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?

naive!'

fully dressed but why are you still the

was a hint of allure in his voice. Under

however, was far from normal. Cassandra trembled and her legs grew weak. With all her strength,

Why don't you go back

as he scooped Cassandra up and

cold," he said as he

endless. He trampled her dignity until it

was as if her body and soul were

soul were floating in the air,

like the affectionate and thoughtful gentleman you

pained her so much to find that the trust

risen. Rays of sunlight peeked into the

woke to the brightness and warmth of

gotten up, taken a bath and gotten

stood in his place

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

before he turned around to leave the room and slam the

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

up

wanted to cry but her tears

move. Neither motivation nor strength was available to

mind demons skinning and eating me alive! Let me be

Hold on, Cassandra! Then we both will owe

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

quite reserved that day. He dealt with his work as quickly as possible

back, seeing the bruises on her wrists

her hands with his tie. The more she struggled,

she didn't talk to him in

make sure she would not be able

to reflect on whether

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

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

sky was already dark. She slept the whole day.