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!"

could change the topic. The truth was 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 manner!

if considering what to do. He unfurled his grip and released her face. Breaking

Is Mr. Tang still going

inside to the bedroom. Once again she could tell that

two long strides he caught up

into Cassandra. She turned to look at him, afraid

had lifted her roughly into the air and thrown her onto the

What are you

was frozen with fear. She could feel her heart almost jumping out of her chest. The thought of being touched by this man filled her with horror, and she looked around to see how she

had never

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

you married me? Huh? Why pretend to be so

like blades, carving patterns of pain into her skin. Cassandra instinctively bit her

honest with 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

causing Lionel to become angrier and angrier. Lionel had been asking around, and it turned out that his brother had been

he wondered about the interesting reaction that Rufus and Cassandra had towards each other when

Why would that man care about you so much? Could it be...because you slept with him

jump up from the bed. Pale and silent, she regarded her husband for a second.