A Graduation Gift

In the VIP Reception Room of the Hotel
When Cassandra and Rufus entered the reception room, they saw Lionel already sitting there. He had been waiting impatiently,
and the anger in his eyes was obvious.
After that call, Lionel discovered that his wife didn't even have his phone number saved. It greatly wounded his pride.
"What are you doing here?"
Cassandra stared at Lionel, her face puzzled. Rufus and she came here for the project. Why was Lionel here in H City?
A teasing smile hung on Rufus's thin lips. He was wearing an air of nonchalance, with elusive expression in his dark brown eyes.
Cassandra's words added fuel to the fire that already blazed in Lionel's heart. Fury flashed in his eyes. Lionel stood up from the
sofa. A vicious sneer curled the corners of his mouth.
He glanced at Rufus who remained silent beside Cassandra before walking up to his wife. What he did next was unexpected.
Lionel slowly reached out and pulled Cassandra in his arms, right under Rufus's nose. Cassandra yelped with astonishment as
she was slammed against his chest. She pushed against him furiously.
"You are my wife. Do I need a reason to come and see you, huh?"
Lionel whispered in her ear as he held her. His voice was low and gentle, and every word seemed to indicate his endless
affection for her.
Cassandra knew he had something up his sleeve. "Lionel, what are you doing? Let go of me!"
A mild blush appeared on Cassandra's cheeks. Embarrassed, she stole a glance at Rufus. For some reason, she felt guilty that
he had to witness this and she tried hard to wriggle free from Lionel's hold.
"Come on, hon! We've been married for years now. You are so feisty in bed with me. I want to show off our for each other. Why
do you feel shy in front of our brother?
When Cassandra showed no signs of yielding, Lionel tightened his grip. Shaken and winded by his strength, she stopped
struggling.

'Was this man neurotic? What was he talking about? Since when I was feisty and passionate in bed with him!? We've never even
had sex before.'
"It's funny. If you're such a passionate couple, why is Cassandra resisting you?"
Rufus, the silent spectator so far, drawled lazily. Feigning indifference, he narrowed his eyes at them. Cassandra still looked
uncomfortable in his arms. Lionel's deliberate provocation was ridiculous.
His eyes zeroed in on the hands that touched Cassandra. He was unable to bear the sight of it. A sense of anger had been
stirred up inside. 'How dare him!'
"Oh? Tell me, Rufus. Do you always insist on being the third wheel between a husband and his wife? Don't mistake yourself into
believing that if you bring my wife on a business trip, you can do whatever you want with her!"
Lionel said, an insinuating and ironic smile spreading over his face. A flash of disdain passed in his eyes as he glared at Rufus.
"Lionel, that's enough!"
Cassandra raised her voice, her bright eyes blazing with anger. She couldn't stand it anymore. He wasn't listening to her at all.
Lionel was being unreasonable and needlessly malicious.
He turned his gaze to her, his expression stormy at her sudden shout. Lionel loosened his grip, his chilly eyes narrowing at
Cassandra. The look he gave her could have turned water into ice.
"I knew there was something between you two. Cassandra, I didn't know you were so wanton. You are so lonely that you can't
get through one day without touching a man, aren't you?"
Lionel's ruthless words were like a knife slashing right at her. Her jaw dropped and she blinked her eyes in surprise.
She had listened to him slinging mud at her many times, but it was always in private. Now, he was humiliating her in front of
others.
"Be careful with your words, Lionel! Who do you think you are! Don't slander me like this in public. Your accusations are a pack
of lies!"
Cassandra trembled with anger. She stood where she was, hands clenched into tight fists, but the expression on her face was
calm. Her gaze was cold and a bitter smile lingered on her lips.

Rufus stood by, his eyebrows raised, playing the role of an onlooker. Cassandra's reaction had surprised him. This woman might
be tiny, but she was plucky.
"Someone told me that Rufus entered your room last night. When he left, his clothes were disheveled. What was that all about?
Care to explain?"
Lionel frowned at Cassandra's frosty behavior and decided to jump right to what he suspected. Retreating his footsteps, he sat
back on the sofa and crossed his lean legs.
"Since when did the Tang family begin to listen to others and believe in rumors? Or has it always been the case? Do you have
any evidence of what you just claimed? I don't care if you smear my reputation, but Cassandra is your wife,"
Rufus chuckled lightly and leaned gracefully against the wall, his eyes looking back at Lionel coldly. The veil of charm on his
handsome face hid a deep sense of contempt.
"Rufus, I'm warning you," Lionel said, gritting his teeth as he cocked his head to look at him. "She is my wife! Even if I detest her
or want to dump her one day, you would never get in the picture. I will look into this. If you have done something behind my back,
I won't spare you, I promise."
Rufus's calm demeanor was in sharp contrast to Lionel's fury, and it only frustrated the latter even more.
A sense of exasperation enveloped him. Lionel refused to take his defeat lying down. Rufus, born out of wedlock, had come out
of nowhere and taken everything that was supposed to be his. Now, he even wanted to covet his wife whom he scarely deigned
to glance at.
He would never let that happen!
Thwack!
A loud sound rang out. Time seemed to still all of a sudden, and the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped...
Neither of them expected Cassandra to hit Lionel. Again.
A stinging slap resounded across his cheek. Cassandra's fury knew no bounds. Her body started shaking and her face turned
white as a sheet of paper.
His insults were unbearable. She could not endure his outrageous behavior any longer.

Cassandra stood there, arms dangling. Pins and needles surged through her fingers. She had put all her strength into the slap.
"Cassandra, you are dead meat!" Lionel flared up.
This woman had slapped him more than once now, and this time, she actually dared to do it in front of Rufus! Suddenly, Lionel
threw himself at Cassandra like a wild beast.
His wrath was unmatched. It almost turned his eyes blood red, and he extended one hand as if to slap the woman who had
offended him again and again.
Cassandra simply closed her eyes, unafraid of what Lionel would do to her.
Rufus had been leaning against the wall and staring with his mouth agape at the scene in front of him. He rushed like a gust of
wind to protect Cassandra. Flinging out his fist, he hit Lionel hard in the face.
Lionel was knocked down to the floor. Blood oozed from the corners of his mouth, and the metallic taste of it made him want to
vomit.
Cassandra's eyes opened as if in a trance, and they immediately widened at the sight. Her eyes flicked towards the man
standing protectively in front of her. Her heart, that had long been frozen, began to thaw in the presence of his warmth.
Luckily, she had Rufus on her side.
Lionel was furious. He lifted himself up from the ground and raised a fist at Rufus. Rufus dodged him nimbly and grasped his
hand, twisting it behind his back. Lionel howled in pain.
"A gentleman must use reason rather than resort to force. You actually want to slap a woman. How could you still call yourself a
man?"
Rufus lifted an eyebrow and bent one knee, kicking Lionel swiftly in the leg. "Ah!" Lionel lost his balance and knelt in front of
Cassandra. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on his forehead due to the sharp pain he felt.
"Apologize!"
Rufus scowled, his voice resonating with quiet fury. He left no room for Lionel to disobey his command.