A Graduation Gift

Cassandra's heart pounded as she saw the silhouette of people waiting for her, their features becoming more and more distinct
as the car came near the entrance. Her eyes found her mother's, and she almost leapt out of the car as soon as it came to a halt.
She ran to Edith and wrapped her in her arms. "Mother," she said in an almost choked voice. Her joy was unexplainable as she
felt her mother's own arms gather her. She took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent lull her.
It was a very warm reunion. The other members of the Qin family had gathered together to welcome Cassandra, their delight for
her return was evident on the bright smiles on their faces. Vernon, however, stood silently on one side as if it was nothing
special, even if he hadn't seen his own daughter for so many years.
Standing next to Vernon was a woman who had a face that was strikingly similar to Cassandra's. They had the same bright eyes
and high nose, but she wore her hair in a chin-length bob, giving her a doll-like look.
That was Cloris, who was a spitting image of her older sister. However, her attention was pulled away from Cassandra to the
handsome stranger who came with her.
He was standing silently behind her, tall, and handsome. It was impossible not to notice him, despite his quietness. And although
Cloris wasn't familiar with her brother-in-law, she knew that the man behind Cassandra was not him.
Turning to her sister, she greeted her warmly and took her hand. "Cassandra, you came home. Finally! We have all missed you
so much. Who is the handsome man behind you?"
she asked enthusiastically.
Cassandra nodded her head at her father and greeted him politely. Cloris and she did not grow up together, as they lived in
different places, but she was glad for her warm welcome. As if in response to her question, she turned around and met Rufus'
eyes. It was as if the world stopped for a split-second as they smiled at each other at the same time. Before she could speak,
Vernon said with his heavy voice, "Alright, let's go inside."
Upon that, Edith grabbed her daughter's hand and walked inside. Bright voices filled the air as the family laughed and talked on
the way back to the mansion.
Everyone settled in the living room with some hot tea and biscuits on the table. Amidst the conversations, Vernon stared at Rufus
who was sitting across from him.
"I have heard a lot of things about you, Mr. Luo. We are very much impressed by your achievements in the Tang Group... Thank
you for accompanying Cassandra here today."

The courtesy Vernon showed in his words was devoid of any warmth, as if he was keeping a distance between them.
"My pleasure, Mr. Qin. Besides, it was my father who asked me to do so,"
Rufus replied, choosing his words wisely. He understood the cause of Vermon's actions, and picked up on the silent question
that belied his uncharacteristic civility, as everyone else in the room might be thinking the same thing. For it was he, not Lionel,
Cassandra's husband, who was with her today.
"Father, Rufus takes care of me a lot, whether it is in the company, or at home. Therefore..."
Cassandra found herself explaining, but hesitantly her words trailed off. She caught a weird feeling and decided against
elaborating their connection.
"Lionel must be very busy lately,"
Vernon said after a pause. He coughed looking meaningfully at Cassandra.
"Well...I guess so."
In fact, Cassandra knew nothing about Lionel's work, not to mention whether he was busy or not.
"I see. Now I understand why he didn't come home with you and asked Mr. Luo instead. That's alright. Men should focus on their
career,"
Vernon continued, his voice laced with disappointment despite his unchanged expression.
"Father," Cloris interjected, glancing at Rufus, "I think Mr. Luo is as good as his brother. Hello, Mr. Luo. I'm Cloris, Cassandra's
sister."
Compared to Vernon, Cloris was much more welcoming in her treatment of the man who came with her sister. She put her hands
around Vernon's neck, acting like a spoiled child. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Rufus the moment he stepped in the mansion.
Vernon remained silent since his favorite daughter had made a statement. Seeing how her father treated Cloris brought a sting in
Cassandra's chest. He was visibly enamored by her, and Cloris knew it too, from the way she so easily persuaded him, as if it
was something ordinary and familiar. Cassandra lowered her head and pulled her eyes away from the two of them as she
struggled against the ache that grew inside her.

As memory of childhood came to her mind, she remembered that she had never had such interactions with her father. The two of
them were more like strangers than father and daughter. In Cassandra's impression, Vernon was someone who was always
serious. It was only now that she saw him display such emotions, when she found herself looking at the two of them and noticed
the disparity between the way he treated her and her sister.
He had never looked at her so tenderly before.
"Dinner is ready. I bet the two of you are hungry after such a long journey. Should we go to the dining room?"
Edith said, pulling Cassandra away from her thoguhts. Her gentle voice was comforting and Cassandra felt some of the pain
dissipate with her mother's voice.
They all headed to the dining room. Rufus stood up and looked at Cassandra, his chest tighten as he watched her expression.
Her eyes had lost their usual brightness. Her lips fell in a flat line when she walked slowly, as if she was being careful in her own
home. Rufus was a stranger to the Qin family, and he knew nothing about Cassandra's relationship with them. He felt a
heaviness as she walked, oblivious to his gaze. Cassandra, the woman who looked tough and strong outside, must be carrying
her own secret sorrows.
After dinner, Cloris kept pestering Rufus, smiling at him cutely and trying her best to coax him into more conversations. She had
been stealing looks at him all throughout the time.
Rufus replied to her questions and smiled at her politely, but he made no effort on his own to talk to her. He didn't seem to be
attracted by Cloris, and yet he didn't reject her, which made Cloris even more interested in this elusive stranger.
On the other side of the room, Edith made a discreet gesture at Cassandry and the two of them disappeared into the bedroom.
Edith sat on the bed and motioned Cassandra to the spot next to her. She held her daughter's hands, with an anxious expression
on her face.
"Cassandra, how can you came home with your brother-in-law? This is the first time you came home after your marriage. Your
father is happy about this," she said.
Edith sounded anxious. She seemed almost disappointed at Cassandra.
"Mother, I don't understand."

