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."

of his arms, Ivy sobbed all the more, her

should I do? I want to keep this baby,"

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

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,

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

of the car accident, Lionel was brought back to reality. His

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

wrangles with Rufus. He needed to put things in

into tears, and bitterly pleaded in a low voice, "Lionel, I'm not asking for much. All that I want is for you to

give a hoot about his other

for a fact and it gave

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

planning for all those years go up in

she enjoyed to see her plot pan out well. It cut his heart that she stubbornly insisted

for your feelings. 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 air between them got dense. When she recovered from the initial shock, she said with a bitter smile, "Lionel, I finally know you have been lying to me with all these fake promises. In the end, you are giving up

hands resting gently on her tummy,

your way of life. I'm not terminating the pregnancy, come what may.

the living room of their love nest

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

clear for you, Lionel. If ever you try to hurt my baby,

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

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

over heels in love with her. Among

Under the

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

was snatched out of the jaws of death, she had never been the same again. She turned into a completely

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

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

I always thought

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

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