A Graduation Gift

Cassandra immediately felt silly when she realized what she was thinking. How could she suspect Rufus of doing such a thing?
Despite everything that he had been doing to the Tang family, she understood that it all came from his hatred for Horace and his
abandonment of him and his mother. As for Lyndsy, however, it did not make sense. There was no reason for him to cause her
harm.
Could it be that whatever happened to Lyndsy was done by her rival?
She walked towards the main entrance of the hospital while Rufus followed behind her, keeping a safe distance. Looking at the
back of her head and almost feeling her grief, he could not help but feel sad.
There were a group of reporters waiting outside already. One of them recognized her. Soon, the rest followed.
"Miss Qin, how is Lyndsy now?"
"Miss Qin, did you find out anything about the cause of the accident?"
"Miss Qin, what will Lyndsy's future be now that her face is disfigured?"
...
Countless microphones made their way towards her face. She almost felt as if she were being suffocated.
Rufus dashed to Cassandra, squeezed through the crowd and spread his long arms to give her some space.
"Lyndsy is awake now. We will address your questions later at the news conference!" he announced.
Without minding any of the burning questions the crowd of journalists had, Rufus scooped her into his arms and immediately
carried her away.
It had been a while since Cassandra was this close to him. She felt the warmth of his body, his familiar scent, his care, concern
and protection.
She knew that it would not be a good idea to talk to the reporters candidly. It was better if all the information was to be released
during the press conference. They had to come up with something formal that the news sites can base their reports from.

When they finally got to escape the annoying crowd of reporters, Rufus started to teach her a few rules of the entertainment
circle. Cassandra, though, did not absorb a word that he said. She found herself staring at the window in silence.
"Cassandra, you may be inexperienced in this kind of thing. Let me do it, okay?"
Rufus offered gently, knowing that she was still struck with grief because of what happened to Lyndsy. This was the first time that
Cassandra had to deal with a situation like this so it was understandable that she was having a hard time.
A bitter smile crept on her face. 'Let him do it?' Cassandra thought. 'Do I look like a loser who can't do anything on my own?'
"Why is it that I can't seem to handle problems well no matter how hard I try?"
she said slowly, her eyes filled with sorrow.
"I tried to save the Qin Group but failed. I tried to get rid of Clark but failed. Now, with Lyndsy, I can't even be of much help too.
Why do I always feel that fate is against me? Why is everything so difficult for me? I'm...so...exhausted..."
she said slowly as her eyes closed. A single tear surfaced at the corner of her eye and dropped.
By the time it hit the ground, Rufus felt as if his heart were pierced by a sharp needle. Seeing his strong, independent little
woman break down gave him agonizing pain.
He stretched out his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. He felt her tremble against his chest. Quietly, he assured her,
"Cassandra, please be mine. Stay with me. I don't want you to be in pain anymore. Stand behind me. I'll protect you. It hurts me
when I see you suffer."
Rufus never saw himself as someone who could speak lovingly to another human being. He was normally the type who
preferred to keep his feelings to himself. However, seeing Cassandra hurt was too much for him. He had to let it out.
While he intended to comfort her with his words, she seemed to start crying even harder.
She really was exhausted. Withstanding all the pressure for so long, this was the first time she was letting it out. It was all
happening here, right in front of Rufus.
Rufus rubbed her back gently to help her return to normal breathing and soothe her slowly.
"Don't cry. I'm here for you,"

Rufus whispered gently. As if his words were filled with some kind of magic, he managed to calm her down.
"You're so stupid sometimes. Why do you pressure yourself so much?"
Resting his chin on her head, he continued to embrace her and slowly swayed left and right. Gradually, he felt her tears starting
to stop.
When she seemed to stabilize, Cassandra gently got out of his embrace, wiped the tears off her face, and regained composure.
"I need to know what caused this accident," she stated with a determined look.
She had just recovered her emotions. Now, she felt revitalized and ready to take on more.
"Let me help you,"
Rufus offered. His eyes were brimmed with affection and a promise of protection.
This time, Cassandra kept silent. She neither agreed nor disagreed.
Although she didn't give a positive reply, this was enough to please Rufus.
Cassandra was like a hedgehog that could sting. The closer he went, the more likely he was to get hurt.
But Rufus knew that behind the protective layer was a kind heart that was almost fragile.
As they conversed, a set of eyes watched them from the dark.
The watcher squinted in thought, trying to guess what they were saying.
'It looks like they're talking again. Rufus must have already warned Cassandra about something, ' Clark thought.
It was as if the two men were playing a chess game. At this stage, they were both playing safe while they assessed the other's
strategy. Once one of them detected a weak spot, the real war would break out.
The person who had the chance to strike first would get a head start!
Behind the white tall building of the hospital, there lay a shadow. This was somewhat similar to life itself—no matter how
indomitable one might seem, he could be trapped by the shadow and fall into adversity at some point.

