May 21st was a Wednesday, only two days away, and the mail should arrive in time.

Brett came back after dealing with work and noticed that Izabella wasn't asleep. He raised an eyebrow, and his gaze was dark and unreadable, "What are you doing that's keeping you up?"

"Nothing."

As Izabella put away her phone, her action looked guilty to Brett.

"Who were you texting?" He asked casually.

"You don't know them."

The corner of Brett's mouth dropped, his eyes deepened, clearly not satisfied with her answer.

"Your period just started; just stay home and rest for a week."

But that couldn't happen; she had to go to the orphanage in two days.

"No."

Brett looked down condescendingly at her, his gaze focused on her, emanating a dangerous aura.

Izabella swallowed hard with anxiety, tried to think of ways to change the subject, but nothing worked.

Brett directly snatched her phone, "What's the password?"

"Brett, that's my privacy."

"Give it to me; don't make me repeat myself."

Angrily, Izabella turned her face away, "0510."

Brett had no recollection of this number, and as he unlocked her phone, Izabella felt a strange bitterness.

May 10th was the day they first met 16 years ago, and she remembered it like a habit. She used it in almost everything requiring a password.

Brett didn't remember, and it seemed like he had no impression of it either.

As he unlocked her phone and scrolled through her history, he asked, "You're going to the Happy Nest Orphanage on Wednesday?"

"Mm."

"Just for a banquet?" Brett scoffed. How good could a banquet hosted by an orphanage be?

Could someone like Izabella, who had been treated like a princess all her life, stand sitting down and eating with a bunch of orphans?

Izabella looked down, hiding the loneliness in her eyes. For Brett, it was just a shabby party, but for Izabella, it was her first birthday ever, and the first one with someone by her side.