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."

warmth of his arms, Ivy sobbed all the more, her shoulders

want to keep this baby,"

a second thought, "No, you can't keep this baby.

a moment a menacing look flashed across Ivy's face. But soon, realizing how futile it was trying to argue with him, she dropped her demand. 'It would be better to play along, ' she mused.

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 that words cannot express. I'm more than willing to take a risk and carry the pregnancy to term," she paused and wiped a tear from her eyes. "Please, let me keep the baby. It's the best support you could ever give to a woman in my position,

the car accident, Lionel was brought back to reality.

front of the car, the words she said to him in the

moment in his wrangles with Rufus. He needed to put things in

bitterly pleaded in a low voice, "Lionel, I'm not asking for much.

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 her patience putting up with his womanizing, he had come to love her more.

a fact and it gave her

the time, but she had secretly

she had been planning for all those years go up in smoke, so she

to see her plot pan out well. It cut his heart that

for your feelings. In any case, you can't give birth to this baby. I'll take you to the hospital for an

"Lionel, I finally know you have been lying to me with all these fake promises. In the end, you are giving up your baby. I should have known that you are such a heartless

her hands resting gently

don't care whatever evil thoughts you have for your way

clock in the living room of their love nest struck timely,

at him.

to hurt my baby, that will be the end of you and

all the time they had been together. He remembered his first meeting with Ivy. The girl had a

She was unpretentious, and charming in her own special way. And as they

had fallen head over heels in love with her. Among his many

marry her. Under the arrangement of his family,

had wriggled free from his arms and ran out of the door, into the busy traffic, absentmindedly ramming into a car. She had almost

of death, she had never been the same again.

villa. However, material satisfaction could not fill the gap between them.

never touched her. But as long

I love you. I always thought

couldn't confront Ivy, he pleaded, treading carefully. The final decision on the pregnancy was a ball in her court. He couldn't force her to have an abortion

for all these years. But what