His Destructive, Toxic Love

Eliza didn't give him an answer. She believed he already knew it deep down.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with sorrow. Her silence made it clear that the mistakes he had made over the years could never be mended in her heart. His love, regret, and persistence seemed utterly powerless before her. No matter how much he tried to explain or make amends, it couldn't erase the foolish things he had done.

"Alright," he said, almost helplessly, with a soft sigh.

No matter how much he didn't want to, how sad he was, how much he loved her, his heart aching, he would let her go. Even if it was his final apology to her. It felt like there was a void inside him, a void that might last a lifetime. Thinking about it, it was truly painful. Tears welled up in his eyes, swirling at the edges. He forced a smile and hugged her tightly again. "Believe me, I wanted you to be happy. Maybe I was too selfish, too focused on my own feelings, too eager to love you, to be with you. Don't cry. I'm letting you go. Let's pick a time and get the divorce."

Hearing the word 'divorce' from Casper's lips was beyond her expectations. Eliza felt as if a devastating tornado had swept through her heart, leaving nothing but wreckage. So, this was what a real goodbye felt like. She wanted to thank him for letting go. She wanted to offer him a smile of relief but found she couldn't even control her own expression.

He gently let her go and wiped the tears from her face. He could feel the turmoil in her heart as well, but time would dilute everything.

"Don't forget, we're still friends. We're just staying in each other's lives in a different way," he said with a slight smile, appearing much calmer than before. "I'll still do my best to find a good doctor, a good hospital for Robin, hoping he can get the best treatment. This is what I owe you, and I'm willing to spend a lifetime repaying it."

Eliza looked into the depths of his smiling eyes. She didn't know what to say to bid farewell, finally settling on, "How about next Monday? I'm free then. How about you?"

"Okay," he agreed.

Let him hold her one last time. In the future, she would be someone else's girlfriend, someone else's bride, someone else's child's mother. Or perhaps, she would take on many more unknown roles and identities. He no longer had the right to inquire, nor the right to appear in her life again.

Casper silently turned around, his steps heavy. He didn't look back, knowing that if he did, he would uncontrollably walk back to her. He had promised to let go; he couldn't break his word.

Eliza quietly stood by the window,

her gaze following his receding figure until he completely disappeared at the end of the road Her heart felt empty and desolate t was deep autumn. The wind swept through the birch trees, scattering yellow leaves all over the ground. The desolate wind blew through the glass, creeping through the cracks, bringing a hint of chill, gently lifting her soft hair, whispering in her ear that everything was over.

Sorry, her baby would ultimately be without a father. She couldn't give him a complete family. She felt sorry for her child, sorry for all those who cared about her. But wasn't this what she always wanted? Her wish had been granted.

...

When Juan came to pick up Eliza for the class reunion, her eyes were still swollen. Her face unwashed, clothes unchanged, she looked as if she had gone through a world war. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing, just didn't sleep well. I

don't want to go anymore. You go ahead," she said, her headache severe and her demeanor defeated. Today, she just wanted to catch up on some sleep at home. "Just make up some excuse for them."

Her complexion was as pale as a sheet of paper, her voice weak and powerless, full of fatigue.