His Destructive, Toxic Love

Eliza was beside herself with emotion. She looked so fragile, so pitiful, like a delicate white flower battered by the storm.

He could have let her see him. But he couldn't. Not now, at least.

"Don't go crazy on me." He grabbed her trembling shoulders, speaking earnestly. "I promise. I won't make you wait too long, okay?"

"Do you think I can still trust you?" She laughed bitterly, tears streaming down her face. "Casper, I've already died once. I don't want to die a second time. Can you let me go? Let my family go?" "No one's trying to kill you." He cupped her tear-streaked face, half coaxing, "I'm not holding you or your family back. Some things are just... ah!"

She suddenly bit down hard on the base of his thumb. He didn't push her away, letting her bite. Only when his blood stained her lips did she push him away in disgust.

Blood and bite marks mingled into a blurry mess. He quickly pulled out a tissue to cover the wound. "You're a real piece of work, huh?"

"You asked for it."

"I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you, and you bite me?" He was genuinely angry.

"Casper, no matter what you say, I won't believe you. You better sleep with one eye open because sooner or later, my knife is going to find your heart."

Her gaze was icy, her anger beyond containment.

She looked into his eyes. Her stare screamed, "I hate you."

His eyes showed deep helplessness. "Then who do you trust? Aaron? Do you think he's any better than me?"

"He might not be, but are you any good?" She snapped back. Casper was so eager to drag Aaron down with her. "At least he's honest, gentle, and knows how to respect people. What are you?"

"Honest? Gentle? You think that's

not all an act?" Casper stepped

closer, pinning her against the wall "You think

you know him better than I do? How much do you really know about him? Some things aren't as they seem."

"Sure, I haven't known him as long as you have, so what?" Her eyes were filled with fatigue, and she let out a cold laugh. "I can still tell the difference between good and evil."

"You don't know a damn thing." He couldn't help but curse.

Eliza glared at him. "Exactly, and because I couldn't tell the difference, I ended up marrying someone like you. You could take a life and wouldn't blink an eye." "You..." He raised his hand.

Eliza tilted her head up, unafraid. "What? Did I say something wrong? Compared to Aaron, you're less than nothing."

"So what." His bloodied hand grasped her chin. "So, in your eyes, I'm the evil one, and he's the good one?" "What else could it be?" Her lips curled in mockery.

He was provoked. The hand on her chin tightened. "So, as the villain, I should do what villains do, right?"

She winced in pain, struggling. "Are you thinking of having your way with me?"

"Don't forget, we're not divorced yet. You're still my wife," he said, frowning, staring at her.

Eliza laughed, her laughter filled with scorn and disdain. "Have you forgotten? I had already married an old man and had his child. How could I still be your wife? Eliza is long dead. I am now Valerie."

"I don't care if you're Eliza or Valerie; you're still my wife."

He kissed her.

His tongue forcefully pried open her tightly closed lips, invading deeply, almost suffocating her with his breath.