His Destructive, Toxic Love

"What the hell happened?" Casper stood up slowly, his eyes cold as ice. "What happened? You really don't know?" Nova took a couple of steps back, scared by his piercing, blood-red eyes.

"I... I don't know," she stammered.

"Nova, how are Rose's kidney and heart treating you?" His expression was dark, his voice as icy as a winter wind.

Nova wavered, trying to defend herself. "Didn't I explain it to you last time?"

"Does explaining make it true?" Casper's dark eyes burned with intensity, almost devouring her. "Arson, framing others, stabbing yourself. I didn't realize you had such acting skills."Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

"I... I didn't, Casper. You've got it wrong. I can explain everything."

Nova reached out to grab Casper's arm. He shoved her away, his eyes bloodshot with rage. "Explain what? That the fire at your house was an accident? That you 'accidentally' made Eliza look like the arsonist?" Nova stumbled backward and fell hard to the ground. Tears streamed down her frightened face, and a bitter smile formed at the corners of her mouth.

In an instant, she started laughing. "So what if you know? Yes, I staged it all, but... you chose to believe me over her, Casper. Admit it, you believed me because you love me, didn't you?"

"Goddammit, I do love you." Casper grabbed Nova by the neck, lifting her off the ground, his voice cold and fierce. "Did you mess with me because you think I'll always love you?" Nova's face turned purple as she slapped at Casper's strong hand. "I... cough, cough, didn't."

Fearing that Casper might accidentally kill her, Dillon stepped in. "Mr. Casper, don't dirty your hands."

Casper threw Nova to the side like a rag doll and took a couple of deep breaths. "Nova, I'm going to ask you one more thing, and you better tell me the truth."

Nova gasped for air. Her body trembled like a leaf as she watched him with lingering fear. "What... what is it?"

"That painting, the portrait of

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me-did you really draw it?" His lips were pressed tightly together, his cold gaze locked on her. "Back then, you claimed you did. You even described where you painted it, what I was wearing, and the exact time. Tell me, did you really draw it?"

Nova's body shook violently. Back then, Casper had searched everywhere for the artist of that painting. When she found him and claimed it was her work, he believed her too easily.

It was his own foolishness. Why did he blame her now?

She didn't want to tell the truth, but she was scared to die.

"It is..." She took a couple of deep, shaky breaths, trying to calm her inner turmoil. "What... what answer do you want to hear?"

"Ms. Nova, at this point, just stop playing games," Dillon said, helping her up from the ground, pulling over a chair, and forcing her to sit down. "If you don't tell Mr. Casper the truth, you might just disappear from Fatconridge. Telling the truth is your only chance to survive, isn't it?"