A Graduation Gift

Cassandra was humiliated. Tears of shame ran down her cheeks.

"I hate you, Rufus! I hate you so much as I have never hated anyone before!"

Cassandra roared. The throbbing pressure on her body and her temples almost made her collapse.

"Go ahead! Hate me all you want! I don't give a damn how you feel!" he shot back.

The night seemed long and distressing. Finally, Rufus lay asleep soundly beside her; his exhaustion was evident from the venting.

Cassandra's eyes widened at the sight of the man beside her.

He was fast asleep. Despite his unguarded disposition, tension shone visibly on his face.

His eyebrows were furrowed. 'What is he dreaming about?' she thought.

The tie around her wrists was loosened—a product of her unrelenting struggle. Cassandra gingerly moved her hands and freed them bit by bit

until they were finally fully hers again.

She cautiously pushed herself up and was mildly surprised that Rufus did not wake up to this. He must be exhausted, not just physically, but also mentally.

Every cell in her body hurt. Her wrists were bruised very badly.

She was not sure how she could face the tyrant on the bed. She quietly went to the closet to get some clothes.

It was better for her to leave before Rufus woke up.

She pulled on her clothing, turned around and found Rufus staring right at her. She was taken aback.

"Where are you going?"

His icy voice almost made her jump. She began to tremble.

The sound of the closet door woke him up but he waited until she got dressed to cover the bruises on her body.

'Does she think those clothes would be enough to cover the marks I left on her body? Does she really believe she could escape just like that?

are so naive!' he jeered

fully dressed but why are you still the

mischievously. There was a hint of allure in his voice. Under normal circumstances, Cassandra might even

from normal. Cassandra trembled and her legs grew weak. With all her strength, she worked hard to keep

go back to bed and let

he scooped Cassandra up and tossed

feel so cold," he said as he pressed his body

endless. He trampled her dignity

over her. It was as if her body and soul were going two opposite ways.

felt as if her soul were floating in the air,

gentleman you once knew. Upsetting

so much to find that the trust she once had

into the room and fell on

woke to the brightness and warmth of

and gotten dressed. He was wearing a tie.

gorgeous man that stood in his place showed no trace of

allowed to go anywhere else. If you are not here when I come

frostily before he turned around to leave the

She retrieved her wrists from the sunlight and curled up

is this my punishment for breaking up with you, Rufus?'

wanted to cry but her tears had been drained.

unable to move. Neither motivation nor strength was available to

to hell! I won't mind demons skinning and eating me alive! Let me be axed or fried in oil!

we both will owe nothing to each

over her the moment Rufus left and

dealt with his work as quickly as possible to make sure he was

on her wrists made

that he bound her hands with his tie. The more she struggled, the more furious he became. She said nothing but "I

and she didn't talk to him in the

dumped all her clothes to make sure she would not be able

he cooled down, he began to reflect on whether he overdid

her too seriously? Why did he abuse her like that? He must have hurt her, not just physically, but emotionally as well. He scolded

to make it up to her. The thought of how much she feared him that

sky was already