A Graduation Gift

Lionel's words echoed through the large bedroom, ringing in Cassandra's ears. Cassandra looked around, irritated. 'Doesn't Lionel dislike me? Why would he come to my bedroom at such a time?' she wondered.

'Unless…Unless he saw me in Rufus' bedroom just now!' The thought made Cassandra nervous.

"Cassandra, you haven't answered my question! Where were you just now? It's late." Lionel's question broke through Cassandra's thoughts and snapped her back to attention.

Lionel gripped Cassandra's chin harder, forcing her to look into his eyes and answer him. Cassandra shifted uncomfortably, trying not to whimper from the pain. She returned Lionel's gaze, raising her chin in angry defiance, then took a deep breath.

"I had a meeting with my friend tonight,"

she spoke slowly, trying to calm herself down.

Cassandra knew that she couldn't tell Lionel the truth right now. After all, she knew that what she had done was wrong.

"Your friend? Funny...After all those years you spent in Rome, I'm surprised that you still have friends in G City."

Lionel raised his eyebrows and snorted sarcastically. Clearly, he didn't believe Cassandra. The calmer she stood before him, never breaking his gaze, the more she could see his anger rising.

Cassandra had always been good at hiding her feelings. And cunning women angered him the most.

"Can you please let go of me? You're hurting me!"

that she was actually overwhelmed by the pain in her chin. This infuriated her. How dare he treated her, or any woman, in this aggressive

a few seconds, as if considering what to do. He unfurled his grip and released her face. Breaking free from his grip,

late now. Is Mr. Tang still going to stay in

again

strides he caught up with

turned to look

she could say a word, Lionel had lifted her roughly into the air and

are you

being touched by this man filled her with horror, and she looked around to see how

two were a married couple in name only. There had never been any physical contact between them. This

familiar sardonic smile crept across Lionel's face. He sneered down at

you married me? Huh?

blades, carving patterns of pain into her skin. Cassandra instinctively bit her lips. Then she gathered

me, dear wife? Why would Rufus look at you like that when he had first come back to the family? Could it be something to do with the

been asking around, and it turned

Rufus and Cassandra had towards

tell me the truth, Cassandra. Why would that man care about you so much? Could it be...because you slept with him

made Cassandra jump up from the bed. Pale and silent, she