His Destructive, Toxic Love

Audrey felt her heart sink. She gently twirled the rosary beads in her hands. "This is all we can do now."

The day Mikey had his surgery, Eliza saw Casper. He chatted briefly with Dr. Roth, likely discussing the surgery details and giving an overview of Mikey's condition. She watched from afar, her heart pounding with anxiety. After Dr. Roth entered the operating room, Casper walked over to her. "I talked to Dr. Roth. We agreed to use the best medication available during the surgery. It should help with the recovery. Don't worry about the cost." Eliza forced a stiff smile. "It's okay, I can cover the expense. Thanks for your concern."

"Don't mention it. If we can't be lovers, we can still be friends. It's only right to help out a bit," he said, patting her shoulder gently, his lips curling into a warm smile, his tone carrying a sense of release. "I have a meeting back at my company, so I can't stay here with you. I'll be off then."

"Alright," she nodded softly.

As Casper's figure receded into the distance, Eliza reluctantly withdrew her gaze. Sitting alone on the wooden bench in the hallway, staring at the blinking lights above the operating room, she fell into deep thought.

Strangely, at that moment, all she could think about was Casper. Her thoughts spun slowly in her mind like old film reels. From that first stunning glimpse of him to the moment he turned and left, everything that happened in between replayed before her eyes, every scene as vivid as the first.

Is it really not allowed for a person to change for the better? No. She was just becoming tired, lacking the courage to get up again after falling.

What exactly is love? Is it the

dedication to give everything for the other, a deep and abiding love? Or is it forgiveness, choosing to forgive even when hurt, a sense of letting bygones be bygones? For her it seemed neither of these feelings

had anything to do with ber.

But love leaves traces. These traces would stay in her heart forever. She took a deep breath, noticing her eyes were a bit moist.

"Hey, an old acquaintance?" Someone spoke. Eliza hastily composed herself and turned to look. When she saw Zach's face, her heart skipped a beat. Why was he here?

Seeing her guarded expression and furrowed brow, Zach walked over with an easy stride and sat down beside her without hesitation. "What's with the look? As if you're guarding against a thief."

His demeanor was more like that of an old friend who hadn't been seen in a long time. Eliza shifted away slightly, her expression cold and repulsive. "I'm not that familiar with Mr. Zach."

"Aren't we old acquaintances? You've been the crush I've pursued for years without success," he said with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Eliza frowned, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Mr. Zach is now firmly in the position of CEO at Welton International. What crush can't you have? Why the jest with me?" "You're not like the others," he replied with a smile.

Eliza remained silent. Her face was as cold as the icy rain in deep winter. Zach casually smiled. "Tell me, why is it that sitting in a high position, having everything one desires, still leaves one feeling empty? Do you think I should settle down, have a child, and come home to a warm family every evening?"

Eliza scoffed inwardly. What does this have to do with her?

Seeing her unresponsive, Zach sighed. "Let's change the topic. What if... taking an opponent's wife for oneself, raising his child, and having the child call me 'dad', wouldn't that be like living out a fantasy drama script?"