A Graduation Gift

Edith trotted to her daughters hurriedly and stopped right between, her eyes darting sternly between the two of them silently.

"Okay! The two of you need to sit down and work things out! Sit down, now! I am not allowing any of you to leave this house until we get to the bottom of this!"

She had just gotten the whole story and was shocked to find the truth of what was happening between her daughters. Her expression clearly stated that she had realized she had been a bad mother and that none of them had bothered to talk to her about it.

Cloris had had a problem with Cassandra ever since she came back from abroad, and Edith used to think Cloris hated Cassandra because of her relationship with Rufus, but only now did she understand the case. She had never imagined that the sisters had gotten into such a mess.

Cloris sighed, giving a disgruntled, sharp look in Cassandra's direction.

"Mother, I have nothing to say. It happened so long ago and I had no evidence whatsoever. It's not like she would simply admit it," she said with an impatient snort. One could sense how she just wanted to get this over with.

Seeing the halfhearted look on Cloris's face, Edith glowered at her.

"I said sit down! Don't you dare leave!" she spoke in a low voice through her teeth.

Edith seldom talked to Cloris in this way, so the shock was evident on her face. Reluctantly, Cloris sat down on the sofa.

"Cassandra, sit down. You too, Rufus, but don't say anything. This is strictly a family matter, and I want both my daughters to give me an explanation for this mess!"

Edith wore a tough look. Frankly, she couldn't believe she didn't try to figure out the reason for the tension between them earlier.

Under their mother's strict order, Cassandra and Cloris sat down, but as far away from each other as possible. Edith sat in the middle. She looked from one to the other, her eyebrows pressed together.

"Cloris, you go first! Tell me what exactly happened that night, spare no detail."

She decided to listen to Cloris's side of the story first.

Cloris hesitated for a while and cast a glance at Rufus. What she was about to say required courage and could cause a glitch in her reputation. She couldn't utter a single word in his presence.

Rufus immediately got what was on her mind.

"I'm gonna go for a smoke," he said, trying to sound casual.

He then left the room without any hesitation.

the beginning to the end, occasionally glaring at Cassandra furiously. Although, it had been a while since it happened,

he said, even

fixed on Cassandra, as

see him again

thoughts, wondering why Arthur was involved here at all. It wasn't as

police. Why would I

was the stupidest question Cassandra could have

you called the police, you would have had to go to the police station to give your statement

sneer. The whole matter was suddenly as clear to her as water. This had to be another scheme made by Arthur. But why did he keep plotting

missed out on an important detail, but she

refused to take me to the station..." Cloris said rightfully, defending

trouble and ruin his reputation in front of Edith.

seemed like Cloris and Cassandra were about to start fighting again. To control the situation, Edith banged the

to look into it. But Cloris, what were you thinking when you decided not to tell me about this? I'm your mother and it's my duty to look

mother to them. Her own daughter didn't come to her for help even when

difference had I told you? Truth of the matter is that she also

The resentment she had carried within herself could be

to study abroad? She had to scrimp

was spoiled since her childhood days but it surprised her that she still couldn't distinguish between good and

your classmates. Most of the students from middle-class families were working to

Cloris's hands while she spoke. Her fingers were long and thin. They

was getting manicures! Did you ever give a thought about who is providing you with these privileges and a life

shake at this point. She recalled the things Cassandra had been through these past months and continued going through even now. It broke her heart to learn how much Cloris

she had been partial in the past. She loved and cherished them equally, especially now after learning the reason of the dispute between them. Until now, she had simply been regretting sending Cassandra to a small town at such a

between Cloris and her that she was sent away by her own parents resolutely and left to grow up all alone in a small town. That was the reason she evolved into an introverted person when she

But has it ever occurred to you that that's only because we are your family? Nobody else will tolerate that and be all nice and rosy to you. I know you and Arthur have already broken up once. If he really cared about you, why would he break up with you? Have you ever given a thought to

although she did feel unpleasant about it. But things were different now. After hearing what Cloris had said about that night, she suspected Arthur was simply using

never hire anyone to hurt her sister. She knew her elder daughter well enough, but Arthur, not long enough. It was hard to

never do that to me,

actually touched by her mother's words but she refused to suspect her boyfriend.