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.

but as soon as she opened her mouth, it

this wrong way. I

a basin of cold water was poured all over her. Sure enough, he wanted nothing but a child. Rufus had lived with her for a long time, so he knew very well about her physiological period. And there was

how much he

the bed and covered with a quilt. She drifted into sleep right away,

so exhausted.

the bed, looking down at

quilt, leaving her arched eyebrows and delicate nose

her eyes that made her look rather withered.

pissed him off, for now at

a chance to leave him but during the year, he would use other means to make her stay.

off, or fool me!' he said to

face, his eyes were alight with ease and joy as some inspiration sprung into his mind.

laptop before her. Thinking

think it wouldn't affect your health if you and Lionel plan to have another child now. You'd better have

hands. Concern and sincerity emanated from her and Ivy just smiled and nodded, suppressing the grievance inside

hadn't given her a legitimate identity. Horace and Jill remained silent despite the fact that she had lived with the Tangs for such a long time. Even Lionel had never

Cassandra by her schemes but this now wasn't what she

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

he was indifferent. This brought a sense of crisis sweeping over

sensed that Lionel found something out or was

not mentioned anything and treated her with respect in the presence of his parents, there were times when she was utterly

she couldn't fail to notice that whenever Lionel met Cassandra, 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

all inside as to not break the superficial harmony since she couldn't bear to

colleagues' chitchat pulled Ivy from her reverie.

exactly you can get pregnant. Aren't you preparing for pregnancy? Why not consult her?" one

only believe in science. Measuring body temperature daily and using the ovulation

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