A Graduation Gift

Cassandra was frozen inside and out, as though a bucket of icy water had been poured right over her head and chilled her to the bone.

Cloris's cutting words were like daggers to her heart, the pain spreading all through her body.

Rufus had been standing aside trying not to interfere in the sisterly fight. But as he saw Cloris get more and more defensive, he decided to step in.

"What do you mean, Cloris? What did Cassandra do to make you hate her so badly?" he asked, astonished at how quickly their argument had escalated.

Rufus had sensed that Cloris had been skirting around the real issue and he was curious to know what she was hiding.

But this was neither the time nor the place for Cloris to dive into it. After all, she wasn't about to destroy her reputation in front of so many strangers.

"You have no right to know!"

Cloris rolled her eyes, dismissing Rufus's incredulous questions.

"Then, who does have the right to know?"

Rufus persisted, his eyes fixed upon Cloris's stone-cold face.

"It doesn't matter. Not you, anyways," Cloris retorted.

She pushed him aside, dashing towards the door to the restaurant. Arthur hurried to pay the bill and rushed out after her.

were clenched into

humiliated as she stood in the wake of her sister's insults. She

that things were only getting started, Joel tried to slowly remove himself

who got

never trusted Joel, and the guy always seemed to find himself in the middle of trouble wherever he went.

tried to dodge around Rufus to get to the door. Tiny beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his

answer my question

he stepped in front

of him had planned to rape Cassandra before, and besides, he stole her design and sold it to someone else later. Thus, he needed to get things

Luo, I don't know what I might have done to offend you but would you please let me go. I have to be somewhere," Joel asked politely.

hide the fear in his eyes. It was Rufus who had caught him for stealing Cassandra's design. But since he was long gone from the Tang Group, Joel thought he would never see him again. And yet, by some horrible luck that was plaguing

that you've never

before him pretending to be innocent, one

While he didn't offend Rufus directly,

drip off from his forehead. His chest was constricted as he held his breath in

left. She didn't want any part of whatever situation that was unfolding. Joel was

prison without so much as blinking my eyes. Look into my eyes and know that I'm serious. You don't

all too well that Joel was Ivy's younger brother and with Ivy

his opening, shot past Rufus with a speed as