A Graduation Gift

Cassandra felt someone tapping her on the shoulder as she got lost in her own thoughts. She was surprised to find Michelle when she turned around.

"Come in. He wants to see you," Michelle said.

Cassandra was startled—Rufus wanted to see her? Why?

Wasn't he staying with Amanda?

Michelle had already seen her hiding by the balcony earlier but she chose to ignore her. However, Rufus insisted on seeing her and Michelle really couldn't do anything about that so she did as he wished.

How difficult all of this was!

"Amanda's gone. It's just going to be you and him. Communicate and talk everything over, okay? Fix this."

As soon as Michelle finished speaking, she turned around and walked towards Jasper who was waiting for her in the corridor.

Both Michelle and Jasper turned around to look at Cassandra. Looking helpless, they both shook their heads and left.

Cassandra remained frozen and was unable to gather her thoughts. Was she really going to finally see him?

When Rufus was still in comatose, she took care of him all throughout hoping that she would be the first face he would see when he woke up. But now, she was afraid to see him, and even talk to him.

Cassandra took a deep breath to calm herself down. Then she pushed the door open and walked in. She didn't want to see him right away so she kept her eyes fixed on the floor and her mouth tightly shut.

"Come here,"

Rufus said in a placid tone. Cassandra slowly walked towards his bed.

Rufus felt something break inside him when he saw how hesitant Cassandra was to even look him in the eye. He reached out his hand and patted the edge of the bed.

"Come and sit,"

he softly suggested.

Cassandra sat on the edge of the bed—careful with her every move. When she finally raised her head to look at him, she found him staring at her deeply. It was difficult to read him.

"Say something."

Rufus frowned at her silence.

Cassandra wanted to tell him so many things but she couldn't make her mouth move as if her throat had been sealed shut.

She wanted so bad to ask him about Amanda and if he'd already chosen her. She wanted to ask him why he couldn't let her go.

She wanted to tell him how bad she was hurting and she wanted to ask him how he could treat her this way.

ashen face and broken legs,

"Are you feeling better?"

was a simple question and anyone could have asked it. She

on your mind

would be talking peacefully so he wanted to go straight to the point.

for she didn't even know what was on her mind. She should be

family—of all people, she thought Rufus should be the one to know all of this. However, now that

much from you? Was I too greedy? Are we where we are

face twisted into a sneer.

much; it only bothers

The last thing he wanted to

head low and fidgeted with her hands.

reached out for Cassandra's hand.

"Don't leave me, okay?"

said in a soft voice, squeezing her hand. The

in a coma, I thought I heard you speaking to me. I wasn't sure if it was

his gaze into

there when I woke up. I was so disappointed," he finished.

and disconnected when he woke up to find that Cassandra wasn't by his side—until

anymore. Come back, please, and we can live together again. We can get

tears were welling up in Cassandra's

wasn't sure if she'd heard Rufus right. 'Did he just

it be that he really did love me enough to

and it was nowhere near perfect. Remember? You even got mad at me. So I'm going to propose again. You're going to have everything—the engagement, the wedding, everything. Just don't get mad,

heart

been a while since he held her like this. Cassandra could hear his strong and steady heartbeat which calmed

but they just kept

owned

a handsome man

curved upwards which only made him look more

that formed a

standing humbly as if he

so much money in your company

said with a smile on his face. His smile had a sort of chilling vibe

to pay TY the interest from their investment because well,

careful smile on his face, avoiding

that's what you are. It's pretty easy to take down the Tang Group. I'd be able to take them down easily even

said confidently. He narrowed his eyes which only

have their money now and I can do whatever I want with it. Even if I didn't need their money, I still wouldn't give a dime back to TY which means