His Destructive, Toxic Love

She was pleading with him.

Not the first time, either. She had begged him countless times before. But she had never really thought about accepting him, not fully, not with her whole heart.

It tore him up inside. He never wanted to cause her this kind of pain. He never lied to her, either. He wished she could see that. His love for her was real, pure, not a hint of deceit.

He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her as she seemed ready to fall apart. He couldn't understand why things had gotten so bad between them.

"Tell me, do you think you could ever love me again?"

His warmth surrounded her. His broad chest could shield her from the world, but it had never made her feel safe. She couldn't answer him. The hate was gone, but acceptance was still out of reach. As she had told Juan, she couldn't get past what happened with Robin. If she tried hard enough, she could probably convince herself to move on, find a reason to let go. But that would feel like betraying herself.

"Casper, your love is like a beautiful soap bubble-fragile and bound to burst. That's not the kind of love I want."

He held her tighter, his face buried in the crook of her neck. He took a deep breath and said, "My love isn't a bubble, Elle. From the moment I laid your ashes to rest, I knew I could never love anyone else. If that's not love, then what is?"

His words were touching, but she stayed silent. Tears streamed down her face. She didn't even know if she was crying for Casper or for herself.

"But I don't want to love you anymore," she sobbed, her slender frame trembling uncontrollably. "Casper, let's just part ways, okay?"

"Does it hurt that much?" He cupped her face, kissing away her tears. "If you don't love me, why does it hurt so much? Tell me you still love me, don't you?"

Eliza shook her head frantically. No, she didn't love him. Not anymore. Not at all.

"Casper, loving you took half my life. I don't want to lose the other half. Please, let me go..."

She cried, like a delicate vase with a thousand cracks. The sight of her brokenness filled him with deep guilt. He kissed her lips, wanting to show her he'd take care of her from now on. The old Casper was dead. The new Casper loved Eliza, cherished her above all else. He wanted to prove it through his

actions. He had changed. He wasn't that violent, angry man anymore. His heart had softened for her.

"Let me spend the rest of my life loving you, will you?"

Tears streaming, she pushed him away with all her strength. She looked out at the sky, which was starting to brighten. She took a deep breath She couldn't give him an answer. She couldn't even give

herself one.

"Casper, you locked Robin up in Mercy Hospital, turned him into a shadow of himself. He's still not the same. After everything you did to me and my family, how can you expect me to live with you, to be your wife?"

Casper knew this was something he

couldn't avoid. In a fit of rage, he had Robin committed to Mercy Hospital. But he never ordered any abuse.

Three years ago, when Eliza fakeet

her death, he moved Robin to the best rehab facility. The doctors said his recovery would be tough, maybe impossible. Casper had done all he could, but the fact remained: this was the unbridgeable chasm

between them.

He was out of options.

"Is it because Robin can't get better that we can never be together?"