His Destructive, Toxic Love

The house was a mess, and with Fiona's gentle demeanor and hopeful gaze, Casper found himself unable to voice the harsh truths weighing on his mind. He owed Rory so much without Rory, he wouldn't be alive today. There was no way he could just throw Rory's wife and child out onto the street now. "We've got staff to handle the cooking, so don't worry about that. Instead, take some time to check out schools around Falconridge. See what catches Dylan's interest and get him enrolled quickly so he doesn't fall too far behind," he suggested, his tone light and casual.

To Fiona, every word seemed to show how much he cared for her and Dylan, and she couldn't help but feel deeply moved. "Rory truly chose the right person to look after us," she said, as she handed Casper a plate of pasta, her smile warm and content. "I believe we'll become a very happy family."

Casper stared at the pasta, an indescribable feeling swirling inside him. He knew some truths were too harsh to speak, so he kept them to himself, waiting for the right moment. This left him feeling trapped and tormented.

Unable to bear it any longer, he set down his fork and knife. "You guys go ahead and eat. I'm going to check on Brett upstairs," he said, quickly heading up the stairs.

Dylan watched Casper leave, then turned to Fiona. "Mom, does Mr. Casper not like us staying here? It seemed like the maid was upset."

"Why would you think that? Mr. Casper is a good man, and we'll all be living together from now on. The maid... she's not important," Fiona reassured him gently, adding some salad to Dylan's plate. "Do you like Mr. Casper, Dylan?"

"Yeah, I do. I always imagined my dad being just like Mr. Casper," Dylan said, his eyes bright.

Having only Fiona by his side since he was little, Dylan's idea of a father was entirely imagined. Since moving to Falconridge, Casper had spent a lot of time with him, and Dylan had started to lean on him

more.

Fiona saw this as a positive change. "Then let's consider Mr. Casper as dad from now on. I'm sure he'll like that."

Dylan hesitated. "But Mom, Mr. Casper has a son. Will he really like me?"

"Of course, you're special," Fiona replied softly, picking at her meal. "Mr. Casper will definitely love you more."

Dylan beamed at her words, his appetite suddenly renewed.noveldrama

Casper sat beside Brett's crib,

watching the baby sleep, his fingers gently brushing the child's cheek. On the nightstand was a picture of Eliza holding Brett right after he was born, looking exhausted and vulnerable. And he hadn't been there for her.

Just like she'd said, how many truly important moments are there in life? And every time she needed him, he was absent. He owed her so much.

Cradling his head in his hands, he struggled with guilt, wondering how to make everything right. Leave Eliza and marry Fiona to repay Rory's life-saving debt? No, he couldn't do that. Eliza had done nothing wrong. He couldn't treat her like that. This was the happiness he'd waited for-how could he just walk away from it?

In the dimly lit room, only his heavy sighs filled the silence. Who knows how long he stayed by Brett's side before he finally went back downstairs.

But...

He settled into the living room, a lit cigarette between his fingers, untouched, lost in thought.

Pnet

Fiona joined him with a glass of milk. She gently took the cigarette from his hand, her voice soft and caring. "You should cut down on smoking; it's not good for you. Here,

have some milk, and try to get some

rest."

She sat close, so close that their breathing mingled. The intimacy made Casper shift slightly, creating a bit

of space between them. "Is Dylan asleep?" he asked.