A Graduation Gift

There was fire in Rufus's eyes. He could not believe what was happening.

"You can't do that,"

Rufus said furiously as his grip on Cassandra's wrist tightened.

"Rufus, you're being ridiculous. I expected more from you. Right now, you are just acting like a spoiled brat! You show up when it pleases you and before I know it, you're gone without so much as a goodbye. Where were you when I needed you? Whenever I asked for an explanation, you never gave me one. Instead, you decided to keep your secrets and keep me in the dark. What the hell were you thinking?"

Cassandra glared at Rufus, mustering all the courage she had to finally speak her mind. Finally saying all these things felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders.

Rufus looked at her, dumbstruck as he slowly realized Cassandra's image of him: complicated and suspicious.

As it turned out, she saw Rufus as a jerk.

He came and went as he pleased without even considering how she must have felt. Because of him, her life became full of uncertainty. He never gave her a stable life or a promising future.

"Cassandra, I am doing this for your own good,"

Rufus said. There was hesitation in his voice, possibly brought about by Cassandra's face that was red with rage. She seemed absolutely fed up with the situation.

"For my own good? You want to do something for my own good? Let me give you a very good suggestion: Disappear from my life for good and leave me be!"

Cassandra shouted as she broke free from Rufus's grip, turned, and walked away.

She had had enough of the drama. She did not want to put up with Rufus's childish whims anymore. His actions did not make sense to her. There seemed to be a huge disconnection between the mature and independent image he portrayed in public and the childish and unreasonable way he acted when he was with her.

But Rufus was not about to let her get away so easily. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

Cassandra struggled as Rufus slowly looked straight at her face. Staring straight into her eyes, he decided to tell her the truth.

"Fine, I will tell you what I am doing," he started.

the significance of the moment, she stopped struggling and lifted her head

was only a dozen years ago that

Cassandra stood still and listened to him quietly.

into a problem child overnight, from being a straight-A student. I started to miss all of my classes. Everyone worried about me and didn't know what to do. My mother could not stop crying. I blamed her for giving birth to me. I told her that she should have had an abortion instead of having

the only thing that

I went to see Horace in front of the Tang Group.

said. There was coldness in his voice.

and worked for, go down

that Rufus had

However, you don't need to punish yourself because of his mistake. Life isn't all about hatred and revenge. Does that make you happy?

the man who gave him life. No matter what

bear a child like Lionel, and live a life of fortune and

Everytime he remembered his poor mother and Horace's absence, his hatred and

such things. Otherwise, she wouldn't have

Rufus this angry. Grabbing his arms, she realized that his whole body was stiff. Clearly, he was in pain just thinking

his shoulders in an attempt to calm him down, but her efforts were useless.

brought her tragedy. Well, I'm different. I live to bring him what his absence has brought her," he replied.

Nothing that Cassandra said got

father. Now that your mother isn't here, he is your only family. You shouldn't hate him. I'm sure he also had his own battles during that time. He was also trapped in his own circumstance. Besides, he already realized that he was wrong. He even made efforts to correct his mistake by making you part of the Tang family and allowing you to take over the Tang

unmoved. Years of hatred had hardened him. In fact,

herself. For the first half of my life, I never had Horace there. Now that I'm all grown up and I'm doing better, he suddenly steps up and wants to be my father? What the hell is that? He allowed

his mom and of his childhood filled Rufus with so much rage. He found it hard to

her lips, not knowing what to

him down, the angrier he would become. So, she thought that it would be best if she just remained silent and accompanied him through

to get involved. Now that you know about it, I hope you will do what is best by staying out of it. All I ask you to do is to wait for me. Be patient with me. When I finish with all of this, let's go away. Let's leave

himself down. Then,

to push through with your plan of

looked into Rufus's

I have been working on this plan for so many years. There is no way I