Cassandra was taken aback and confused at her mother's words. She didn't expect her, of all people, to say such things. She
pulled back her hands indifferently.
"Well, don't be mad at me. I was just trying to tell you that you should have come back with Lionel, your husband. After all, it's the
your first visit after the marriage. Even if Lionel was busy, or on off the chance he didn't want to come, it wasn't proper that you
brought another man here. What would others think about our family if they find out about this?"
Edith had already sensed that her daughter's disappointment, but she still decided to speak her mind.
"Alright. I got it,"
Cassandra said, levelling her voice to prevent it from rising. She didn't want to argue with her mother, especially now that she
had just come back.
Edith softened her tone as she saw Cassandra's clenched fists. She reached out once more and gently rubbed her hands with
hers.
"But, how can Lionel ask his brother to do such thing for him? He should be the one escorting his wife no matter how," she said.
Cassandra couldn't help the bitterness that rose to her throat. A part of her screamed for her to stop what she was about to say
next, but the words flew out before she could think otherwise. "What do you expect? You know that Lionel and I didn't have
feelings for each other. When you decided to trade me to the Tang family, you should have anticipated this," she stood up from
the bed abruptly and stated in her icy voice. "I'm sorry for being an embarrassment on the first day back."
For a moment, she wanted to take back her words when she saw her mother's expression, but it was too late. The damage had
been done, and she could no longer hold back the ill feelings she tried so hard to bury. The past few days had been especially
difficult, and she had to go through everything alone. Any warmth she had felt upon her return was withering, and in its place, the
resentment she had harbored over the years was threatening to boil over and flow like flood.
"Cassandra..."
Edith was left wordless by her daughter's words. She looked at Cassandra hesitatingly, her lips opening, then closing again.
"If father isn't happy about this, then let him be. I don't think I'm indebted to him in any way, after he had already decided my life.
Was that not enough? What else does he want from me?"

She had never wanted to punish or blame her mother for the things she had no control over. Cassandra knew that it wasn't her
mother's fault, but she couldn't stop herself from lashing out. She did not know how else to stop the anger from completely
claiming her.
If she knew that things would go like this, she would have chosen not to return.
Unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere, she turned around and walked out of the bedroom. With tear-filled eyes, Edith
watched her daughter flee from the room, her head bowed.
Evening came. Moonlight washed over the Qin mansion, lending it an ethereal silvery light reflected on the wall. 'Would my
family be able to own and live in this mansion if I didn't marry Lionel?' Cassandra thought to herself as she took in the sight.
Despite the glimmer, she found none of the wonder that would have come over anyone else at such a grand sight.
She was walking alone in the backyard of the mansion. It felt both foreign and familiar. After all, she did not live in this place long
enough to be able to call it home.
Her childhood days were spent with her grandmother. She lived in the countryside - with verdant grass sprawling like an endless
carpet under her feet, the smell of the fields in harvest season, and the stars that shone like distant lamps in the sky. Those
times were probably the happiest in her life. She didn't move into this mansion until her grandmother passed away. Back then,
the floor was made of concrete, the halls echoed empty, and the glaring lights of the chandelier were poor substitutes for her
stars.
Then, as if to make things even worse, Vernon traded her for his business, marrying her to the Tang family. Any remaining
happiness or hope that she had deserted her when her own family offered her like they would any other merchandise. And yet,
not once did she complain. She chose to save them from the suffering and claimed the entirety of the burden. Hot tears flowed
as she thought of all the things she wanted to fling at them. She thought, they would at least be understanding, but she was
wrong.
She placed a hand over her mouth as she sobbed, not wanting her sobs to reach the ears of the people inside the house. Even
now, she had to contain her grief alone, in the place that was suppossed to be her home. She sucked in deep breaths and her
shoulders heaved as she wrapped an arm around herself to contain her quivers.
"Cassandra,"
a familiar voice called from behind her. Cassandra turned around to the silhouette of a man, her tears falling down from her face.

All at once, she was enveloped in strong and steady arms. Before she could say anything, Rufus pulled her to his chest,
murmuring softly in her ears, "It's alright. I'm here."
At his words, Cassandra felt the full weight of her sorrow crash upon her shoulders and she finally let the storm of her emotions
go in Rufus' arms.