A Graduation Gift

After reaching the hospital, Lionel rushed into the emergency room with Cassandra in his arms.

"Hospitalize her!" he ordered, gave a wad of money and hurried away.

As quickly as he had come, his footsteps receded into the night, leaving the doctor bewildered at his abrupt manner.

Cassandra willed her eyes to open and looked at the doctor on duty, with a bitter smile on her lips.

"Doctor, I think I have a fever," said Cassandra weakly.

Then she lost consciousness and fell backwards.

Luckily, a pair of powerful arms caught her.

'Well, the doctor is quick in movement. He's really a nice and thoughtful man, '

thought Cassandra the second she fell into a coma.

The doctor stared at the second man who suddenly appeared in the emergency room. He suspected this second man must have come here in hot pursuit of the unruly character who had just left. By their manner of handling the unconscious lady, it was obvious there was bad blood between the two.

Rufus's face darkened with anger. Urgently, he ordered the third guy who accompanied him and was standing by his side, "Victor, keep a close watch on him. Find out what he's up to."

Quietly, Victor nodded and left, pensively touching his nose with a finger. By the hasty way in which Rufus followed Lionel, he knew Rufus really cared about Cassandra.

Rufus was right. Lionel didn't intend to take Cassandra to the doctor. It was just his excuse.

From the parking lot Lionel stepped on the gas and drove like a maniac straight to Ivy's home, burning with anxiety.

A puffy eyed Ivy came to open the door. When she saw Lionel, she threw herself directly into his arms.

"Here you are at last," she greeted, her anxiety echoing on every syllable.

A beautiful, strong woman most of the time, Ivy was now clumsy and irritable. She wore little make-up and was terribly upset. It distressed Lionel.

Helping her to sit on the sofa and wiping away her tears, Lionel held Ivy in his arms and comforted, "Take it easy. I'm here with you."

Ivy sobbed all the more, her shoulders twitching and

to keep this baby,"

a second thought, "No, you can't keep this baby. I'm not ready for a baby

futile it was trying to argue with him, she dropped her demand. 'It would be better to play along, '

Lionel. I have a good reason for my desire, and maybe, you'll understand," she began, in a solemn tone now. "You see, after the last car accident, the doctor said my uterus sustained pretty bad injuries. It would be virtually impossible to conceive. But look, here I am, pregnant, beyond a shadow of a doubt. That to me is a miracle which gives me joy

reality. His usually impertinent face clouded with regret and

him in the ward and the way she reassured him in tears were unforgettable.

critical moment in his wrangles with Rufus. He needed to

him to deep-seated feelings. Using that to her advantage, she once again burst into tears, and bitterly pleaded in a low voice, "Lionel,

she turned a blind eye to his wild, compulsive behavior. She knew all about his philandering and had learned not to give a hoot about his other women. Even if he couldn't wise up and stop wasting time and money on every skirt he saw, Ivy wouldn't care. And for

and it gave

condoms all the time, but she had secretly

planning for all those years

see her plot pan out well. It cut his heart that she stubbornly insisted on having the

In any case, you can't give birth to this baby. I'll take you to the hospital for an abortion tomorrow. That's the best I can do for

finally know you have been lying to me with all these fake promises. In the end, you

her tears and stood up, her hands resting gently on her tummy, her voice calm.

is my baby and I don't care whatever evil thoughts you have for your way of life. I'm not terminating the

living room of their love nest struck timely,

interruption, Ivy suddenly smiled at him. A charming, innocent smile.

me make it clear for you, Lionel. If ever you try to hurt my baby, that will be the end

he pondered over her words, Lionel's mind ran through all the time they had been together. He remembered his

first sight, he was taken by her beauty and the simple way she carried herself. She was unpretentious, and charming in her own special way. And as they began dating, she became the sun

had fallen head over heels in love with her. Among his many mistresses, Lionel knew

to fulfill his promise to marry her. Under the arrangement of

was still etched on his memory. In anger she had wriggled free from his arms and ran out of the door, into the busy traffic, absentmindedly

never been the same again. She

to buy her the villa. However, material satisfaction could not fill the gap between them. Lionel's marriage remained a

in her heart became his wound. Lionel went even further than that. Quietly, he snubbed Cassandra and never touched her. But as long as they didn't dissolve the marriage,

I love you. I always thought you knew

he couldn't confront Ivy, he pleaded, treading carefully. The final decision on the pregnancy was a ball

feelings for me, so I have waited for all these