Nova''s throat tightened as she swallowed hard, her lips pressed together in a silent struggle. She couldn''t bring herself to say ''yes'' or ''no.'' Casper''s eyes were cold and unyielding as he approached her slowly. He reached out, gripping her neck and pinning her against the back of the chair. "I''ll give you three seconds." His voice was like a whisper from the depths of hell.


    "I" Nova''s voice caught in her throat, fear flickering in her eyes. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Yeah. That painting wasn''t mine."


    Her confession was exactly what Casper had suspected. He knew it was a mistake, but who was the real artist?


    Nova knew the details too well; she had to know who painted it.


    "Who did it?" His eyes bore into hers, suspicion brewing. "Tell me, and maybe I''ll spare your neck."


    "It was, it was..." Nova gasped for air, her breathing in ragged bursts. "...Eliza."


    Something shattered deep inside him. The pieces fell, piercing the softest parts of his heart, one by one.


    Pain surged through him, threatening to drown him.


    The first time he had officially met Eliza, her eyes had seemed so familiar. By then, Nova had already found him, and he had naturally mistaken that familiarity for mere simrity. How foolish he had been.


    "Why did you lie to me? What did you want? The title of Mrs. Welton? The Welton family fortune? Or do you just enjoy causing chaos?"


    His grip on her neck tightened, his breath hot and angry against her face.


    Nova was on the brink of suffocation. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, he let go.


    "Take care of her." He loosened his cor, taking a deep breath, "And... Faithe too. Make it clean."


    Dillon nodded at themand, pulling Nova up from the chair.


    Nova''s body went limp. She


    struggled falling at Casper''s feet clinging to his legs, pleading, "I''m sorry, Casper. I had no hidden motives. Like Eliza, I just liked you. Is it so wrong?"


    "Like me?" A cold smile curled his lips. "Do you mean you liked making a fool out of me?"


    "No, I didn''t. Now that Eliza is gone, I can take care of you in her ce. You can think of me as her. I don''t mind." Nova clutched his trouser leg, her face drenched in tears. "If not that, then you can treat me as a servant. Just don''t kill me, please."


    "Do I look like I need a useless servant?" Casper kicked her away, waving his hand. "Take her away."


    "Casper, don''t do this to me. I can be


    useful.


    ecan give you all of the


    e my life. I''m so sorry


    family''s fortune..


    Nova''s desperate cries echoed through the CEO''s office, but they did nothing to change Casper''s mind.


    Was it just Nova who owed Eliza her life? No, he owed Eliza, too.


    Lighting a cigarette, he took a drag, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, quietly smoking.


    After some time, he pressed the inte. "Order a red velvet cake."


    The new secretary personally went down to the bakery to get the cake and brought it back.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    She ran into Dillon, who had just returned. "What''s the asion? Is it someone''s birthday?" he asked, genuinely curious.