A Graduation Gift

Standing in front of the thirty-six-floor building, Cassandra held the scrip that Rufus gave her crumpled in her hand. With her long hair streaming in the the strong gust of wind, she wore the determined expression of someone ready to fight for her life. Neither the biting cold nor the sheer danger of being outside on the streets at this hour of the night mattered. Those things didn't scare a person anymore, when his or her life was literally on the line.

Coming here was the last straw of hope she had for a solution to the looming danger, and she had prepared to do whatever Rufus asked her to do.

Nervously, Cassandra licked her dry lips and dragged her heavy feet. In spite of how she felt, she had to keep going. Braving the biting cold, she forced herself forward slowly in the winds, with a heavy heart.

She had to face him anyway, hoping Rufus would let her alone, once and for all. For that she kept reminding herself that everything would be better, even though she wasn't sure of anything. Sometimes, we just have to take things as they come.

And while she was mulling, struggling and trudging along, Rufus was standing in front the French window at the top floor of the same building. In a white slim fit shirt, unbuttoned halfway down his chest, he peered at the darkness outside with his deep eye, and cracked a wicked smile.

The breathtaking horizon at the top floor of a thirty-six-storey building made him feel like a giant who dwarfed everything under his feet.

Rufus liked the feeling of controlling everything, just as what he did to the Tang Family and what he was doing to Cassandra now.

"Boss, she's here," the mechanical voice of the keypad speaker on the door suddenly announced.

The smile on his face grew even wider. He moved back to the table, took his half-full glass of red wine in the left hand, holding it leisurely with only the thumb and index finger, and drained it in one gulp.

like he was was watching

in," he said.

and sleepy. No one had expected that Rufus, who just recently returned to G City, would

earphone. Careful about the earphone, as if it was an IV drip on which his whole life depended, the man led her to a door made of red sandal wood. After pressing a series

waiting for you," the man said politely and

on her face, Cassandra nodded to the man, and then hesitatingly dragged her weight in, wondering what was waiting

family and married into an even richer one, the room's immense size alone

feel of every single piece was a statement of

of his room made the presidential suits in any five-star hotels pale in comparison. It was ridiculous of him to call her here just for a one-night stand.

enough to understand what would happen between her and Rufus later. Since he asked her to come here alone in late night and there were just the two of them here, she was not at

her peace and end her mother's misery, Cassandra would be willing

she had the power to decide what she could do with her life. But from experience, life had beaten her into accepting whatever fate threw

Rufus said from behind her.

he stood right behind her, catching her by surprise. But before she could react, he wrapped

shiver forcing her