A Graduation Gift

Rufus frowned and looked at her, confused.

"Who are you waiting for?" he asked.

Cassandra pulled her collar up subconsciously. She didn't seem to be bothered by the wound on her neck. As the collar could not hide it completely, she tucked her neck a bit as she avoided Rufus's touch.

"There's another guy who is interested in the studio. I need to wait for him so I could show him around..." Cassandra replied.

She wanted to make sure that everything was settled for Lyndsy as soon as possible. That way, she could concentrate more on the shoot and her plastic surgery treatment abroad. Suddenly, Rufus interrupted her before she could even finish her words.

"It's me. Let's go. I'll send someone to sign the sale and purchase agreement with you,"

he said, feeling relaxed now. He initially thought that Cassandra just downright rejected him. As it turned out, she only wanted to make sure that the office sale was taken care of as soon as possible.

"What? It's you?!"

Cassandra's eyes widened as she looked at him in surprise.

"I didn't expect Amanda to get here before I did. Otherwise, you would not have been hurt," he replied ignoring her expression.

Her reaction satisfied Rufus very much. A smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

"Why do you buy this place? What are you going to do with it?"

Cassandra asked with furrowed brows.

"You will know it when it's time," he replied simply.

He did not want to tell her his plan just yet. He wanted it to be a surprise.

Cassandra looked at him with suspicion. In the long time that she had known him, she still found it difficult to read him sometimes.

Rufus smiled and held her in his arms. Then, he put his chin on her head and smelled her hair.

"I didn't know that my hesitation would cause you pain until today when I saw what she did to you. I'm sorry," he apologized.

There was guilt in his voice. His heart ached seeing the scratch marks on her fair neck.

Still, Cassandra remained sorrowful despite his words.

'You hurt me a long time ago, Rufus. You just didn't know it.

visible. But what about the wound in my heart? You can't see it nor feel it. You know nothing about my

However, she only lowered her head. She didn't even say anything. In her

strong-willed and did not yield easily. But now, her pained eyes and expression

and pressed her into his chest even more

with

There was so much danger and he

can't leave with you now,"

said as she tried to push him away but failed. Rufus was determined to keep her close. He would not

"Why?" he asked.

No matter how honest he got with her, she still felt so distant. He couldn't feel her heart the way he did before. What had happened between them?

a mistake. If you leave without making up for it, my heart would never be at

a low yet

to the Tang family, Lionel still would have perished in the war with

business strategies against the Dawn Star Group. Even without him, Rufus was sure that Lionel was going to lead the Tang

money from the bank to expand Tang Group, things would be different. At least, Lionel would not be so helpless in dealing with the

to gain a bigger share of the

crisis but what he did was fatal.

the Tang Group's cash flow would give rise to several other problems. Its state would worsen until it went bankrupt. That was the

them, Cassandra? I don't get

more difficult to understand what was going on in her

if she saw you with so much hatred

mother would be enough to persuade him. Rufus, however,

because of the Tang family. And I will never ever help them get out of this. Don't ever talk to

fact that Cassandra could not seem to understand his feelings annoyed

to do is take them down, then I would rather that you

she turned around to leave. Cassandra, too, was disappointed. But before she stepped out, she suddenly stopped as if she forgot something. Then, she turned to face Rufus and said, "I

she finished her words, she took off, leaving Rufus

terminate the agreement with the Tang Group. Why are you doing this? Why

she left. 'Rufus, my darling, there is no real hatred among family. When will you realize that? When will

was thinking about family, the faces of Vernon and Edith appeared in her mind. It was probably time to pay her father a visit. 'I hope this winter would not be

Ivy had been waiting for

felt so ashamed with what Rufus had done to her. She could not believe that he asked her to leave and said all

"Amanda, don't cry anymore..."

leave the place because Rufus drove her out. She

Rufus must have driven her out too. He

of her and