His Destructive, Toxic Love

The early morning light hadn't yet fully dispelled the shadows of the night, and a fine drizzle gently sprinkled every corner of the city. Carlos drove up to Eliza's place.

"Ms. Valerie," Carlos said as he stepped out of the car, opening the passenger door like a true gentleman. "Please, get in."

"Thank you," she replied with a smile.

The car slowly rolled onto the road. Raindrops softly tapped against the windows. The streets were nearly deserted, and the rain-draped city seemed even more serene and mysterious.

After a while, Carlos finally broke the silence. "Ms. Valerie, I'm really sorry about yesterday. Please forgive me."

His voice was filled with regret.

"It didn't bother me," Eliza responded with a light smile.

"Actually, I'm the founder of this charity event. I genuinely wanted to do something good."

Carlos' eyes showed a rare sincerity.

Eliza turned slightly, her eyes flickering with surprise. "You're the founder?"

"Doesn't seem like it, huh?" Carlos scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

Eliza's gaze grew heavier as if shrouded in a thin mist. She had seen too many hypocrites hiding behind the facade of charity, their hearts full of schemes and greed. She didn't know Carlos well enough to judge if he had any hidden motives. Eliza fell silent.

When they arrived at the construction site, the foreman greeted them warmly. He and Carlos seemed well-acquainted, exchanging friendly handshakes and casual banter.

Eliza's eyes, however, were scanning the bustling figures, searching for a familiar face.

"Where's... the guy?" Eliza suddenly asked.

The foreman looked puzzled and turned his questioning gaze to Carlos.

Carlos quickly caught on. "She's asking about that tall, strong, simple-minded guy working here. What's his name?"

"Simple-minded?" The foreman nodded in understanding. "You mean Sam, right? He's been here for three months. He's a hard worker. I like him a lot."

He squinted warily. "What do you want with him?"

"I sketched a portrait of him the other day. My colleague really liked it and wanted to meet him in person."

Carlos' explanation sounded perfectly reasonable, as if they had discussed it beforehand.

"He's over there working. If you want to see him, just head that way. But he's shy around strangers, so be careful not to upset him. You know, simple minded folks can be a bit emotionally unstable," the foreman said with a laugh.

"Alright, we'll go take a look," Carlos handed the foreman a pack of premium cigarettes. "We're just here for some inspiration. Thanks for your help."

"No problem at all. Just watch out

for Sam's wife. She's a handful. IfT don't keep an eye on him, she'll come after me," the foreman said, looking somewhat apprehensive. All rights © NôvelDrama.Org.

Carlos nodded. "Understood. We'll just take a quick look. You carry on with your work."

"Sure thing."

Carlos and Eliza left the foreman's office. They were at the Oak Falls commercial district construction site, and t was bustling with activity. It was just in time for breakfast, and groups of workers sat huddled together, eating their packed meals.

"Look, this is the life of the workers. Doing the toughest jobs for the least pay," Carlos said, his face showing concern.

Eliza's gaze swept over the workers. Every job has its challenges, but it's true that construction workers often struggle to get adequate protection and fair treatment.

Her eyes continued to search until a woman's voice broke her concentration.

"Where's Sam? I've brought him breakfast. I made him fried eggs today."

The voice was loud and robust, carrying a hint of pride.

"The simpleton is over there," a coworker pointed, laughing.