A Graduation Gift

Horace's heart sank, feeling the weight of his cold glare. Rufus's words hit home. Still, he was determined not to give in just yet.
"Your mother didn't tell me she was pregnant. If I had known, there was no way I would have abandoned her!"
he answered to his defense. He looked back at Rufus, outraged for receiving a groundless accusation.
"You're not fooling anyone. Had she told you, I would have already been dead!"
Rufus sneered with disdain. How he wished he could kill the man in front of him right now. Remembering what Michelle had told
him, he was filled with so much hatred. It made him so hungry for revenge.
"Don't talk nonsense! You are my son, and I wouldn't let you die!"
Horace's face darkened. Rufus's words felt like daggers to his chest. He did not know where they all came from.
"Really? Why don't you go home and ask your wife? My mother was pregnant so she went to the Tang family residence to tell
you. But your wife, Jill, stopped her. She did not allow her to enter the premises and drove her away, even sending some men to
tail after her. My mother ran for her life. She almost got a miscarriage! She then realized that telling you about my existence was
impossible. Later, as if her misfortunes were not enough, her family disowned her so she was forced to fend for herself. That was
when she gave birth to me. She raised me on her own and never contacted you because you disappointed her. At that time, Jill
was your priority. You let her move in with you in the Tang family home, while you left nothing for my mother, even when she was
pregnant. Moreover, you had her kicked out by my grandfather. She lived a hard life all because of you!"
Rufus clenched his fists, trying hard to resist his urge to hit him.
Horace, on the other hand, grew even more serious.
"Jill never told me about this. I didn't even know that this happened. If I had known that I had a son, I would have never let your
mother suffer so much,"
Horace replied. Pity showed in his eyes as he wondered about the kind of life she lived. It must have been difficult. She did not
deserve that. She was such a tender woman. He had been living in his mansion oblivious to all that happened, until now.
"Stop pretending to be sorry, Horace! You two have shared the same bed for so many years. How is it possible that you don't
know what kind of person she is? You didn't want to face my mother. That was why you sent Jill to fend her off, instead. Am I
right?"

Rufus shot, addressing him by name. His message was clear. Horace was not his father and he was tired of pretending
otherwise.
"How dare you talk to me like that! I am your father no matter what happens!"
Horace boomed sternly. Now, he realized how futile his efforts were. Rufus would never yield to him and he would never go back
and help the Tang Group to pull through.
Now, he also understood why Rufus and Jill never got along, and why Rufus resigned and left the company so easily. He didn't
care about Tang Group at all.
"Is this your decision? You will just walk away? Tang Group will perish!"
Horace asked, fixing his eyes at Rufus as he held his crutch tightly. The tension of the moment made him shiver.
"Yes, this is my decision. As a matter of fact, it has always been my dream to destroy the Tang Group with my own hands. As I
grew older, though, I realized that seeing it ruined by someone else was a better idea. It is not worth my time and energy. I want
to see you suffer. I want you to regret what you did to me and my mother. I want you to be helpless knowing that the child you
wanted to kill is now the only one who can save you and your family. I want you to beg, I want you to be desperate, but at the
end of the day, still come home with nothing. Because I will never help you out. I will never pull you out of this. Never..."
A chilling smile formed across Rufus's face. He was elated. He fantasized about this moment all his life. Getting the words out for
the first time in his life, he felt free.
Horace was stunned. This was not how he imagined things to pan out. In his mind, he thought that Rufus only wanted an
apology and would easily forgive him if he felt it was sincere enough. For the longest time, he believed that Rufus was dedicated
to the Tang Group and was determined to see it through just as much as he was.
Now, however, he realized that he was very wrong. Rufus had been tending to his hatred his whole life and devoted it all to seek
revenge.
Horace stared at him, at a loss for words. Color had left his face. Then, his lips started to move a bit until he eventually managed
to speak.
"I...I deserve it...I deserve it..." he mumbled.

