A Graduation Gift

Upon hearing Horace's words, Jenks Tong looked towards the woman and smiled.

Then, he said with pleasure, "You're Cassandra Qin. Am I right?"

Cassandra had tried to hide her face by lowering her head and letting her hair cover her face, from the second the old man entered the room. She didn't want him to notice her.

However, her efforts failed, as he easily picked her out of the crowd, calling her by name.

With no place to hide anymore, she raised her head and met his gaze. Everyone in the room was staring at her.

Apparently, he was not surprised to see Cassandra here at all.

She didn't realize that the man had known who she was the day they met.

Anyway, Cassandra put herself together and said, "Nice to meet you, Director Tong."

There was not much to say. The only thing on her mind now was the story she had shared earlier about the canary and the birdcage. She feared that he would let slip the story.

She shouldn't have worried at all, as Jenks gave nothing away concerning their meeting. Instead, he went straight to discussing the construction of a new branch of the hospital with Horace.

At the end of their conversation, Jenks praised, "Rufus is a great man. Two days ago, he came to me and floated an idea for the project and I must say I was impressed. That's why I chose your company."

Hearing the praises heaped on Rufus, Horace smiled with satisfaction. It gave him great joy to hear someone speak so highly of his son.

Jill, however, wasn't happy about the new development. Two years ago at a dinner party, she remembered Mrs. Tong agreeing to Lionel taking up the same project.

She wondered why Rufus was getting a deal to which his brother had already committed. Did Horace find it right to shortchange one son for the other?

If things went on like this, Jill feared Lionel would eventually lose his current position at the Tang Group.

The only consolation she found in the whole arrangement was that Horace still needed Cassandra to undertake most of the major construction projects, like this one. But then again, Cassandra too would lose, if Rufus was to be favored against everyone else.

Out of the blue, Lionel cut in, with an unrelated subject. Listening to Horace, he had noticed how willingly his old man agreed to an arrangement that would unsettle their earlier deal. So Lionel decided to disrupt their scheme. For now, all that he needed was just something downplay the discussion. If he could derail their meeting, that would allow him time to plot a come back. He wasn't going to stand on the fence and watch his brother gain unfair advantage.

"By the way, Father, Cassandra and I are planning to have a child. I wonder if Uncle Jenks could recommend one of his doctors. Maybe we'ill need some help along the line."

The diversion worked like magic. No one in the room had seen that coming.

Horace burst into laughter at once.

As a fact, he knew that Lionel's marriage to Cassandra was the result of pressure from the two families. The parents on both sides had their own interests in forcing the marriage. But now, everyone knew that Cassandra and Lionel did not get along well with each other. Why did Lionel seem to have such a sudden change of heart?

had taken Cassandra to the hospital. All the other times, when she needed medical attention, he had left it to his parents to take her to the doctor. But since they came back from the hospital, Lionel seemed to have changed, although Horace doubted if that

baby earlier. If you did there would be more laughter in this house, and especially you'd have saved

voice made

- the first grandson of Horace. That would give Lionel a bigger chunk of inheritance. A big advantage

the unexpected talk, Cassandra got very concerned. 'So

A baby? With Lionel?'

ridiculous! Cassandra had never even thought of it.

sick of his touch, let alone having a baby

to the unnecessary drama, Rufus clenched his fists in

the blood on Rufus's gauze and in a panicked voice interrupted the

bleeding again?" she asked,

Cassandra turned to look, she was mortified by the sight of blood soaking through his gauze and the

too much bleeding. Call the driver now.

Horace ordered immediately.

"I'll go with him!"

Cloris volunteered.

than anyone else in the room, Cassandra couldn't turn her eyes away from the red gauze. Her heart raced, feeling his pain cut through her.

and Rufus, while the latter knew

they would all suspect her intention. So, to keep her emotions in check,

and Jenks's conversation continued for

confusion, Lionel dragged Cassandra to their bedroom.

closed the door, Cassandra tightly grasped her

voice, she cautioned, "Lionel, we are only nominal couple. You can't unilaterally decide to have a baby.

loosened his tie and approached the little woman gradually.

asked nonchalantly. "As your husband, I'm legally entitled to

completely surrounding Cassandra. She feared

she looked around the room. She knew that Lionel wouldn't easily

instinct, he

his hand to stroke her face, she tightly closed

a strong resistance. He had terribly

he stared

are you insane? How could you

of him, she just stood

such a jerk!

'Did she

As long as we are married, I deserve my conjugal rights! And by the way, if you have anything against our marriage, you should blame it on your father. He desperately pleaded with

said with

interests of our families. There's absolutely nothing like love between you and me. Why would you want us to have a kid, whom