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.

standing in the same spot. Her hands were clenched into tight balls, her lips trembling slightly as she tried

as she stood in the wake of her sister's insults. She felt like she might die right

tried to slowly remove himself from the situation but Rufus

who got

coldly. He'd never trusted Joel, and the guy always seemed to

door. Tiny beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his

answer my question before you

he stepped in front of

sold it to someone else later.

know what I might have done to offend you but would

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 him tonight, he'd

sure that you've never done

face otherwise expressionless. It amused him that this man stood before him pretending to be innocent, one eye constantly darting to the door, trying to find a way

Joel knew exactly what Rufus was talking about. While he didn't offend Rufus directly, the same could not be

his forehead. His chest was

the restaurant had already left. She didn't want any part of whatever situation that was unfolding.

prison without so much as blinking my eyes. Look into my eyes and

younger brother and with Ivy seeing Clark recently, these siblings were causing

shot past Rufus with a speed as quick