A Graduation Gift

Moonlight poured through the windows of the ward, shrouding Cassandra in an unabating silver glow. Her eyes were shut tight
as she drifted into dreams.
Rufus's lips couldn't help but curve up in a soft smile as he looked down at her. She looked peaceful. The only time Cassandra
was not on her guard was when she was sleeping.
It was actually quite interesting to tease her on purpose. It amused him to see her ears go red and her mouth twist into a scowl
when he provoked her shamelessly.
But watching her while she slept was fascinating too. He felt himself being drawn to her serene face.
It would undoubtedly be even more comforting to hold her in his arms as sleep took over both of them.
Looking back, Rufus was not sure when it all started. When did spending time with her become his favorite past-time?
When dawn came, he took his leave. Cassandra was still in deep sleep, a result of the drugs injecting through her IV drip.
Before stepping out, he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. His gaze held bottomless depths of sincere affection.
Cassandra woke up soon after Rufus left.
She realized that she had dreamed of him again.
At first, she had been sucked into a recurring nightmare. She remembered feeling like she was drowning and unable to come to
the surface while her lungs burned from the lack of air. Someone had finally pulled her up and relieved her of the torment.
That someone had been Rufus.
She shook her head in an attempt to forget the dream.
'Cassandra, what the hell? You promised yourself you would never think of him again. How could you dream about him? What's
wrong with you?'
she said to herself with frustration and shame, then tossed right back into bed.
Nevertheless, she couldn't help thinking of his beautiful eyebrows, his deep-set eyes, his straight nose which gave on to his
captivating lips...

She groaned out loud, 'Why couldn't I just get him out of my mind?
The last three days, Cloris had been keeping Cassandra company. That way, she also made sure she met Rufus at least once a
day.
She found it strange that he was in her sister's room every single time she arrived. He was always reading out Tang documents
or case projects though, so she turned a blind eye.
"Rufus, my sister hasn't healed completely yet. She shouldn't be working so soon. What's the hurry?"
Cloris said. She didn't want to bother him too much but was just curious about his work ethics.
Rufus answered her in a clipped, formal voice, totally unlike his casual manner with Cassandra, "It's not easy to be the manager
of the Design Department. People take notice of your every action and decision. If she doesn't work hard enough and people get
to know that she is Horace Tang's daughter-in-law, it could lead to complications."
It was stressful for Cassandra to deal with the bout of sudden work, but she was glad for his company. His presence soothed her
anxieties so she could easily redound to her exertion.
Not to mention he helped her a lot as they worked together. He pointed out her shortcomings, informed her what kind of
documents needed to be rejected, and which files needed to be amended.
Truth be told, if the documents were really so urgent, Rufus could have sent someone from the Design Department to bring
these to her. It was quite unnecessary for him to personally come here and work with her.
'Is it because he just wants to find an excuse to visit me in person?'
Cassandra wondered as she worried her lip. The possibility excited her, but then she figured that it was just a figment of her
overindulgent imagination and grew upset.
Eyes fixed on the wall behind Rufus, she thought of the gentle way with which he spoke to Cloris, his tone like the rush of a
spring breeze that charmed people thoroughly.
No woman was capable of resisting his extraordinary magnetism and attention. When he talked to someone, he made them feel
special. Besides, Cloris was so naive and inexperienced. No wonder she was attracted to Rufus.

