A Graduation Gift

Ivy, on the other hand, walked inside and closed the door behind her. She headed straight to the bathroom to take a shower. She
stood under the warm water, closing her eyes and running her hands over herself obsessively.
Adrian was young and aggressive, and he had been persistent. And Ivy wasn't seeing anyone in particular. She had no good
reason to refuse him.
Adrian's young body was like a perfectly ripe fruit, firm and supple, and ready for the taking. It was as if she returned to her youth
every time they were together.
Many years ago, when she was a young girl, she held the attention of all men around her, and played with them to her heart's
content. But she was not getting any younger as time continued to pass.
Her appearance hadn't changed much over the years, but Ivy knew that she no longer possessed any of the pure, unsullied
charm younger women had about them. She knew it better than anyone else, as every day only took away what remained of her
luster. And as if to add salt to her wounds, Clark had never shown any interest in her. She was getting older the way pearls
changed its colors until it became an unsightly yellow.
Ivy smiled bitterly to herself as she turned the heat higher. The water had turned from warm to hot, and her skin flushed from the
temperature. It was only at these times that Ivy felt she was young again, her skin rosy and soft. She let herself linger with the
comfort of the illusion.
The taxi pulled to a stop in front of a bar. Adrian stepped out and headed inside, ordering his usual drink. The alcohol arrived
quickly, and he took a long, cold swig of the amber liquid.
"Adrian! You're looking good these days!"
A man came over and gave him a small salute. For the past days, Adrian was loose with money, and now the people around
were almost certain he had found a rich mistress.
"You think so? That's good to hear. When I make a lot of money, I'll definitely remember you, bro!" he beamed, feeling himself
swell at the compliment.
Waving a hand to the bartender, he ordered the man another of his drink.
Prompted with alcohol, the man continued to recite flatteries which rang clear in Adrian's ears and lightened his mood. They went
on until midnight and walked out the bar swaying back and forth.

Clark's watchful eyes followed the young man's every movement. His mouth curled into a smile, lips dripping with malice.
Ivy, that sly woman! No wonder Lionel left her. She was about as useful as wet matches. He remembered how she had begged
for him, making big declarations about her loyalty, but it turned out that she was sleeping with another man.
If she thought she could play him for a fool, then she was dead wrong.
Clark was no Lionel.
Reaching for his phone, he dialed a number and gave out orders, "I want information on a man called Adrian Li. Investigate
everything about him, especially his relationship with Ivy Luo."
His expression did not shift as he spoke, but darkness loomed in his eyes like the clouds of a brewing storm.
Not long after, the report was delivered. Adrian had a cousin who had worked for Cassandra before, and Cassandra had been to
A City after the earthquake because of the girl.
Ivy had all but kissed his feet the last time they met. Despite this, he did not completely trust her.
And as it turned out, he was right. He had sensed it, the traitorous streak underneath the pretty face. Ivy was like a ticking time
bomb—sooner or later, she would explode. Clark smiled to himself as he thought of how clueless she was about what would
happen next.
Adrian had been on a consistent splurge night after night, having more than his fill of alcohol, women, and noise. He was always
too inebriated to notice something slipped into his glass. This went on for some time. His days were the same as yesterday,
going out at night and returning in the morning. All throughout his seeming surplus of energy, he never once stopped to question
why he never felt tired. Attributing the change to his mood, he embraced the extra kick he felt every night. By the time he finally
recognized his abnormality, it was too late and he found himself addicted.
One night, as he was curling himself up and shivering on the ground in agony, the shadow of a man showed up in front of him
and said, "If you want to save yourself, all you have to do is listen to what I say." Adrian looked at him with hazy eyes, struggling
to focus on his words. The man crouched over him and continued, "Go to the police and tell them what Ivy Luo has ordered you
to do." As if to make sure he understood, the man proceeded to narrate close to his ear, "She stole the bidding document from
Lionel Tang and sold it to Arthur Zhuang as revenge." The cold voice rang in Adrian's ears.

The man stood up again. He looked like the devil himself in the darkness, but to Adrian, he appeared like a Messiah, offering him
his deliverance.
Adrian nodded his head vigorously to show his agreement, even as his body continued to be plagued with incessant shivers.
"Okay. I understand. I'll do whatever you ask me to do! I promise!"
Adrian croaked out in between dry heaves. His face was distorted in pain and his skin was ghastly against the dark pavement.
The man's teeth gleamed white in the darkness before turning away.
Then there was a soft thud as a packet landed on the ground. Adrian crawled over and reached out, opening it hurriedly. At the
sight of its contents, a manic laugh came out from him, and he took a sniff of the drug like it was the breath of life.
A few days later, newspapers bled with shocking headlines that more or less said the same thing: Former lovers turned into
enemies; The prospective daughter-in-law of Horace Tang did an inside job.
The man clutched the paper as his eyes lit up in pleasure.
'Kill with a borrowed knife. How do you like betrayal now, Ivy?' the man thought, his lips curling into a sinister smile.