His Destructive, Toxic Love

Back then, he was completely in the dark. All he knew was that loving someone meant you couldn't just betray them. Yet, there he was, harboring feelings for another woman. He fought like mad to push down those emerging feelings, trying to calm the storm inside his heart. It was only in the stillness of the night that he dared sneak a look at the photograph. Even now, he couldn't quite make sense of his actions back then.

"Elle, sometimes love is about running away. Maybe I hid this photo because I'd already fallen for you." Eliza couldn't quite wrap her head around it. If he liked her back then, shouldn't he have worked to build a life with her? Why put her through the wringer? Why hurt her with words and actions? She didn't get it. But she knew how to move on, how to look ahead. She and Casper had been too caught up in the past. If they kept it up, every little thing would dig up old memories, making it hard to move forward.

Eliza turned off her phone and took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter when you fell in love with me. You love me now, and I love you too. That's enough. Let's leave the past where it belongs."

"Alright," he agreed, though she knew he still held onto it deep down. She leaned against his shoulder, and while she might not have the right words to ease his mind, she could hold his hand tight.

...

The plane left Paris and touched down in Falconridge. Their driver took the four of them to the base of Welton Tower. Eliza and Brian headed up to the thirteenth floor while Dillon followed Casper to the executive suite on the top floor.

"Mr. Casper, how'd the proposal go?" Dillon asked, handing him a cup of coffee. "Your wife didn't turn you down, did she?"

"If she did, I'd just ask again. No biggie," Casper said, taking a sip. "Unlike some people with their drama- free love lives. I'm telling you, if you don't get a move on, Caroline's gonna marry the first guy she meets just to dodge being a spinster."

"I..." Dillon hesitated, unable to finish.

Casper raised a finger, "Alright, you're off the hook for a few days after this trip."

"I don't need a break," Dillon said, making no move to leave.

Casper: ...?? Was the guy dense? A break meant spending some time with Caroline, not angling for

Employee of the Month. "Caroline's on vacation right now. Are you really that clueless?"

"We..." They hadn't patched things up since their last fight, and being together would just be awkward. "... Forget it."

"What's this 'forget it' nonsense?"

Casper might not be a love guru, but even he could see Dillon was worse off. His relationship with Caroline was dragging on at a snail's pace "Dillon, are you just messing around? If you dare..." Casper grabbed Dillon's collar, "...if you

wer on

and then ditch her, you'll have me to reckon with."

"Mr. Casper." Dillon wouldn't dare be so reckless. He was full of

complaints.. "Why don't you ask her if she's the one trying to ditch me? She'snoveldrama

s always harping on about my age, saying young guys are

unreliable, petty. How amov

I

unreliable?"

"You're younger than her, that's a fact." But having worked with Dillon for years, Casper knew him to be

careful and meticulous, far from net

unreliable. "She just needs some reassurance. Give her that, and it'll be fine."

en

"Insecure? Do you know who she took on her vacation?" Dillon fumed, unable to hold back his frustration.