His Destructive, Toxic Love

He flashed a smile, an apologetic glint in his eyes. "Actually, there's something I need to apologize for."

"Apologize?" Eliza looked puzzled.

"That whole scandal last time blew way out of proportion, and it dragged you into it..." He sounded genuinely remorseful, feeling like he had pulled Eliza into a mess. "...I'm really sorry about that."

Truth be told, she had seen Gabe's social media posts. He hadn't confirmed any romance with Allysha, so there was no third-party drama or affair. She hadn't really worried about it.

"Don't worry about it, the Falconridge paparazzi are always like that."

"How about I take you out for dinner? Do you have some time?" His smile

remained warm and sincere. "Plus, we could chat about the potential collaboration between Grand Expo and Crystal Clear."

At the mention of Grand Expo, Eliza's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait... you're involved with Grand Expo? Seriously, are you in charge of it?"

"Kind of. Our company bid for your company's new product showcase, and I heard Crystal Clear is already keen to collaborate, so..." He met her astonished gaze, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "...would Ms. Eliza do me the honor of having dinner with me?"

"This is such a coincidence, I never saw it coming." She was both shocked and curious, completely caught off guard. "Well, we definitely need to discuss the project, Mr. Gillum."

"Let's make it happen."

Gabe kindly opened the car door for Eliza. She smiled and gracefully slid into the seat.

Meanwhile, in a nearby Mercedes van, Allysha angrily stubbed out her cigarette, "So he's into that married woman now. Tried to break up with me at the resort and still can't behave in Falconridge. Isn't he worried about stirring up trouble for himself?"

Her agent handed her a coffee. Allysha couldn't let this go. But what could she do? Even if Gabe wanted to marry her, the Pina family would never@pprove. Everyone knew` Gabe's father had died in a starlet's bed, leaving the family with a deep disdain for actors and celebrities.

"Ice, with your status, marrying into a wealthy family is just a matter of time. Why get tangled up with Gabe? Let him chase Eliza. Sooner or later, someone will handle him."

"I just don't get it. What's he see in her? Is she prettier than me? In better shape? Younger? I've heard she's had two kids. What right does she have to compete with me?"

Allysha threw her coffee on the

ground, the porcelain shattering with a sharp crack. Her agent calmly cleaned up the mess. "Men are just after something new. She's Mrs. Casper, you know. Sleeping with her would be like a badge of honor in Falconridge."

The agent's words had some logic, but Allysha knew Gabe well. He wasn't the type to court trouble. The only explanation was that he genuinely had feelings for Eliza.

"Did you get those photos earlier?" she asked her agent.

"Took a few." The agent handed over the phone. "Check them out."

The photos weren't the best-blurry and poorly angled-but they were enough to

upset Casper. "Send them to Casper anonymously."

She wasn't going to be the only one feeling sick.

"Is this really okay?" The agent hesitated, wary of causing a stir.noveldrama

Allysha scoffed, "Casper's a man. No man would be okay seeing his wife hop into another guy's car, laughing and chatting, and still manage to smile about it."