A Graduation Gift

Cassandra had never paid attention to the sound of the wind so carefully before.

She hated the wind and the rain. She liked the sun. But tonight, she listened to the gush of the wind all night long.

It was still winter. The wind last night was still chilly. It blew through the trees and caused the leaves to rustle.

The wind sounded so sad as if it was worried that it would be soon be replaced by the warmth someday.

She kept calling Rufus. But she failed to get through. The automatic voice informing her of all the failed call depressed Cassandra. It was the cold voice of the machine, bereft of emotion, that affected her deeply.

Cassandra remembered what Rufus had once said to her.

"Let me be the one to turn to no matter what happens later, okay?"

Yes, and here she was, calling him again and again, to do exactly that. However, he was nowhere to be seen.

Finally, daylight came. Cassandra heard the bustle of the servants beginning their preparations for the day. She forced herself to bathe and get ready to go to work. However, the moment she opened the door, she saw Jill advancing towards her.

Before Cassandra could greet her, Jill had already raised her hand and slapped her in the face with full strength.

"You bitch! Ivy's baby is gone! Are you happy now?"

Jill shouted the words as she shivered with rage. Tears rolled down her cheeks quickly.

"It's my first grandchild! How did you have the heart to do such a thing!?"

Cassandra had not recovered from the impact of the slap even though she could not feel the pain on her face anymore.

'How is that possible? Ivy's baby is gone? It is a thirty-week old baby! And it is growing bigger and bigger!"

Cassandra felt like she was in the most unimaginably horrid nightmare. How she wished everything could've return to peace when she woke up from the nightmare.

She closed her eyes and then opened them again. Jill was still standing right before her, crying hysterically. Horace stood not far away with his hands behind his back, restraining his emotions.

There was no expression on his face. But people could feel his anger simmer within.

Even though Ivy was not his official daughter-in-law, she had been living with the Tang family whilst pregnant. She was well-mannered and Jill favored her a lot. Horace, himself, bore no ill will towards her. Shockingly, she had a conflict with Cassandra just before her due date.

the car is ready. Let's go to the hospital

led her away. Casandra could hear the soft sobs of Jill as she walked away

the servants scrutinizing her.

to her now that in their eyes she had become an evil woman.

work the whole day. She asked about Rufus in a

was at her wit's end. His sudden,

work for the day, she deliberated for long and left

Jenks's hospital. Upon reaching, Cassandra asked the nurse about Ivy and finally located the room. It was a VIP room on the top floor.

room, Cassandra could hear the unclear whispers and the softs sobs float from inside.

time. Finally, she gathered the courage and knocked on

opened. Lionel stood at the door. He looked exhausted and weary.

he saw Cassandra. His

don't want to see your

the door, but Cassandra reached out

Ivy...the flowers. Please give it to her,

the bouquet from her

brings you here? Why have you come? Get the hell out of here! You

with

nurses who witnessed the whole scene, fell silent for a while before they

smiled bitterly

turned around and walked back inside. Ivy knew that it was Cassandra. She implored tearfully, "Lionel, she's your wife,

had been recovering in bed ever since she regained consciousness. She delivered the dead baby with oxytocin injection instead of a genuine surgery. So she recovered slightly faster.

if she had been spurned, she would chart a savage course for revenge. However, the loss of baby had

see his former arrogant and wilful Ivy. This peaceful and quiet woman

be my wife.

favored by Horace once the child was born. Now his hope was gone with the baby. Holding onto the wife just wasn't something he cared

joy. She lowered her head to hide her joy so

prosecuted for plagiarizing Cassandra's design and selling it to another designer. The

every time she thought of her. Cassandra not only stole her position

was in good spirits while her brother

belly had started kicking her. She even lost her

price to get Cassandra out of the Tang family when she had a chance. However, Cassandra's proposal to divorce Lionel

no turning back for her. Ivy had decided to grab the