His Destructive, Toxic Love

"Do you even have what it takes?" Casper's eyes flared with anger as he shoved David. "Get your hands off me."

Eliza quickly stepped between them. "Casper, it's too early for this. What are you trying to start?"

"Valerie, you told me yesterday that you'd think about being my girlfriend." Casper took a deep breath, struggling to control his emotions. His voice trembled with hurt. "Kicking me out and spending the night with him-what's that supposed to mean?" "Who I spend my night with is none of your concern," she replied, her chin raised defiantly, her eyes cold and cutting. "Let me make it clear-I don't want to be your girlfriend, not now, not ever." A bitter smile twisted his lips.

From the flowers he'd tossed into the lobby trash can to the breakfast she'd discarded in her room's bin, every gesture of affection he had painstakingly prepared was so easily thrown away. She really hated him that much.

Without a second thought, Eliza pushed past Casper and walked away with David, side by side.

Casper stood there, stunned, like an abandoned child, watching as she disappeared from view. He punched the wall hard.

Forget it. I'm done chasing her. But am I really okay with this?

No, he wasn't okay with it at all.

"You just wait," Casper yelled into the empty air, making a vow. "I'll make you mine, no matter what."

David drove towards Oak Falls, with Eliza in the passenger seat, lost in thought. He opened his mouth several times, wanting to explain, but the words just wouldn't come out.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

He did have some health issues that he'd been treating for years. How Casper found out, he had no idea. But bringing it up in front of Eliza would be humiliating.

"About what Casper said..."

"What?" Eliza snapped out of her thoughts, looking at David.

"You know, what he mentioned..."

"Don't listen to his nonsense. He's always like that," she dismissed, not wanting to give Casper's words any weight.

"Okay."

David still couldn't muster the courage to explain.

Back in Oak Falls, David moved into

Eliza's house. Brock was a bit

distant always sticking close to

Eliza. David tried to win him over, but the boy wasn't too enthusiastic.

"I'll pick up Brock from school," he volunteered, eager to spend time with him.

Eliza had to stop by her office, so she agreed. "Sure, thanks, David."

"We're family; no need to thank me."

David arrived at the nursery school half an hour early. Another man was there, waiting to pick up a child. Casper.

He'd hoped to see Eliza by hanging around here. Instead, he saw David.

"Mr. Casper, it seems Mr. David is here to pick up Brock," Dillon gently reminded him. Casper snorted. "I'm not blind."

Dillon felt bad for his unlucky boss. Losing his son and wife to someone else was a tough pill to swallow. But Mr. Casper's amnesia probably spared him from the worst of it.

"Mr. Casper, are you getting out of the car?"

BUMS

"You think..." Casper knew Brock liked him, "...the little guy likes me more, or David?"

"Kids, you know, you win them over with gifts, Dillon noted, spotting David with a toy car set. "You better not show up empty-handed, or you won't stand a chance."

Casper grudgingly admitted Dillon had a point.