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."

sobbed all the more, her shoulders twitching and

to keep this baby,"

"No, you can't keep this baby. I'm

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

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 that words cannot express. I'm more than willing to take a risk and

back to reality. His usually

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

in his wrangles with Rufus. He

his emotions like a shot, Ivy realized her words aroused him to deep-seated feelings. Using that to her advantage, she once again burst into tears, and bitterly pleaded in a low voice, "Lionel, I'm not asking for much.

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

and it gave her boldness to take him

condoms all the time, but she had secretly poked holes in

what she had been planning for all those years go up

so tenderly, she enjoyed to see her plot pan out well. It cut his heart that she stubbornly insisted on having

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

bitter smile, "Lionel, I finally know you have been lying to

up, her hands resting

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

room of their love nest struck timely, loud and

the interruption, Ivy suddenly smiled at

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

had been together. He remembered his first

simple way she carried herself. She was unpretentious, and charming in her own special way. And as they began dating, she became the sun that would always brighten up

head over heels in love with

Under the arrangement of his family, he married Cassandra, and

he was going to marry Cassandra was still etched on his memory. In anger she had wriggled free from

death, she had never been the same again. She turned into a completely different person,

satisfaction could not fill

further than that. Quietly, he snubbed Cassandra and never touched her. But

know I love you. I always thought you knew

a ball in her court. He couldn't

waited for all these years.