A Graduation Gift

Amanda snickered, her bright white teeth peering behind her lips. Rufus looked straight into Amanda's glossy eyes, which memorized every curve and line of his face.

He wasn't the young, dashing man that he was so many years ago, Amanda noted. The Rufus of today was now so much more handsome. Well-built, well-established, and mature. Age was kind to Rufus, a trait that only few were ever lucky to have.

Amanda had merely used the opportunity to help introduce TY Securities to some major clients. When she invited him over to Paris, expecting to feel like the time back to when they were together all those years ago. Only now, they were both much older.

Amanda and Rufus could be alone together. She didn't have to worry about Cassandra getting in between them again. No one could bother them here in Paris.

She looked at his wine glass again. The drug had long dissolved in the red liquid. As long as Rufus drank, even if it was just a sip, he would be bound to surrender to her enchanting charms.

"Come on, you know what I want,"

Amanda smirked, eyes now dark and heavy. She eagerly wanted to make him drink.

She wasn't even trying to hide her desire any longer. Both of them knew that Amanda wanted him. All Rufus had to do was reciprocate.

Feigning sickness to get him to pity and pay attention to her only worked for a short time. It also wasn't the kind of relationship she wanted. She wanted to be able to hold him, and be happy with him, and she wanted him to return her feelings.

What she needed was care and love. She needed him to tell her that he loved her!

Rufus, seeming to get the grasp of the situation, lowered his eyes. He averted her intense gaze, slowly shifting to turn around to face the skyline again, elbows leaning against the railing.

"Amanda. I can only give you this much of love and care. I can never give you what you want. Not anymore. I'm not the same man."

Rufus' voice was quiet and gentle, but to Amanda, it was deafening and harsh.

she asked him, "Y-You've already broken up with Cassandra. There's no one

He hadn't been with Cassandra for a long time, and Cassandra was now trying to salvage the already-shattered Qin Group. Why was Rufus still so

same as Cassandra. I'm

thoughts of the

Even when they were still together, she was always hesitant to accept

always so independent. Strong, proud, and tireless. He would often get mad at her for being so

couldn't seem to let her go. No matter how hard he tried,

"Who's more important, then?"

her lower lip anxiously as she looked at Rufus. She was trying to hold back the pain she was feeling

see Rufus smile quietly to himself, which made her heart clench. She could never make Rufus smile like that. It

irreplaceable. No one could

letting his own

if she got really upset,

never bother to ask if he loved her. She would never bother to ask if she was more important than anyone.

just...so

back even if her heart ached so much

to compose herself. She breathed a few times to steady her heart. When she opened her eyes to look at Rufus once again, he had already turned to face

wine glass up to his lips as he chuckled, before sipping from it.

dark red fluid, like a lethal

succumbing to the drug. She wiped

her own glass and gulped the wine down