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."

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

want to keep this baby,"

"No, you can't keep this

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

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

the car accident, Lionel was brought back to reality. His usually impertinent face clouded with

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

in his wrangles with

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. All that I want is for

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

and it gave her boldness to take him on.

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

all those years

her so tenderly, she enjoyed to see her plot pan out well. It cut his heart

long last he exploded, "Ivy, don't push me! I've shown due respect for your feelings. In any case, you can't give birth to this baby. I'll take you to the

been lying to me with all these fake promises. In the

her hands resting gently on

care whatever evil thoughts you have for your way of life. I'm not terminating the pregnancy, come what may. I'll have

the living room of their love

Ivy suddenly smiled at him. A

it clear for you, Lionel. If ever you try to hurt

time they had been together. He remembered his first

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

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

marry her. Under the arrangement

that he was going to marry Cassandra was still etched on his memory. In anger she had wriggled free from his arms and ran out

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

to buy her the villa. However, material satisfaction could

wound. Lionel went even further than that. Quietly, he snubbed Cassandra and never touched her. But as long as they didn't

love you. I always thought you

pleaded, treading carefully. The final decision on the pregnancy was a ball in her

feelings for me, so I have waited for all these years. But what do I