A Graduation Gift

Rufus's embrace tightened further when he heard what she had just said.

"I will not allow you to jump. If you do, I will tear down the Qin family house and your company!"

Rufus shrieked at Cassandra on the spur of the moment. The domineering way in which he spoke would have made her laugh normally but she just wasn't in the right mood now.

In the end, she forced a bitter smile, underlying her soberness and bewilderment.

"I remember, when my family wanted me to marry Lionel, and I strongly opposed it. On that night, I went to the roof of my parents' house with this unicorn and spent the entire night sulking. I remember, the wind blew so strongly but still wasn't enough to blow my miseries away.

I kept asking myself, why it had to be me? Why did I have to make such a compromise?

Ever since I was young, I received less care and love from my parents as compared to my sister. Why, then, did I have to bear the responsibility in such a situation?"

Cassandra poured out her heart, her eyes half-closed, mellowed by tears. She kept thinking of how her family treated her when she was young and the tears started to flow out in streams.

"I stared at the sky from night to dawn, till the moon and stars faded and the first light appeared, till the sun rays pierced through the clouds and illuminated the sky.

Then suddenly, I heard sounds of colliding tableware coming from the kitchen and my mom speaking in the background. Eventually, the smell of breakfast wafted through the air."

tears left traces on her cheeks even after the wind dried them away. Her eyes turned wistful, as she stared down at the lights all over the

die like that. I thought that even though my parents never loved me enough, they were still my parents, after all. And they were the ones who had granted me life and brought me into this

her head in Rufus's direction,

and deep, harboring emotions that were beyond her to decipher. She had never seen him like

"I am scared of being alone. I have been alone in this villa most of the time. There

smells like home only when you are around. Only

gazed at her intently,

She always came off as a strong and independent person who didn't need to rely on

sorry, Cassandra. I promise I'll be home more

him. He saw her loneliness; he saw her

I'm used to it," she said, not sure whether she was consoling

lips, somehow making her look like a somber

to her, hugging her tightly, sitting next to her. After a while, she pushed him away

bright morning. The sun had surfaced completely above the horizon, glowing on the two

I have decided to move out," Cassandra

face, determined not to dither no matter what he