His Destructive, Toxic Love

Casper hung up the call and took a final drag of his cigarette, watching the smoke trail off his fingertips. His phone buzzed with messages from the rehab center director, and he meticulously read through them. With Caleb's help, he had managed to bring in a renowned psychiatrist to evaluate Robin.

Caleb had mentioned that the doctor had a penchant for wine, hinting that to get him to commit to Robin's case, they might have to impress him over dinner. Casper didn't mind a drink, but after years of injuries, his body wasn't as resilient to alcohol as it used to be. They scheduled the meeting for the next evening. Casper debated whether to tell Eliza about it. Robin's condition weighed heavily on her, creating a gap between them that seemed impossible to bridge. Still, he hoped that seeing Robin's gradual improvement would bring her some peace.

The following day, Eliza felt off-kilter. She'd barely scraped together five hours of sleep. Just before dawn, Casper had pulled her into an embrace again, leaving her utterly drained. She spent her morning trying to conceal the love bites on her neck, fearing curious glances and questions from sharp-eyed colleagues.

When the workday finally ended, she walked out of the school to find Casper's car neatly parked by the curb. What was he doing here? Before she could approach, he was already stepping out.

"Elle," he called, his stride confident and voice tender, "Done for the day?"

"Yes," she answered softly.

His smile was gentle as he took her hand naturally. "There's a dinner tonight. Come with me."

A dinner? Eliza hesitated. She wasn't really into these kinds of events.

"What kind of dinner?"

"I've arranged for a doctor who might help Robin. He's visiting Oak Falls today, and we're meeting at a nice restaurant. I'd like you to join me."

Casper's calm demeanor suggested

this was nothing new for them. Eliza felt a mix of emotions. She knew Casper had been tirelessly working on Robin's treatment. Robin's illness had always been a silent barrier between them, and unless he fully recovered, it would remain a touchy subject.

"Oh," she agreed quietly, getting into the car with him. They sat in silence, the only sounds were the wind outside and the steady hum of the engine. He drove with intent, while she gazed out the window, lost in the thought of them working together for Robin without any pushback or hesitation.

The restaurant was charmingly elegant, the private room cozy yet spacious, adorned in a Western classical style with a large round

wooden table that seated about net

eight to ten people. Casper

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mentioned the doctor's name was

Di Peels, a colleague of Galeb's.

Dr. Peels arrived first, his laughter booming as he extended a hearty handshake to Casper. "Mr. Casper, great to meet you. Ray says you're quite the character in Falconridge. Looking forward to working with you."

His words were full of praise and respect for Casper. "Dr. Peels, please come in," Casper said with a welcoming smile, displaying the perfect host's grace.

As the room filled with guests, Eliza found herself nudged to the side. Just as she was figuring out where to sit, Casper took her hand and led her to Dr. Peels.