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 within.

why are you still the one shaking?

of allure in his voice. Under normal circumstances, Cassandra

and her legs grew weak. With all her strength, she worked hard to keep it

go back to bed and let me

as he scooped Cassandra up and

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

torture was endless. He trampled her dignity until it was reduced to

as if her body and soul were going

in the air,

is nothing like the affectionate and thoughtful gentleman you once knew. Upsetting him would grant you a revenge worse than

her so much to find that the trust she once had for him was all

Rays of sunlight peeked into the room and fell on her

brightness and

taken a bath and gotten dressed. He was wearing a tie.

he looked immaculate. The gorgeous man that stood in

anywhere else. If you are not here when I come back,

uttered frostily before he turned around to leave the room and

door slammed shut. She retrieved her wrists from the sunlight and curled up into the

up

wanted to cry but her tears had been drained.

move. Neither motivation nor strength

the darkness! Let me go to hell! I won't mind demons skinning and eating

Cassandra! Then we both will owe nothing to

as she closed her eyes. She allowed relief to take over her the moment Rufus left and drifted into a deep, sound

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

bruises on her wrists made him regret his actions a

hands with his tie. The more she struggled, the more furious

hoarse and she didn't talk to him

make sure she would not be

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

loved her. She possibly said what she did in a fit of anger. Why did he take her too seriously? Why did he abuse her like that? He must have hurt her, not just physically, but emotionally as

how much she feared him that morning horrified him. She

already dark. She slept