His Destructive, Toxic Love (Jasper and Eliza)

Chapter 676

She rarely let herself drift back to memories of her childhood. Thinking about those days always felt like trying to recall a half-remembered dream. Eliza picked up her glass, taking a long sip. "After they found out I wasn't their biological daughter, they eased up on me. Eventually, they sent me back to the Pinotti family. I went from being Eliza Lin, the millionaire's darling, to just Eliza, the kid of a civil servant."

She leaned her head on her hand, her eyes holding a glimmer of soft sadness. No one could truly understand what it felt like to be suddenly tossed into a new family. Even fewer could grasp how she managed to shed the habits she'd picked up during her years with the Hendersons, practically overnight.

"In the end, I was thrown away. There wasn't an ounce of regret or hesitation- they were over the moon to get Nova back, ready to start planning her life anew. But then... they passed away too soon."

Eliza couldn't quite pin down why these thoughts were bubbling up now. Maybe they were old wounds that had been troubling her for far too long. "Cheers to that," she said with a strained smile, clinking her glass against Casper's before taking another hearty drink.

He gently stopped her, concern softening his gaze. "Take it easy."

"I'm okay," she reassured, though her voice carried a hint of nostalgia. "Just caught up in the past. Luck and misfortune are just a flicker apart, but love... or the lack of it... that's the mystery I can't unravel. Do you think..." she looked straight into Casper's eyes, searching for an answer, "did they ever love me? They raised me for so many years. Why was it so easy for them to let me go?"

He had no answers to offer, nor did he know how to help her move past these thoughts. If the Hendersons were still alive, maybe he could help her find some peace. But they were long gone. No matter how many questions lingered, the answers were lost to time.

"Let's not dwell on the hard stuff," he suggested gently. Eliza let out a small, bitter laugh, exhaling deeply and swallowing back tears. Yeah, time to let it go. The answers would remain a mystery.

on her hand, eager to

to say?" he teased, lightly pinching her nose. "What do you

did you

shaking his head. "I don't have any

was younger, dating wasn't on my radar Women just didn't pique my interest-it

playfully, "You're a tough nut

others, but not for you," he said, handing her a skewer. "Don't just drink, have

offered skewer and took another sip of her beer.

tipsy now," he warned with

her glass down with a satisfied smack of her lips. "Beer

soon. When I get back, we'll dive

Eliza blinked, surprised. Bathton?

country, with its

you there?" she asked.