A Graduation Gift

But Cassandra thought otherwise. For a man that only saw her as a childbearing body, marriage was nothing but a tool!

'This is ridiculous. I can not believe it but I am still in love with him at this moment! I'm such a cheap and worthless person...' she was mad at herself.

Having a child with Rufus was supposed to send happy thoughts through her head.

Still, it saddened her that her child, though could be materially satisfied by Rufus, wouldn't grow up in a whole family.

"Rufus, what is the problem? You gave your condition and I accepted it," Cassandra asked.

There was finally a smile on her face at this moment but it was not the kind that he expected. It pained him to see this kind of smile.

"Nothing bad, okay. We can observe it from now on," he replied.

Rufus wasn't sure of when he started to find it difficult to compose himself around Cassandra. When she implied that she was willing to sacrifice a year of her life just to get rid of him, rage started to burn inside him.

He was tired of being a gentleman. He reached over, clasped her waist and hoisted her up on the table.

Rufus noticed her tenseness. Suddenly he heaved a sigh and tightened his hug.

"Not today! Tomorrow, you will not go back to your apartment after work. I will arrange a driver to pick you up so you don't have to feel guilty for using the company vehicle for personal needs," he said.

Rufus knew how she thought. She did her best not to use the company vehicles for private purposes.

In regular times, Cassandra would refuse. But in today's situation, she had no say in the decision.

Rufus held her in his arms and put her into the tub before he turned on the warm water. He said nothing as he washed her.

Cassandra was worried that he would take advantage of her again but to her surprise, he just bathed her with great care and no trace of violence.

She wondered whether he had been stung by his guilty conscience and thought he might have regretted what he had done.

as soon as she opened

smile. He teased, "Don't take this wrong way. I know that today is

had lived with her for a long time, so he knew very well about her

how much he loves himself!' she snorted

covered with a quilt. She drifted into sleep

was so

bed, looking down at

was buried under the quilt, leaving her arched eyebrows and delicate nose for

circles under her eyes that

him off, for now at least, she would have no

year later she might have a chance to leave him but during

leave me, piss me off, or fool me!' he said

he watched her face, his eyes were alight with ease and joy as some inspiration sprung into his

a state of intense agitation, Ivy slammed the laptop before her. Thinking about Jill's remarks

have another child now. You'd better have a child when you are young because a young

told her as she held her hands. Concern and sincerity emanated from her and Ivy

Horace and Jill remained silent despite the fact that she had lived with the

away Cassandra by her schemes but this now

Lionel had become more and more distant from her. He didn't touch her despite the

he was indifferent. This brought a sense

sensed that Lionel found something out or was suspected something mysterious

presence of his parents, there were times

he was not able to take his eyes off her. He looked at her with as much intensity, if not more, as he did with Ivy when he was still

to not break the superficial harmony since she couldn't bear to think what would happen to her

colleagues' chitchat pulled Ivy

I have recently heard that there is fortune teller who can tell you about when exactly you can get pregnant. Aren't you preparing for pregnancy? Why not

only believe in science. Measuring body temperature daily

not joking. Some people I know have asked for her advice and are all pregnant now,"