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.

Her hands were clenched into tight balls, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to hold back the tears.

her sister's insults.

were only getting started, Joel tried to slowly remove himself from

Lionel who got

always seemed to

get to the door. Tiny beads of

answer my question before

easily and he stepped in front of Joel, blocking

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

don't know what I might have done to offend you but would you please let me go. I have to

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 him tonight, he'd run

sure that you've never

man stood before him pretending to be innocent,

what Rufus was talking about. While he didn't offend Rufus directly, the same could not be said about his

to drip off from his forehead. His chest was constricted as

whom he'd come to the restaurant had already left. She didn't want any part of whatever situation that was unfolding. Joel was left alone,

If I see you out in public ever again, I'll send you right back to prison without so much as blinking my eyes. Look into my eyes and know that I'm serious. You don't want to

all too well that Joel was Ivy's younger brother and with Ivy seeing Clark recently, these siblings were causing trouble wherever

and, seeing his opening, shot past Rufus with a speed as quick as lightening and disappeared