His Destructive, Toxic Love

Dillon was on his way to pick up Caroline, clutching his phone tightly as a mix of nerves and excitement bubbled inside him. Ever since their last rendezvous, when old flames were rekindled, he had jetted off to France the very next day, and their communication had been sparse ever since. Maybe it was his naturally lukewarm enthusiasm, or perhaps Caroline was just swamped with work at Welton International. Their most intimate interaction lately had been liking each other's posts on social media. Despite having an unspoken understanding about their relationship, they felt more distant than friends, leaving Dillon puzzled about the depth of their feelings.

Walking into Welton International, Dillon was greeted by familiar faces he hadn't seen in a while. Department heads who spotted him quickly came over for some small talk. He nodded politely, then headed straight for Caroline's office.

He knocked on the door, and a clear voice from inside invited him in. Dillon pushed the door open. Caroline didn't look up; her secretary was leaning in close, either reviewing documents or receiving instructions. Dillon cleared his throat deliberately. The secretary, a bit taken aback to see Dillon, quickly stepped back and greeted him, "Dillon."

Hearing his name, Caroline handed the documents to her secretary. "Alright, schedule a meeting for 3 p.m., and get to it."

"Of course, Ms. Caroline." The secretary left with the papers.

Dillon couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy watching the male secretary leave. "Why'd you bring Nick over?"

"Lily's on maternity leave, and I needed someone reliable. Nick's pretty good at his job," she explained briefly, glancing up at Dillon. "What brings you back?"

"Mr. Casper went off to heal up, and I brought Eliza back home," he replied nonchalantly.

Caroline nodded, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Did you come to the company for something?"

"Eliza wanted to see you," Dillon said, maintaining a businesslike tone.

Caroline felt a slight disappointment; she had hoped he came just to see her. "You didn't need to make the trip; a phone call would've done the trick."

His gaze darkened; he figured she wasn't too eager to see him after all. It made sense. He wasn't like Drew, always ready with sweet words. Nor could he always be there to provide the emotional support she needed. People are emotional creatures, sure, but feelings need nurturing over time. A few passionate encounters might satisfy physical needs, but they don't touch the soul.

When things were heated between him and Caroline, they gave their all, but what about when the flames cooled? Would she still remember their needs and promises?

"Don't want me here?" he asked, pretending not to care. "No worries, I won't interrupt your work. I'll head out."

Caroline was taken aback. What was that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't she want him there?

"Dillon," she called out, stopping him just in time.

She stood up and faced him, confused. "When did I ever say I didn't want you here?"

"Wasn't that the vibe?" he replied, not wanting to dive deeper, his lips curling slightly. "Okay, maybe I read it wrong. I'll leave."

"What are you even saying?" Caroline's frown deepened. They hadn't seen each other in ages, and now they were bickering on their first meeting?

Dillon realized the office wasn't the

place for an argument. "I didn't

mean anything by it. You're busy,

QUMS

Ms. Caroline, so I'll leave you to it."

"You..."

But before Caroline could finish, the sound of the door closing cut her off. Was he seeing someone else?

Later, Caroline decided to leave work early and went to Welton Estate.t was her first time meeting Eliza's new baby, and she was smitten with the little one's lively and cheerful demeanor.

"He's the spitting image of Casper as a baby, just uncanny," she said.

Eliza chuckled softly. "He doesn't resemble Brock much."

"You must've missed Brock while you were in France for so long," Casper said, holding Eliza's hand and sitting her down. "Don't worry Brock's doing great. His grandma takes him to and from school, and Chelsea takes him out on weekends. The little guy's thriving."