A storm was coming. Who was going to win this game?
Clark's eyes turned into thin crescents as a smug smile crept across his face.
He could already taste his victory.
Finally, the time to take off Lyndsy's bandage came.
Standing beside her bed were Cassandra and Rufus.
Layer by layer, the bandage was peeled off, revealing her face bit by bit.
Finally, it showed itself: multiple scars.
Cassandra's face turned pale. She could barely support herself. Her body shook several times. She would have already fallen if
it were not for Rufus's support.
She felt her back fall against his warm and sturdy chest. He was all that was keeping her upright. She struggled to regain her
balance and her composure.
"I need a mirror,"
Lyndsy immediately requested her parents. They stared at each other, neither of them daring to move.
"Is my face..."
Lyndsy started as horror filled her eyes. When no one reacted, her fear intensified. Slowly, she raised a hand to touch her cheek.
The difference in texture on the right side of her face, compared to her left, was very easy to detect. As soon as she felt the
rough marks, her heart sank.
"Give me a mirror!"
she yelled as she reached over to Cassandra. Cassandra did not know how to face the coldness in her eyes.
"Lyndsy, don't worry. I'm sure we can have the scars removed in the future,"
Cassandra tried her best to console Lyndsy, but even herself didn't really believe in the words she had just uttered.

To a superstar, the face would be one's greatest asset.
Everyone saw how prominent the scars were. Still, who could tell her the heartbreaking truth that this was possibly the end of her
career?
Lyndsy's hands started to tremble, but still stubbornly hung in the air.
"I want a mirror! Give me a mirror!"
she screamed hysterically and her body trembled just as much as her hands. Lyndsy's mother could not help but cry.
"Lyndsy, please don't do that. I'm sure there is a way to take care of the scars. There are so many advanced technologies out
there. The most important thing right now is for you to take care of your body..."
Cassandra was still attempting to console Lyndsy who suddenly broke down.
"I want to see! I want to see what I look like! I don't want to be fooled! I am not a fool!"
Lyndsy wept in desperatoin. Her usual sunny face was now filled with tears. It was hard not to sympathize with her.
Her crying almost made Cassandra cry too. Rufus pressed her shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Give her the mirror. She
has to face it eventually. How can she accept it without facing herself?"
The firm voice of Rufus helped Cassandra collect herself.
From her purse, Cassandra took out a compact mirror and handed it to Lyndsy. Throughout the process, she had her eyes fixed
on Lyndsy, observing all her tiny actions.
Lyndsy took the mirror and slowly opened it. The face she wanted to see so badly appeared right in front of her.
Her skin was pale and her hair was disheveled. Terror filled her wide-opened eyes as she gazed at herself in the mirror.
There were several scars on the right side of her face. Apparently, when she hit the ground, her cheek was cut by the sharp
rocks on the floor.
Apart from the deep scars, there were also marks of the collision between her face and the ground. The scratches were so
noticeable that they ruined her delicate face.

Her entire body shook even more aggresively. The face in the mirror was like a blackhole that suddenly engulfed her entire life.
In grief, she threw the mirror onto the floor.
"No. This isn't me. It's not me..."
she murmured. Her face was full of helplessness and fear; her eyes seemed to have lost focus.
Her mother rushed to hug her, wailing.
"Lyndsy, it's okay. It's okay, baby. You don't even have to be an actress anymore after this. It's okay."
Lyndsy's father also approached them. Extending his arms, he embraced his family. In the arms of her parents, Lyndsy
unceasingly wept.