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?

so naive!'

you still the one shaking?

in his voice. Under normal circumstances, Cassandra might even think he

grew weak. With all her strength, she worked

don't you go back to bed and let

as he scooped Cassandra up and tossed her into

so cold," he said as he pressed his

was endless. He trampled her dignity until it

It was as if her body and soul were

were floating in the air, staring

gentleman you once knew. Upsetting him would grant you a revenge worse than hell.'

the trust

sunlight peeked into the room and

woke to the brightness and warmth of sunlight.

a bath and gotten dressed. He

man that stood in his place showed no trace of the tyrant from the

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

frostily before he turned around to leave the

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

breaking up with

wanted to cry but her

Neither motivation nor strength was

me sink into the darkness! Let me go to hell! I won't mind demons

Hold on, Cassandra! Then we both will owe

she closed her eyes. She allowed relief to take over her the moment

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

on her wrists made him regret his actions

struggled, the more furious he became. She said nothing but "I hate you".

and she didn't talk to him in the morning.

to make sure she would not be able to leave the villa.

cooled down, he began to reflect on whether he

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 well. He scolded

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

woke, the sky was already dark. She