Then, he turned around and walked away with the help of his cane. He wanted to get away from the moment as fast as he could.
His weak, aged body, however, would not let him do that. He walked slowly with heavy feet. Every step was a struggle.
Still, he persisted. In his mind, there was a black hole right in front of him and he walked towards it eagerly. The moment he
managed to walk past the courtyard's gate, he fainted and fell to the ground.
The driver who had been waiting outside immediately jumped and rushed towards Horace. Fear filled him, he cradled the old
man's head in his arms and shouted desperately, "Mr. Tang, wake up, please. Mr. Tang!"
This was something the driver had never experienced before. He was at a loss for what to do.
Luckily, Cassandra, who just arrived from the hospital, spotted the familiar figure lying on the ground. Walking closer to
investigate, she then realized that it was Horace!
She raised her head to find Rufus. The gate was not locked. Through its opening, she saw him. Rufus was at the doorway,
looking at Horace on the ground with cold, indifferent eyes.
Cassandra rushed towards Horace without thinking twice. Upon looking at him, she knew that something was very, very wrong,
so she called in an ambulance immediately.
Help soon arrived and took Horace away. The whole time, Rufus did nothing. He just stood by the door, looking at the dying man
as if he were in another world. He watched his own flesh and blood, the man who gave him life, struggle at the brink of death.
He was supposed to be happy. But why was he not feeling anything?
He imagined this moment all his life. In his head, finally telling Horace that all his life he had prepared for the moment when he
could go back to the Tang family to send them to hell, would be the most thrilling experience of his life.
But now that he finally did it, why did it feel...bland?
After the ambulance left, Cassandra urged the driver to make a call to the Tang family to inform them of the accident. She had to
make sure Horace would be attended to. Soon, things started to calm down and she found herself standing alone at the place
where Horace, just a few moments ago, lay almost dying. She looked at Rufus from across the courtyard.
Then, she mouthed something as she stared at him with cold eyes.
Rufus, from the other side, saw her and immediately understood.

She said, "That was cruel."
He didn't know how to respond so he didn't. His face remained blank. Cassandra turned around and entered the next house
without even looking back at him.
She probably thought he was a monster. When the man who gave him life struggled to live right outside his gates, he did
nothing.
A smile formed on his face. It wasn't a victor's smile. It was a bitter smile.
'You think I'm cold-blooded, Cassandra? I guess you're right. I am cold-blooded just like a snake. I've been crawling under the
ground all these years to prepare for this moment. My mother's sickness, my hatred towards the father who abandoned us...Do
you have any idea how painful I've felt?' Rufus murmured in his heart.
He could still remember his mother's face. She was a strong and independent woman. She had a very promising future. Only,
Horace ruined her.
When he was a little boy, Rufus and his mother passed by a store that sold musical instruments. Inside, a beautiful melody got
his attention. Unable to ignore it, he went in without telling his mother.
The music was coming from a customer who was trying out the piano. Rufus got very curious. Drawn in by the sound, he
reached over to touch the keys.
Suddenly, the storekeeper appeared and said in a disdainful tone, "Don't touch them, kiddo! You don't even know how to play!"
Little Rufus winced. He drew back his hand and was so afraid that he might stain the shiny piano keys with his filthy fingerprints.
The keys were so immaculate that one could even see his own reflection on them.
Later, his mother found him wandering in the store and immediately ran towards him in her plain clothes.
"Why did you come in, Rufus? Let's go," she said.
Then, she pulled his arm to lead him out.
"Teach your kid not to touch things that don't belong to him. Just because you don't have money, doesn't mean you're allowed
not to have manners. Can you even play the piano? Can you even afford it? Pfft..."

The storekeeper continued to say with contempt as they left. Rufus was embarrassed. He did not really touch the keys, though.
Despite his age, he knew his limits. Still, the humiliation hurt him.
His mother, however, who was always kind and preferred to keep a low-profile, did something unexpected. She turned around
and said something stern to the man while keeping a gentle smile on her face.
"Will you apologize to my son if I can play the piano? He didn't break them. He even didn't touch them. You are not supposed to
say such things,"
the mother said as she looked at the storekeeper with confident eyes.
The man did not seem to believe her, thinking that she was bluffing. Arrogantly, he dared, "Hum, go ahead! Show me!"
To him, it was impossible for such a poor woman to know how to play the piano.
Rufus's mother took a deep breath, let go of his hand, walked towards a piano, and sat down on the music stool.
She stretched her hands. They were calloused and dry from work, yet, her fingers were slender and long.
She pressed some keys to tune the piano. The storekeeper laughed at her at the broken tunes.
The next moment, however, his mother's fingers began to dance on the black and white keys like a nimble bird flying in the
forest.
An elegant melody came out from her fingers. Rufus's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at his mother in disbelief. He could
not believe what was happening in front of him!
The storekeeper was stunned as well. His mouth fell in his surprise.
What she was playing was actually a very difficult piece!