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.

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

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

things were only getting started, Joel tried to slowly remove himself from the situation but Rufus

Lionel who got you out of

seemed to find himself

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

question

he stepped in

and besides, he stole her design and sold it to someone else later. Thus, he needed to get things straightened before Joel would do something to hurt her again.

might have done to offend you but would you please let me go. I have to be somewhere," Joel asked politely.

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 into Rufus.

you sure that you've never done anything to offend

face otherwise expressionless. It amused him that this man stood before him pretending to be innocent, one

course, Joel knew exactly what Rufus was talking about. While he didn't offend Rufus directly, the

beads of sweat started to drip off from his forehead. His chest was constricted as he held his breath in

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

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

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

of his breath and, seeing his opening, shot past Rufus with