His Destructive, Toxic Love

"Your mom's gone, Eliza. Her body's been in the pond for days, and it's... not good. Listen to me..." Aaron gripped her shoulders firmly. "You don't want to see her like this."

"Aaron, I need to see her. No matter what she looks like, she's still my mom."

Eliza's voice broke as tears streamed down her face, her body trembling.

Aaron's heart ached, but he held on. "I get it, Eliza. I really do. But trust me, it's better if you don't."

Just then, Casper walked in, having just received the grim news. Rose's organs had been harvested-liver, kidneys, lungs, heart-all gone—a brutal act, surely the work of a black market ring.

"I'll check it out," Casper said, approaching the gurney and lifting the white sheet with a heavy heart. The sight was beyond horrific.

Eliza broke free from Aaron and dashed over. Casper quickly covered the body and pulled her into his arms. "Don't look, Eliza. Please."

"Let me go, Casper! You're the murderer! Stop pretending to care!" Eliza's fury peaked as she bit down on his arm, drawing blood that stained his white shirt.

"Eliza, calm down!" Casper barked, signaling to the attendant to take Rose's body away.

Eliza felt drained from her outburst and tears. She tried to stop them but collapsed, devoid of strength, like a broken doll. She pushed Casper away and staggered towards the door, every step heavy with sorrow. Her mom was gone, and she hadn't even seen her one last time. That's a wound that would never heal.

"Eliza," Aaron called, following her out, his voice laced with worry. Casper hesitated for a moment before chasing after them.

"Eliza, don't lose hope. The police will catch whoever did this," Aaron tried to console her.

But she was lost in a world of silence, her heart echoing with endless grief. Her foster parents

were gone. Her dad was gone. Now, her mom, too. She felt like a rootless leaf drifting aimlessly.

Casper caught up and scooped her into his arms. Eliza didn't resist or say a word, letting him carry her away.

Back at Welton Estate, Casper made

her a soothing bowl of soup, but she knock it over without a second thought. He didn't blame her he understood her pain.

"I'll handle the funeral arrangements," he offered.

"No thank you," Eliza's hollow eyes finally met his. She didn't need a murderer or an accomplice taking care of such matters.

"Are you blaming me?" Casper frowned.

Eliza's voice was laced with bitterness. "Casper, even if it wasn't you, you're still involved. Shouldn't I hate you? I wish I could kill you."

"You've seen Nova. She can barely walk. Do you really think she could have kidnapped someone? And if it was her, why would she take all those organs?"

Unable to control herself, Eliza

clutched his collar and hissed as she

questioned him, "If she didn't do

iti

couldn't you have done it? Even if

you didn't do it yourself, you could've hired someone. Your excuses don't add up, Casper. Stop denying it, murderer."