A Graduation Gift

There was a dull sting on the hand that Cassandra had just put down. It was expected, as she put all of her strength in that one slap, making sure that her retaliation would mark its way into his skin. Lionel was glaring at Cassandra, and their heated gazes met. He could feel his skin warm with irritation.

It was not the first time she hit him. He resisted the urge to bring a hand to his cheek to provide some relief for the biting pain on his skin. It would definitely leave a mark, but he refused to allow her the pleasure of seeing him affected by it.

Placed at the center of his silent but evident fury, Cassandra began to feel uneasy, her earlier grit wavering. "You insulted me first. I just returned the favor," she said, trying to modulate her voice to keep it from shaking.

She could sense his anger. It seemed to rise and thicken the air around them. She took a few steps back to create a distance between them. Lionel's eyes did not leave her even as he remained in stoic silence. 'Did I overreact?' Cassandra wondered to herself.

"Cas-san-dra Qin,"

he finally spoke, pronouncing her name syllable by syllable, as if taking each syllable in his mouth and crushing it, then walked towards her step by step. He moved forward; she retreated. It was a slow chase as the distance between then gradually shortened. Cassandra could feel fear occupy the crevices in her chest.

Her hands grew cold as they touched the wall behind her - she had no more space to back up to.

Cassandra had nowhere left to run. She raised her head in defiance, clenching her fists at her side and meeting his eyes. Her heart was hammering in her chest, awaiting his next move. 'I have hit him anyway. Nothing can change this fact. There's no use worrying, I'll see what he will do, ' she thought to herself.

Lionel towered over her and bent his head. "No woman has ever dared hit me. And you have already done it twice," he hissed. "Are you sure you're ready for the consequences?" He was leaning forward so close that she could feel his breath on her skin.

He wore a brutal expression. The coldness of his eyes as he looked down on her rivaled that of a winter storm, and Cassandra could almost feel herself freeze under his gaze. She was petrified, unable to move. Fear was gripping her heart, squeezing it with cold, clammy hands.

Despite this, she did not avert her gaze and challenged, "I can't change the fact that I slapped you. It's already done. If you feel that it's unfair, you can hit me back. If you're a man then act like one. I'm not like those who would use despicable moves to frame others."

It was the only thing Cassandra could think of to make things even. She did not expect any graciousness from him. She raised her face, as if preparing herself for what was to come, and her eyes met his with all the audacity she could muster.

"You think I'm not going to do it?" he threatened her back.

His anger rose to uncontrollable heights. The nerve of this woman! He had never hit a woman before nor thought about doing it - he was better than those lowlifes who would raise their hands against women - but his patience was sorely tried by this one particular woman in front of him.

"Then do it. If that would make you feel that we're even. But please, consider your actions better in the future. Even if it's just on paper, I am still your wife in name. Are you that eager to see me getting into a relationship with another man? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

Cassandra hurled her anger at him without holding back. Lionel was baffled by her words. 'What the hell was she talking about?' But before he could question her, she started throwing an onslaught of questions which allowed him no chance of speaking.

"I know you hate me. Do you think I wanted this? If not for my own family, do you think I would have married you? I don't care what you want to do. I won't bother your life, but can't you at least leave me alone when we're at the company?" She was breathing hard, and tears were running down her cheeks as more words fled from her lips. "I won't even ask you to treat me well, but don't you think that it was too much to try to drug me?"

to her own ears, but Cassandra could not stop the anguish that was boiling inside her chest. It was just wrong. She did not even think

Rufus, there was no telling what sort of scandal would have ensued. 'Was he that bent on destroying

Lionel snapped, cutting her off

finger under her chin and forced her to hold his

Tang, I didn't know you had such a bad memory?! What a pity, right?

scathing sound in the room. Her tears still streaming, she heaved, trying to catch her breath as the reality that she was

what exactly are

with every passing second. He had absolutely no idea what she was

for him to have done anything to her. He

himself from his thoughts.

from the beginning, but everything that happened was a low blow. She tried to be as civil as she could, despite his attitude towards her, but if this was how he wanted things then she was prepared to return every favor. Grabbing her things and turning around, she hastened to leave, not wanting

before she could get to the door, Lionel had moved to block her. "Tell me clearly what did you

letting her go without getting to the bottom of this,

wiped a hand harshly on her cheeks to dry her tears. Then, she met Lionel's eyes,

in the office. You should know the rest of the story," she said accusingly. "If you want a divorce, then please talk to your father. If he agrees, I certainly won't say no. I won't hold you back. In fact, it would be a blessing to be free from all this. You think I like you? You think that I want to marry you? You absolutely disgust me!" she

were ablaze with wrath and resentment. She had enough of everything, and she would let him know now.

face turned

shoved him aside furiously and walked out

scrunched his eyebrows as he tried to make sense of what

own family, do you think I would have married you...

you...

want a divorce, then please talk to your father...Don't you think

his chest tighten as an unfamiliar feeling came to him. He hated this woman, so why did what she said matter? It unsettled him how her words impacted him. He felt strange, then confused, and irritated. Choosing to focus on the matter at hand, he decided to divert his attention to what had happened.

he thought

time. Finally, he slowly took out his phone and made a

…

fell and embraced the city in somber colors.

Tang family's house, Horace had finally returned after some time of absence. Rufus,