A Graduation Gift

Cassandra was in bed brainstorming about how she could talk Rufus out of his revenge plan when she heard a knock on her window.

She sat up nervously and hurried to open the window. As expected, outside was Rufus.

Looking up at Cassandra, Rufus wore an enchanting smile.

Then, as if it were the most natural thing to do, he stepped over the windowsill and into her bedroom, stretched out his hands and embraced her tightly.

"Cassandra, it doesn't look good for Horace. We might see the end of him soon. I'm just taking my time but I'll attend to business again soon."

Recently, he had received information from the banks about the Tang Group's loan status. Lawsuits were arriving here and there. It won't be long before they go bankrupt. This made Rufus feel very pleased.

What Rufus said made Cassandra feel sad. She understood what he meant. The Tang Group was in grave danger and someone needed to save it fast. Rufus was the only one who could do that, but instead of finding ways to keep it alive, he was trying to think of ways on how to kill it faster.

"Rufus, are you really going to watch the Tang Group go down without even trying to help?"

Cassandra asked, looking up at him in his arms.

"I know where this is going, Cassandra. You've already tried talking me out of my plan to destroy the Tang family out of hatred. I told you once and I'll tell you again: I'm not going to change my mind. I will not do anything to stop what's happening to the Tang Group. Okay? This is what I want so please don't try to convince me to do otherwise,"

Rufus replied as he stroked her back with his hands gently.

"Everything you hate about your father can be resolved. If your mother were alive, she would hate to see you do this,"

Cassandra sighed softly, recalling the photos she saw of his mother in his seaside castle. She seemed to be a reserved and quiet woman. At a glance, it was clear that she had a very kind heart.

"I don't care what she would think. She had her own opinions, but she was wrong. She lived a miserable life. Moreover, she got ill at such a young age and spent ten years in bed as a vegetable before she finally died. She did everything she could do for a man who didn't even visit her on her deathbed," he said.

Talking about his mother filled Rufus's heart with more pain and resentment. He blamed all of her suffering to Horace.

"Rufus, you are wrong,"

Cassandra said as she pushed against his chest and looked at him intently with her black eyes.

"You should know the man your mother sacrificed everything for was not Horace. It was you," Cassandra said.

a huge realization

reason why she kept you from your father must have been because she wanted you two to

she looked at him with great sadness in her

made her suffer would not be alive in his worthless

as he let go of her, trying to suppress his

she opted to dedicate her life to get her revenge, then I can't even imagine what kind of person you would turn

responded to

if she did decide to still have you, what would

Cassandra felt that she understood Rufus's mom better. It was easier for her to empathize

that you were already growing inside her womb. She loved you more than she loved herself. That's what blood does. That's what a family does. You are the person closest to her and because of that, she decided that you were the most important thing in her life,"

a baby in a womb filled Cassandra with sorrow as she remembered her own. Unlike what happened to Rufus's mom, though, her baby never got to come

didn't ask for anybody's help and she did not blame anybody for what happened. Instead, she focused on you—giving you a good life, and a good education. As a mother, that was all she wanted: her child to have a

cracking voice as

everything she could because she loved me. But that is not enough

he had to stay firm. Horace had to pay for his mistakes. Unable to think of any way

for many, many years. For so long, I have wanted Horace to feel remorse about his

because he knew what he did was wrong. As for Jill, I know she regrets what she

He had always been

coldness in his hands reflected the

not me. As for Jill, she's even more unlikely to apologize. She thinks she's better than everyone else, especially me, who she always regarded as nothing more than an illegitimate child. Not once in my life

gritted his teeth and said. There was finality in his words. There seemed

what he said. She thought that she would manage to change his mind, but it seemed to be impossible even for her to sway him.

the Tang family goes bankrupt and Horace suffers, I can't

determined to use all the cards she had to bargain and hoped he'd change his mind.

her with an

are

understand why she was trying to protect the Tang family. 'She

want to stay with someone who can do this to his family. I want someone who is responsible, forgiving, and loving, especially to the people closest

she emphasized every word. She knew what was important to

not

angrily. He could not understand why Cassandra still regarded them as his family. His last name was Luo, not Tang.