His Destructive, Toxic Love novel Chapter 521

Eliza couldn't really refuse, so she handed over her phone. Manuel, with the phone in his grasp, deftly found the perfect angle. "Alright, tilt your head a little, yep, give me a smile. Perfect, hold it right there." He snapped a few extra shots just to be sure. Each capture was spot-on.

It had been ages since Eliza had a proper photo taken. Even though her poses were a bit stiff, the pictures looked like they'd been shot in a professional studio. "Wow, you're really good at this. These photos are amazing," Eliza said, scrolling through the gallery with a soft glow of happiness on her face. "Have you always been the go-to photographer for your girlfriends?"

"I've actually never had a girlfriend," Manuel replied coolly, flashing a slightly shy smile at her. "There was a time when I really got into photography and learned a few tricks."

"Oh, is that so?" Eliza felt a bit awkward hearing about his lack of past relationships.

Manuel, however, appeared completely at ease. He occasionally snapped some candid shots of Eliza, capturing her in beautiful, natural moments. "I'll send you the photos tonight," he said.

Eliza nodded with a smile, "Sounds great."

"I also brought a little something for your baby." He fished out a small red box from his pocket, "It's a tiny silver bracelet for protection. It's not pricey, but I had it specially blessed, hoping you'd accept it."

Eliza was momentarily taken aback. Manuel had gone out of his way to get a protective bracelet for her child? The bracelet had a little red bell that chimed softly, a sound that was sweet but not intrusive.

"You really didn't have to..." she said, touched and unsure how to thank him for his kindness. "Manuel, you're incredibly thoughtful. Thank you, from both me and the baby."

"No need to thank me, as long as you like it."

Eliza cherished this meaningful gift, carefully tucking it into her bag with a serene smile on her face. During dinner, she slipped away under the guise of going to the restroom and popped into a nearby health shop to get some premium supplements for Manuel's parents. Given his thoughtfulness, she felt it was only right to show her appreciation.

"Why so much smoke?" she asked.

He didn't answer, just looked up at her with eyes that seemed to weigh and measure her. "Where have you been?" he finally inquired.

Eliza felt her heart skip, but she didn't hide it. "I went out for dinner."

"With who?"

Turning to face Casper's shadowed expression, she wondered if he already knew and was testing her, or if he was genuinely curious about her dinner companion.