A Graduation Gift

"Sure, you rarely have a day off! Do you need to ask for official leave?"

Edith hadn't been out shopping with Cassandra in a very long time and she missed it. Now that Cassandra brought it up, she was excitedly looking forward to it.

"That's all right. I just have to tell Lyndsy. Now that Stella is there, everything will be alright. You don't need to worry."

She just hoped that Edith could soon leave this place. Lately, she had been having a very bad feeling even though everything seemed calm. She intuitively felt that something was lurking beyond the horizon and it made her anxious.

"Did I hear that Cassandra has a day off tomorrow? Would you like my company?"

Clark interrupted them as he walked inside the room and overheard their conversation.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, Clark. I am going to visit my daughter and I need to buy some things tomorrow!"

As soon as Edith saw Clark, her face broke into a smile.

Clark was startled at her words but he immediately composed himself and feigned ignorance. The corners of his lips lifted.

"Really? Then you need to be well prepared, Auntie Edith. You haven't seen your little daughter in a very long time, right?"

Cassandra noticed a flash in his eyes as she watched him speaking but she wasn't sure if she was reading too much into it.

Clark's eyes turned cold and calculative, abruptly and easily.

"Yeah, I haven't seen her in a long time. In fact, she looks quite like Cassandra!"

Edith's face wore a soft and gentle look when she spoke of her daughters. The older she got, the more she cherished them.

"Really? Then I'm worried that I might mistake her for Cassandra when I get to meet her,"

Clark joked, knowing fully well how to get on Edith's good side. The smile on his face grew bigger.

But Cassandra didn't find it amusing. She was wary of Clark and even though she felt that her own mind was playing tricks on her. She just knew that there must be something hiding behind Clark's smile.

Ever since she learnt about him, she had started to scrutinize his every move. She found his behaviour very strange and couldn't help but wonder why he behaved so generously in the presence of her and Edith.

He seemed to care about her a lot, and was also very patient and gentle with Edith. Clark never acted powerful nor dominating before them. He listened to them and seemed to have their best interests at heart. In fact, he treated Edith and Cassandra like his own family.

If Cassandra hadn't noticed any inconsistencies, she would still have looked at him with grateful eyes. She would have continued believing that he really was a kind man who loved her very much. But now, all she did was anticipate his next move.

His entry into her life was too coincidental. He was too infallibly good to her. It wasn't normal. 'What the hell is he trying to do?'

that Edith still wasn't up. Normally, Edith woke up

ran to her mother's room. She opened the door to

"Mom! Mom! What happened?"

frightened, was an understatement. She ran to her mother

voice, Edith struggled to open her eyes and looked at Cassandra for a second

"My head hurts..."

and her lips were white. She was obviously very

Edith's room right after Edith closed her eyes again. Seeing her pale

an ambulance. Let's get her to the

into a tight frown when he saw Edith's condition, his eyes brimmed

worry made her so feverish that she rushed to do

after Clark's call. The medical staff came in and carefully moved Edith into the ambulance. They immediately took her

Rufus pulled open the curtains to see what the commotion in the next

stretcher into the ambulance. Cassandra followed them closely and wanted to enter the ambulance but was pulled back and held by Clark from

mind. But finally, Cassandra followed Clark

and his hands tightened on the curtains.

had already asked his people to find a way to persuade her to leave that house. 'Why did this have to happen

told him that this was

similar to the issue with Cassandra's throat. It definitely had something to do with

was more, he even wanted them to remain in his house

Clark really did something to make Edith fall sick so she couldn't go abroad, then it was mortally dangerous for Cassandra and her to remain there with him any longer. No, he must think of a way to get them out of

bed, Cassandra's eyes were filled with tears. She tried to contain

Or her mother could

after chatting with Edith's doctor for a while.

keep yourself calm. Auntie, I don't think it's advisable for you to go abroad in this condition right now. You can wait till Cloris is on holiday. I will ask someone

to Edith.

look, and she understood the implication. She followed him out into the hallway.

needs complete bedrest. And

superimposed

feeling of horror when she saw Edith earlier. If there wasn't anyone around to take care of her, a simple episode

at work and are rarely at home. If we hire a nanny, she can take care of your mother and also help with other things. It will

full of care and affection. It seemed

idea of

will pay for

and her mother. So she quickly made it clear that she would be the one to pay for the

disappointment flashed through Clark's eyes and the smile on his face faltered. He stared at Cassandra with a serious look on his face.