His Destructive, Toxic Love

"Alright then, let's give it a shot... but officially dating will have to wait until my divorce is finalized."

"Sure thing. How about I pick you up after work and we grab dinner? Just as friends," Manuel suggested, testing the waters.© NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

Eliza instinctively wanted to refuse. She typed out a response but then deleted it and simply replied, "Okay." "See you after work then." "Okay."

Eliza put down her phone and stared into space, lost in thought. Since their blind date, Manuel had been sending her messages now and then just to say hi, remind her to bring an umbrella on rainy days, or to drive safely. He was detailed, patient, and considerate. She didn't know him well, but from his brief messages, she felt he was a decent guy. Not love, but certainly not dislike either. Unlike some people who couldn't exchange a few words without starting a fight. She never liked people with bad tempers anyway.

A mistake made once is just a step, but repeating it would mean she really had a problem. Maybe Manuel... she could give it a chance. If things worked out, she could take the next step. Perhaps once she remarried, Casper would finally give up and stop bothering her. But for now, she needed to finalize her divorce with Casper. Thinking this, Eliza picked up her phone and sent Dillon a message.

"Dillon, could you remind Casper that next Monday, I'm coming back to Falconridge? He should make some time so we can finalize the divorce."

Dillon, holding his phone, read the message, his eyes darting around before glancing at Casper, who was staring blankly outside. His fingers trembled as he stood up and walked over, respectfully saying, "Mr. Casper, Ms. Eliza just sent me a message." Casper snapped back to reality and straightened up a bit. "What did she say?"

"She said she's coming back to Falconridge on Monday and you should go with her to finalize the divorce," Dillon relayed honestly.

Casper's expression changed instantly. His hand shot out to grab a crystal ashtray, throwing it hard to the ground. His anger was unmistakable.

He felt profoundly humiliated. Just because of someone she barely knew from a blind date, she couldn't wait to get divorced from him. Had she forgotten how he used to treat her?

"Dillon, tell me, since she came back pretending to be dead, in what way have I wronged her? I could even die for her, and this is how she repays me? Doesn't she have a conscience?"

Dillon's forehead twitched. Having been by Casper's side for so many years, this was the first time he saw him so indignant and aggrieved.

"Mr. Casper, if I may speak frankly, maybe Ms. Eliza... doesn't love you anymore."

Casper scoffed. She didn't love him anymore. Because she didn't love him, she could easily end up with a man she met on a blind date? All his efforts, she wasn't moved at all, seeing them only as his

self redemptive acts?

Despair and helplessness filled Casper's eyes. Forward, he couldn't move; backward, he didn't want to. He was like a person standing on the edge of a cliff, swaying with the wind. No one knew if the next second would bring rebirth or a fall into the abyss.

"Then what should I do? Let go?"

Dillon sighed softly. It wasn't his place to advise someone to break up, but that was the harsh reality. If they didn't break up, would the outcome change?

"Mr. Casper, think you should have

a calm and serious talk with Ms. Eliza. Constant misunderstandings upon misunderstandings... even if in the end, the only resolution is to part ways, at least it would be clear and without regrets, wouldn't it?"

Talk? She needed to be willing to talk, for a conversation to happen. If she didn't want to talk, he had no chance to explain at all.