His Destructive, Toxic Love novel Chapter 506

Casper felt the pressure hit him like a ton of bricks. Sure, he had money, looks, status, and all that jazz, but to Eliza, none of it mattered. What she wanted was something simple yet profound—a relationship where they were equals, where things felt easy and right. Manuel seemed to get that.

And Casper? Well, he was just a guy with a past full of mistakes and no real edge. His handsome brow furrowed ever so slightly as he set his phone down and focused on the road ahead.

When Eliza woke up, she grabbed her phone and spotted an unread message from Manuel. "Eliza, are you back in Oak Falls? Need a lift?" She quickly typed back, "On my way, no need to pick me up, thanks." Manuel shot back, "No worries. Just shoot me a text when you're home safe, okay?" "Will do," she replied.

Eliza gazed at the messages, feeling a warm glow inside. Manuel was a genuinely good guy, as gentle and polished as a knight in shining armor. If they'd met before she got married, she was sure she would've picked him in a heartbeat. Casper wouldn't have stood a chance. But life had a funny way of doing things. It brought her to meet someone as wonderful as Manuel at a time when she was a bit of a mess, carrying her share of scars. Life was full of what-ifs, and hers seemed especially poignant.

"Who was that?" Casper asked, snapping her back to reality. She locked her phone screen and said, "Just a friend." He didn't pry and changed the subject, "Have you thought about working in Falconridge again? It might save you all the back-and-forth."

She had tried working in Falconridge before, but things never seemed to pan out, and she'd always find herself back in Oak Falls, the only place where life felt steady. "Oak Falls is pretty nice," she said.

Casper was a bit taken aback but understood. "That's fine. If you like Oak Falls, I'll just visit more often. Oh, and Robin's been doing better lately. I really believe he'll bounce back strong."