His Destructive, Toxic Love

Casper reached out his arm, but she didn't even think about taking it. Instead, she turned and headed into the living room. Casper was in utter disbelief. "...Wow, that's cold."

No one cared about him, but he had to look after himself. Struggling, he got up from the floor, clutching his aching waist, and glanced back at the culprit-a Spider-Man action figure. He couldn't help but chuckle. This mother-and-son duo seemed to be out to get him in every way possible. "Yeah, I'm not sure what it was, probably something sharp. The address, it's at... ah..."

Casper snatched Eliza's phone from her ear and promptly ended the call. "It's just a minor wound. I can handle it myself."

"You're hurt in the lower back. Can you walk on your own?" She wasn't concerned about his ability to handle the pain but was wary of Casper making some unreasonable demands. "I think it's better if you go to the hospital, considering how precious your life is." "Eliza, don't you even have a bit of a conscience?" He moved closer, holding his wound. "I saved your son twice and saved you once, and this is how you repay me? By not helping me with my wound? Is this how you treat someone?" Eliza was at a loss.

"Besides, you talked about repayment. Were they just empty words?" He was getting agitated.

Eliza remained silent. She was about to retort when his large hand grabbed the back of her neck, and in the next second, his hot lips were on hers. The kiss was unexpected. Before she could think of how to resist, he had already pulled away. "Using your kiss to pay me back isn't out of the question."

Eliza's eyes widened.

Just as she was about to call him shameless, her lips were captured again, this time with complete and aggressive possession. His hand, with an invasive intention, boldly slipped under her shirt, easily unhooking her bra. A rush of cold air hit her skin, making her heart

race.

She pushed him away with all her strength. "What are you doing?" Her eyebrows knitted together, her face flushed with anger.

He, however, seemed unfazed. He raised his hand to gently pinch her puffed-up face, a doting smile playing on his lips. "We're like an old married couple. Are you still shy?"

"My name is Valerie, not Eliza." She brushed his hand away, her voice icy. She needed to remind him that the woman named Eliza was longe gone. She wouldn't develop any feelings for him. A dead heart is dead; it can't be revived by a few kisses or a night together. She is a person, not a dog, wagging her tail for a bit of food.

"Alright."

He didn't argue about it.

"Then, Ms. Valerie, could you please help me with my wound?" He pointed to a drawer beside him and turned to lie down on the spacious couch. "There's a first aid kit inside." Eliza was reluctant but still fetched the first aid kit. The wound wasn't very long, but it was quite deep.

"What stabbed you?" she asked.

"Your son's Spider-Man toy."

Casper lay on the couch, letting the cold touch of the alcohol numb his body in waves. If it weren't for the bit of reason he had left, he might have taken her right there.

"Oh." She cleaned the wound with alcohol and then applied some antibiotic cream before wrapping it with gauze. "You can't let the wound get wet. Better avoid taking a shower for now."

After treating the wound, she put the first aid kit back in its place. As if remembering something, she turned back to him. "What were you calling me for? What did you want to say?"

QUMS

"Tomorrow, a deputy director is coming to the auction house. You should go to the airport to pick him up."

Eliza acknowledged, "Got it."

"And," he sat up from the couch, buttoning up his shirt as he spoke, "come help me up."

Eliza paused. She thought he had something important to say.

"You injured your back, not your legs. Can't you walk yourself?"