His Destructive, Toxic Love

"Alright, you can go now; it'll be ready soon," she said.

"Okay."

He nodded, not saying much, just standing quietly at the kitchen door, his eyes tenderly following her busy figure.

Her movements were so smooth and natural, like he had seen her cook for him a thousand times before.

A wave of emotion surged through him.

If, after every long workday, there was a woman waiting to cook him dinner like this, wouldn't life be perfect?

The thought made a gentle smile tug at his lips.

Three dishes and a soup.

She had prepared them with care, just the way Casper liked.

It was strange, after all these years, she still remembered his tastes.

Maybe she was deeply infatuated.

Just as they were about to sit down to enjoy the cozy dinner, the doorbell rang, breaking the peace.

"Who is it?" Casper frowned slightly, getting up to answer the door.

Standing there was David.

Their eyes met, and both were momentarily taken aback.

David quickly looked away, peering inside. "Where is she?"

"What do you want now?" Casper's tone was laced with impatience.

David really had a knack for showing up at the worst times.

David ignored his mood, shoving past him to enter the house.

His eyes found Eliza, instantly filling with uncontrollable sorrow. "Eliza, come with me to the hospital; my dad... he's not going to make it."

"Mr. Carter..." Eliza had just returned from the hospital earlier that day, knowing Carter's condition was dire. "David, wait for me in the car. I'll be down in a minute." Casper: ...

He blocked David, his anger barely contained. "Your dad's dying, and you're dragging her into it? Do you really think she's part of your family? David, you can't be this selfish." "This is between her and me, it doesn't concern you, Mr. Casper."

David ignored Casper's anger, pushing past him and heading out the door.

set

Eliza quickly gathered her things, grabbed her bag, and headed for the door. "You go ahead and eat. I need to goto the hospital; don't wait up for me."

"Valerie," Casper said, grabbing her arm, his brow deeply furrowed. "Every time David calls, you just go running. Do you really see yourself as part of their family? Carter is just your teacher, not your father

QUMS

"Mr. Carter was always good to me. Shouldn't I go see him if he's dying?"

Eliza couldn't understand why Casper was so upset.

How could anyone be so cold and lacking in compassion?

"They just want to use these so-called emotions to tie you down. Can't you see that?"

Could Eliza not see that?

But... Carter was dying. What was there to argue about with a dying man?

Letting him pass away without regrets could be a good deed.

"I don't have anything more to say. I'm leaving."

Eliza quickly went downstairs.

In his anger, Casper kicked over the trash can by his feet.

The food on the table, which he had been looking forward to, suddenly seemed tasteless.

Carter didn't make it.

Before he passed, he clung to Eliza's hand, insisting that she and David get married so he could die in peace. But she couldn't agree to that.

He died with his eyes open.

Although Amaya didn't say anything, the look she gave Eliza was filled with deep blame.

Eliza didn't understand. What had gone wrong?

She had meant well, so how had she ended up being the villain in the Simmons family?

It felt like her heart was stuffed with a rag.

Eliza

possible; she dreaded hearing Amaya's 's crying and feared seeing David's heartbroken face.

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