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.

in the restaurant, Cassandra was still standing in the same spot. Her hands were clenched into tight balls, her lips trembling slightly

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

only getting started, Joel tried to slowly remove himself from the situation

who got you out

trusted Joel, and the guy always seemed

get to the door. Tiny beads

question before you

let him go so easily and he stepped in front of Joel, blocking

in front of him had planned to rape Cassandra before, and besides, he stole her design and sold it to someone

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

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

you sure that you've never done anything to offend

him pretending to be innocent,

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

His chest was constricted

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

going. 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

too well that Joel was Ivy's younger brother and with Ivy seeing Clark recently, these siblings

shot past Rufus with a speed as quick as lightening and disappeared out the restaurant.