A Graduation Gift

Rufus's face remained emotionless even after the maid had told him all the details.

Was Jill merely behaving this way because she thought of Horace as a grumpy, old, arrogant man? It couldn't be denied, though, that Horace's health had deteriorated day after day—he was getting old and therefore, grumpy and arrogant as many men had come to be.

Rufus had no other thought in his mind but to make sure he executed his plan right away. Horace was, after all, old enough now—he might die before experiencing what it was like to be betrayed by his own son and at the same time, lose his own company. Horace deserved no less after all he'd done to Rufus and his mother. He did not deserve to die a peaceful death.

Meanwhile, in the ward, Jill still hadn't stopped sobbing and Lionel was starting to become impatient. He kept bugging the nurse, asking what time his father was going to wake up. In fact, he did it so much that the nurse had started to avoid him.

Rufus waited outside the ward the whole night. Before dawn, Horace finally woke up.

"Horace, Horace, how are you feeling now?"

Jill rushed towards Horace the moment he opened his eyes.

Rufus was also wide awake and alert outside the ward—he was calm and so sure of what he was going to do.

The doctor came in to check all of Horace's vitals and was seemingly satisfied. He spoke in a cool tone, "Everything looks good here. He doesn't need as many people to stay with him—one is enough. The rest of you can go home and rest. Mr. Tang needs quiet too."

The ward was so crowded that the doctor advised them to leave in order to give Horace some peace and quiet.

Rufus scanned the room with his eyes before he offered to stay, "I will stay here and look after him. You can all go home first and come relieve me later."

Rufus's tone was calm and somewhat matter-of-fact. Jill glanced at him from the side and murmured, "Such a hypocrite," before yawning and leaving the room with Ivy.

"Father, I have to go and attend to a few appointments. I'll be right back after I'm done,"

Lionel said as a goodbye to his father. When he left, only Rufus and Horace were in the room.

Although he had already woken up from his coma, Horace still looked pallid and weak.

He tilted his head as he looked at Rufus with a confused look on his face, as if his mind was buzzing about something.

Rufus didn't make a sound, instead he just gazed blankly back at his father.

"Rufus, I had a dream. I dreamt of your mother,"

Horace said in a weak but yearning tone.

"She stopped talking to me. I'd lost all contact with her for years. I had no other way to find out you were my son," he continued.

together as if he

stoic but inside, he was

sleep. Rufus took this chance to call Victor so he

what happened

Victor would've stopped it if something was really going

after awhile so only Miss Qin spent the night

in a calm

he had already expected this, Rufus still couldn't

the company now and get me the files I need to

up the call, Rufus immediately pulled up

mother, young then, sporting a huge smile. Her hair

the coming years after that photo was taken, she became sick. Hellen was practically a vegetable—couldn't talk or move. She

ten

could support him, Horace married Jill and they had Lionel. Horace

and day out. She never complained even when she was getting sicker and sicker

all the burden of supporting Rufus, which was unbeknownst to

up with all the money and power Tang Group and Jill

Once again, never had he been more sure

Group collapse into a million pieces then your family's going to abandon you. Soon, you'll know what it feels like to lose your loved ones!' Rufus

She only woke up when the sun creeped inside the apartment. When she

for the day. When she got to work, she sensed that something

was uncharacteristically quiet and from a considerably near area, she could hear someone

"What happened?"

she made her way to the sound of the crying—it was an employee who was wiping her tears

herself in front of Cassandra, but couldn't handle

is in A City. She can't contact him since

in, his tone sympathetic.

Now she wasn't so surprised

to my office," Cassandra said

to talk to this young lady

a comforting tone, "Don't cry, we don't know anything yet. The situation might

of tissue and handed it to the employee.

My parents died when I was a child. So my aunt and uncle took me in and treated me like their own. I've tried calling them but I can't reach

continued to stream down her

off? You can rest and spend some time with yourself