His Destructive, Toxic Love (Jasper and Eliza)

Eliza was grateful that the Welton ladies stood up for her. But knowing Casper as she did, she knew it wouldn't make any difference. He was the type to obsess once he set his mind on something. No amount of persuasion or advice could sway him. As long as his fixation persisted, everything else was futile.

"I think we can skip dinner." Casper stood up, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Eliza beside him. "Let's go, Mrs. Welton. I think we need to have a deep... discussion about our thoughts."

Eliza pursed her lips tightly as she stood up to bid farewell to Audrey and Caroline. "Mom, sis, we'll be heading back now."

Caroline seemed to want to say more, her gaze trailing after Eliza as Casper dragged her away. She watched Eliza stumble out of the room and finally sighed in resignation.

"Mom, I really don't understand what's going through Casper's mind. If he doesn't love Eliza, why can't he let her go? Is it really just possessiveness?"

"Love can be possessive. But without love..."

"You know what, Caroline? There's a kind of love called oblivious love," Audrey said, toying with her rosary beads as she slowly turned to her daughter. Her voice was calm yet filled with meaning. Caroline was taken aback, finding the answer hard to believe. "Mom, are you saying... Casper actually loves Eliza?"

meant pampering and cherishing

if he loves her, how could he drive Eliza to

was wrong

What is love? Even if she didn't understand romance, she knew Casper's way wasn't

Estate, Casper gripped Eliza's wrist and threw

I've treated you so poorly that even the rest

you think you've

slapping me and then

his shirt and approaching Eliza, pulling her close. "Then tell

sent my father to jail,

transplanted to Nova, drove my brother insane, had me committed to an asylum, and denied me my right to motherhood by causing me to miscarry. How