His Destructive, Toxic Love

"Think you can do it?"

"Of course."

Eliza decided to trust Casper.

She knew his kindness towards Maddie was mostly about making up for Rory. The way he so thoughtfully introduced Dillon to Maddie made it clear he wanted to set them up. Sadly, it was all for nothing.

The next morning, Eliza, still in her pajamas and yawning, shuffled downstairs. Just as she was about to ask what was for breakfast, she spotted Maddie. When did she show up?

"Casper," she called out upstairs.

"What's up?" Casper replied.

"Come down here."

By the time Eliza reached the bottom of the stairs, Maddie was bustling around the kitchen, helping out with breakfast. Eliza glanced at Casper and asked, "What's going on here?"

"I have no idea," Casper said, scratching his head. He called into the kitchen, "Jenny, come out here."

Maddie, holding a ladle, practically bounced out of the kitchen, a sweet smile plastered on her face. "Casper, you're up?"

"When did you get here? Why didn't you give me a heads up?"

"Just now. I saw you were still asleep, so I thought I'd lend a hand in the kitchen." She clung to Casper's arm, giving it a playful shake. "I was thinking of going to the office with you later. You don't mind, do you?"

Casper glanced at Eliza. She turned her face away and headed back upstairs. This was just too much. Out of sight, out of mind.

Skipping breakfast, Eliza left while

Maddie was busy sweet-talking Casper. She drove straight to the office. The brand's exhibition was around the corner, and she and Gabe still had details to iron out. It was her first time visiting his office. It wasn't packed, but everyone was hustling with focus.

"Ms. Eliza, let me show you the exhibition layout. If there's anything off, we've got time to tweak it," Gabe said, grabbing his coat and leading her outside.

Eliza nodded, following him. "I've seen the 3D model, so it should be alright."

"Still, seeing it in person makes a difference. Let's check it out."

They left the office, Gabe chatting about work on the way. Eliza's phone buzzed with a message from Casper.

"Sorry about this morning. I really didn't know she was coming over. I've told her she needs to give us a heads-up in the future."

Eliza pursed her lips and didn't reply. Maddie and Fiona were taking advantage of Casper's guilt towards Rory, shamelessly exploiting his generosity. She got his feelings of debt and gratitude towards Rory, but did he really have to keep getting tangled up with Rory's connections forever? If that's what he wanted, she couldn't handle it. It was just too frustrating.

She gazed out the car window. Gabe noticed her mood. "Something on your mind?"

"Not really," she replied, not one to share her personal issues easily.

l.ne

"Everyone's got their own troubles. It's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said, sensing she might need someone to talk to. "Like me-when I was sixteen, my dad had an affair. He took some pills to get excited, overdid it, and died in that woman's bed. My mom was devastated, and the relatives spread all kinds of rumors. Then my dad's company got carved up till there was nearly nothing left. Those years, I felt like I couldn't breathe."

Gabe seemed to be opening old wounds, a self-deprecating smile on his lips.

Eliza was taken aback. She wasn't one to pry, but she figured Gabe needed some

comfort. "You were only sixteen. There was so much you couldn't control."noveldrama