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.

occasionally glaring at Cassandra furiously. Although, it had

said,

fixed on Cassandra, as if she

you see him again later?"

Arthur was involved here at all. It wasn't

by the police. Why would I take the trouble and see

was the stupidest question Cassandra could have

to go to the police station to give your statement as a victim. Isn't that common sense?"

to her as water. This had to be another scheme made by

felt like she had missed out on an important detail, but

the captain knew Arthur and wanted to protect me, he refused to

would get him in trouble and

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

an acquaintance at the police station too, and I can ask him to look into it. But Cloris, what were you thinking when you decided not to tell

Cloris with tender affection, thinking about how she herself had been a bad mother to them. Her own daughter didn't come

think it would've made a difference had I told you? Truth of the matter is that she also is your daughter and I didn't have any evidence

talked bitterly. The resentment she had carried within herself

take hold of the entire company by herself when you went to study abroad? She had to scrimp and save to pay your bills. She even sold her car. She did all that so you could live your life and afford your tuition and living expenses. She

since her

middle-class families were working to support themselves and then take a look at your own

while she spoke. Her fingers were long

a thought about who is providing you with these privileges and a life of

continued going through even now. It broke her heart to learn how much Cloris hated Cassandra despite the sacrifices she

of them were equal to Edith now, even though she had been partial in the past. She loved and cherished them equally, especially now after learning the reason

too was supposed to grow up in her parents' care like a little princess the way Cloris had, without a care of the world. But it was due to the disputes 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 finally came

for you. Your father and I indulged your tantrums all the time. 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,

learned about their breakup a few days ago. She hadn't paid much attention to it at the time although she did feel unpleasant

her sister. She knew her elder daughter well enough, but Arthur, not long enough. It was hard to understand a man, especially

would never do that to me, Mother!" Cloris

was actually touched by her mother's words but she refused