Chapter 23
The car's back door swung open, and a pair of polished leather shoes hit the pavement.
Eliza felt a knot forming in her stomach. Something was wrong. She turned on her heel, ready to get away.
Casper emerged from the car but didn't hurry after her. Instead, he lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag. "Looks like you're pretty happy with Zach's setup."
Zach?
The name that had vanished from her life for two years now echoed back, leaving Eliza stunned.
With a cigarette dangling between his fingers, Casper sauntered over and grabbed her waist. "Did the delivery experience make your sweetheart worried?" "Casper, I have no idea what you're talking about."
He let out a mocking laugh, his eyes scanning her face. "Eliza, you sure have some guts. We're not even divorced yet, and you've already lined up two new guys."
"I haven't." She knew Casper was here to cause trouble, but she wasn't about to accept these baseless accusations.
He flicked away the cigarette, grabbed her wrist, and started dragging her towards the car. "Come home with me."
"I'm not going with you."
"Eliza, push me any further, and you won't see Robin tomorrow."
Eliza's family was her Achilles' heel and Casper knew exactly how to hit her where it hurt.
She fell silent.
The car pulled into the villa's driveway. Eliza obediently followed Casper inside.
He headed upstairs while she stood there like a statue.
"What are you standing there for?"
He had brought her back for the usual reasons.
In bed, Casper was always in control. Nova's fragile health couldn't handle his roughness, so he took out his arousal on Eliza.
Eliza looked up, her eyes cold. "I don't want to." It was the first time she had refused him like this.
Enraged, he stormed back down, grabbed her arm, and threw her onto the sofa.
"This will do." He pinned her down, yanking off his tie, and started unbuttoning her blouse. She clutched his hand. "Casper, stop it."
He laughed bitterly. His eyes turned icy, like a predator's. "What, saving yourself for another guy now?"
"I'm not."
He pinned her wrists above her head, his grip unrelenting. "Here or upstairs, your choice."
Eliza was conservative. Unlike Casper, who could do it anytime, anywhere, she cared about her dignity.
"Upstairs," she said, her voice trembling with despair.
Once in the bedroom, he was on her. She struggled, her eyes filled with resentment.
He grabbed her chin, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Aaron wasn't enough, and now you've got Zach? Eliza, did I underestimate you? Tell me, who do you love?"Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
"I love no one, Casper. Just get it over with." She closed her eyes and turned her face away, unwilling to see his mocking expression.
He forced her to look at him. "Since you took the job Zach arranged, you must love him, right?"
"I don't love him." Eliza was baffled by his obsession with Zach. "He didn't arrange my job."
"Eliza, don't play dumb with me. Do you really think you deserve a salary of twenty thousand a month with those skills? Who do you think you are? A university professor?" True, her salary at the studio was high, but the other instructors earned even more.
"That just shows I'm worth it."