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.

body are visible. But what about the wound in my heart? You can't see it nor

However, she only lowered her

stung. She was very strong-willed and did not yield easily. But now, her pained eyes and

her into his chest

leave this city. Okay? Leave with me, my darling," he

the more uneasy he felt. There was so much danger and he did not want

can't leave with you now,"

determined to keep her

"Why?" he asked.

with her, she still felt so distant. He couldn't feel her heart the way he did

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

spoke with a low yet determined voice.

didn't come back to the Tang family, Lionel still would have perished in

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

didn't borrow money from the bank to expand Tang Group, things would be different. At least, Lionel would not be

applied for loans from the bank to expand the company, everyone thought he did so to gain a bigger share of the market. It was only now that Cassandra realized his true intention. He did that to bury

but what he

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

always defend them,

it became more and more difficult

don't think your mother would rest in peace if she

that the mention of his mother would be enough to persuade him.

of the Tang family. And I will never ever help them get out of this. Don't ever talk to me about this again, ever,"

fact that Cassandra could not

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

before she stepped out, she suddenly stopped as if she forgot something. Then, she turned to face Rufus and said, "I am not going anywhere with you unless you help the

her words, she took off, leaving Rufus alone with

Tang Group. Why are you

is no real hatred among family. When will you realize that? When

in her mind. It was probably time to pay her father a visit. 'I hope this winter would not be as cold as it was last

Ivy had been waiting for her

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

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

Rufus drove her out. She did not really know what happened next.

so intensely, Ivy guessed that Rufus must have driven her out too. He

Memories of her and Rufus started to play in her mind.