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!' he jeered

why are you still the one shaking?

his voice. Under normal circumstances, Cassandra might even

trembled and her legs grew weak. With all her strength, she worked hard

don't you go back to bed

he scooped Cassandra up and tossed

you feel so cold," he said as

He trampled her dignity until it was reduced

feeling crept over her. It was as if her body and soul were

in the air, staring blankly at the woman and the

you get when you offend Rufus. He is nothing like the affectionate and thoughtful gentleman you once knew. Upsetting him would grant you a revenge worse than hell.' Right now, that was exactly how

find that the trust she once had for him was

into the room and fell on

to the brightness and warmth

taken a bath and gotten dressed. He was wearing a

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

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

uttered frostily before he turned around to leave the room and slam the door behind

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

this my punishment for breaking up with you,

cry but her tears

motivation

demons skinning and eating me alive! Let me

we both will owe

mused as she closed her eyes. She allowed relief to take over her the moment Rufus left and drifted

Rufus was quite reserved that day. He dealt with his work as quickly as possible to make sure he was

seeing the bruises on her wrists

bound her hands with his tie. The more she struggled, the

and she didn't talk to

clothes to make sure she would not be

as he cooled down, he began to reflect on whether

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 himself, 'What

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

sky was already dark. She slept the whole