A Graduation Gift

Cassandra lay in bed and looked into Rufus's eyes. He hovered over her as his husky voice called out her name, the emotion in
it evident.
"Cassandra."
Rufus lowered his head further, still gazing into her eyes.
She bit her lower lip softly and frowned.
Rufus saw her lips twist in pain and lifted the quilt that covered her body. A scarlet stain marred the sheets.
His eyes shifted once again to the woman in bed who groaned out in pain. Instantly, he knew what the problem was - she was on
her period. The desire in him was snuffed out like the flame of a candle.
"My belly hurts."
Cassandra lay huddled up on the sheets, still feeling hot. She couldn't control the reactions in her body as her abdomen
squeezed in pain once again, and the heavy period leakage made the already scarlet stain even deeper. Rufus's face darkened
as he gritted his teeth in frustration.
It had been the beginning of a wonderful night. Of course, her period decided to make an entrance and interrupt them at a most
crucial moment.
Cassandra was fully awake at this point. The sharp pain in her belly overrode the desire she had been feeling previously. From
the corner of her eyes, she saw Rufus still standing and watching her by the bedside. Pissed off at the motionless man, she
grabbed hold of a pillow next to her and slammed it in his face.
"Oh god, why are you still standing there? Go and get me a sanitary napkin immediately!"
Rufus blanched at her audacious request. She must be kidding. It was atrocious of her to demand that he buy her a sanitary pad!
"Fine," he said in a low voice, not revealing his true thoughts.
Even if it was ridiculous, Rufus had no option but to go out and get the pad. It would be even more irresponsible to keep her
bleeding on the bed like that, without offering any help.
The entire episode had discomposed him.

Rufus grabbed his jacket and left the room, glancing at her with a dark expression on his face.
After he left, Cassandra got up from the bed slowly. She wrapped herself in the thin blanket and walked into the bathroom,
almost doubling over in pain.
After a while, the door sprang open, and Rufus was back. He headed straight to the bed, but then slowed down when he found it
empty and the sheets messy. The scarlet blood stain looked like a lone tree on a wide expanse of land, mocking him coldly with
its odd presence.
"Rufus, I'm in the bathroom. Did you get the sanitary pad? Just pass it through the crack in the door. Oh, and my clothes too.
They are in my luggage."
Cassandra said from inside the bathroom. Rufus had never been obedient to a woman like this, but right now he was
experiencing a kind of vulnerability he never had before.
He was still scowling as he grabbed her clothes and threw them along with sanitary pad into the bathroom.
He heard her yelp when he hit her with sanitary pad accidentally. Regardlessly, Rufus walked out of her room the next instant.
He could not linger around any longer and become a servant of her.
Besides, he could barely control himself in her presence!
"Are they together?"
The man asked casually, holding a burning cigarette to his mouth. He sat with his slender legs crossed inside the private room of
a flamboyant bar.
"Yes, they are. Someone witnessed Rufus going into Cassandra's room. His clothes were all messed up when he walked out.
You know what could go on between two consenting adults behind closed doors."
Ivy hugged Lionel's arm, her voice sickly sweet in its insinuation. Her red lips were turned up in a triumphant smile.
Lionel put out the cigarette the moment he heard what Ivy said. He gnashed his teeth together as his eyes turned red. The
resentment in his heart blazed fiercely.
'Cassandra, you bitch, ' he thought. 'How dare you sleep with Rufus!'

His nostrils flared. The idea of Cassandra hooking up with his arch-enemy, while she was still his lawfully wedded wife grated on
him terribly. Lionel could not help himself when the image of her lying in bed with Rufus rose to his mind. He grabbed the bottle
of wine in front of him and smashed it on the floor.
The scarlet liquid posed a gruesome picture, smudged the pieces of broken glass. Ivy, still holding Lionel's arm, turned pale in
horror. She had never seen him so furious.
"Lionel, what's wrong?"
Ivy blinked in confusion. He had shaken off her arm, but she still reached out to touch him.
Her hands caught empty air as Lionel stood up from the sofa the next instant. He stared fixedly ahead, his eyes burning aflame
with malice.
"I have something to deal with. I won't stay here tonight."
His voice rung coolly before he headed straight for the exit without waiting for Ivy's response.
As soon as he walked out, Ivy's eyes flashed with jealousy and spite. Her red lips trembled and her fingers clenched into tight
fists. The profound hatred she felt for Cassandra was undeniable...
"Mr. Tang, are you sure you want to leave for H City so late in the night? There won't be many flights at this time."
Harry, Lionel`s assistant, rubbed at his sleepy eyes, having been rudely woken up by Lionel's call. It was two o'clock in the
morning.
"I don`t care. Book the flight ticket for me right now. I have to be there straight away."
Lionel's hard voice didn't warrant further discussion. He hung up the phone, still bristling with rage. Harry, sitting alone on his
bed, was struck dumb.
Next Morning, in the Sunny H City
Getting up early this morning, Cassandra sat and applied minimal makeup in front of the dresser. She had to accompany Rufus
to the partner's office for some commercial negotiation today.

The young lady took out her pink lip gloss and glided it across her lips carefully. Suddenly, her hand trembled, making the lip
gloss slide to the outside of her lips. Cassandra stared at the pink stain with a frown. It reminded her of last night.
Rufus had moved her into a new room, but It was clear to her what was about to happen last night - they nearly had sex again.
Fortunately, her period came right on time and prevented it from happening.
Cassandra felt ashamed when she remembered her response to Rufus's desire. It was quite mortifying to get a period right when
they were about to have sex. He was probably shocked to see the messy scene. She winced at the prospect of seeing him
again.
She slept with Rufus in Rome, but had been embarrasing herself in front of him ever since they met again.
Cassandra decided that she ought to restrain herself.
It was difficult to be composed around Rufus, but she could behave herself. She twirled the lip gloss in her fingers and stared at
her reflection in the mirror absent mindedly.
A sudden knock on the door interrupted her self-reproachful musings.
"Cassandra, it is time to go. Please get ready."
It was Rufus! She was shocked to hear his voice and rose up from the dressing chair in panic.
Although Cassandra had butterflies in her stomach, she had no option but to pretend to be composed. Taking in a deep breath,
she straightened her clothes and walked up to the door.