His Destructive, Toxic Love (Jasper and Eliza)

Eliza was dying to know the truth, but was wary that Casper might mess things up. So, she headed to Crescent Creek by herself.

Standing outside the kindergarten, she stared at the vibrant, lively woman inside, lost in thought for quite a while.

Could this really be her father's new wife? Or was she just an actress?

How could her father be into someone so young? This woman was only a few years older than her.

"Her name is Lynn. She's twenty-eight. When she met your dad, she was still in college."

Eliza jumped at the voice from behind. She turned to see Casper and asked, surprised and puzzled, "What are you doing here? Are you following me?"

"Just looking out for you," Casper replied casually.

"We're not even close; why do you care?" She turned away from the kindergarten and started walking down the road.

Casper rushed to catch up with her. He continued talking about Lynn, his voice calm and low, "Your dad really took care of her, paid for her college for four years, and got her a job. I heard he even shelled out over two hundred grand for her mom's medical bills." Eliza stopped dead in her tracks, her face a mix of shock and disbelief.

Two hundred grand? How could the Pinotti family possibly have that kind of money?

a regular guy. Where would he get two hundred grand? If you're

found it hard to believe, but facts were facts, "She became your dad's secret lover;

darkened instantly. No kid wanted to hear that their father

voice was cold,

saw him. That little boy opposite

was the cold, hard truth. Whether Eliza accepted

as if she could outrun the suffocating reality of her

come back to

was furious now.

"Is this what men do? Cheat and crush on every new thing? Do first wives mean nothing to you?

he was in hot water

"Are all the

wrong," he admitted, "but there

pain

are. You're just bad to the core, and that won't

a loss for words. Deep down, he knew some things could be fixed, but