It was obvious to Cassandra how enamored Cloris was. Every time her eyes flicked over to him, her gaze turned glassy, as if she
was bewitched by his very presence. The more time passed by, the deeper her attraction to him grew.
Cassandra knew it would be sensible to help Cloris get together with Rufus. It would be the best for everyone. So she tried her
best to help, even though the idea left her feeling like she had swallowed something bitter.
"Cloris wants to intern at our company. You know she is majoring in Administrative Management. Why not let her be Leo's
assistant?" she suggested.
Leo was practically Rufus's second hand. Being Leo's assistant would mean that Cloris will have more chances to interact with
Rufus.
Cloris, who was standing behind Rufus, beamed at her sister's suggestion. She blew her a kiss in impulse, her face flushing red.
Rufus glanced at Cassandra calculatingly, trying to determine what she was thinking, but she only smiled at him properly.
Disappointed, he lowered his gaze to the document and marked something important with his pen.
"I will inform HR. Leo does a great job. Cloris can learn a lot from him," he replied.
Cloris regularly heard people say her name, but it never made her as shy as it did coming from Rufus's soft mouth.
The faint lilt in his tone and the roll of his tongue when he said it was tantalizing to her.
The blush that rose on her cheeks was a telltale sign of her delight.
"Oh Rufus, thank you so much! I promise... I promise I will do my best to learn from Leo! I won't disappoint you!" Cloris flashed
him her white teeth in a coy smile.
Rufus smiled back at her, and Cloris felt like she was intoxicated on her favorite drink.
Cassandra let out a breath of relief.
Rufus heard her sigh and sensed the emotion hidden behind it. He winced furtively.
Why did his girl sound like she was glad to finally be getting rid of a burden?
Of course he had noticed that Cloris liked him, but the only reason he was nice to her was that she was Cassandra's sister.

Plus, he had other plans for her.
Cassandra got into Tang Group through the backdoor. Just because she had a superior position at the company didn't mean that
she could relax. It was imperative that she make extra efforts to win the admiration of her colleagues. She needed to be in their
good books.
He already had the experience of running a big group. Unlike him, however, Cassandra was a newbie. She had no one to help
her. It didn't matter she was top of her class in Rome.
He intended to train Cloris as Cassandra's assistant in the future so she could manage her sister's daily routine.
After all, they were sisters. Cloris would be more dedicated to her than a random stranger, and Cassandra would be able to gain
a footing in the company sooner than expected.
He wanted to stand by Cassandra and help her the best he could. Help her in gaining the necessary experience to flourish in the
company, and help her solve any problems she encountered.
Cassandra, however, was eager to do everything on her own. She didn't want to rely on others. He understood that about her.
He wanted to train her so well that one day she could soar through the skies all by herself.
In the few days Cassandra was admitted in the hospital, her so-called husband didn't show up even once.
After work, Lionel spent all his time with Ivy.
Her early pregnancy days were unstable. Lionel sacrificed all his entertainment to be with Ivy. After all, their baby was the key to
getting the company back in his hold.
His family knew that his relationship with Cassandra was tumultuous. What they didn't know, however, was that they had never
consummated yet.
Horace was eager to have a grandson because Tang Group needed an heir. Later, it would be important that the heir had an heir
of himself too.
Many years ago, Horace's elder brother didn't inherit the company because all his children were girls. The two brothers had
comparable talent, but their father handed over the family business to Horace, his younger son.

Rufus was still single, but Lionel had been married for four years now. In addition, Cassandra seemingly had spent a lot of time
with him.
If his wife couldn't get pregnant soon, Horace would no doubt grow anxious. He had already expressed his desire for a grandson
several times.
At this point, if Ivy wanted to become his wife, Horace would probably welcome her with open arms because of her pregnancy.
After all, compared to the perishing reputation of the Qin family, a heir to the Tang Group was far more important.
The day Cassandra was to be discharged from the hospital, Lionel drove there in person to pick her up. He wanted to make a
deal with her.
He whistled in a low voice as he strode to her ward, in a fantastic mood today. After all, he held the key to regaining his power in
the form of Ivy and their baby. But all his excitement vanished the second he opened the door.
While Cassandra was packing up her stuff, Rufus stood looking out by the window.
Lionel straightened his spine, on his guard immediately as he gazed suspiciously at the pair. He was sure that they were
involved romantically. They spent far too much time together.
It was one thing that he wanted to leave Cassandra, but he would never allow her to be intimate with Rufus. His self-esteem was
on the line.
"Darling, let's go home. I've come to pick you up!" Lionel announced sharply.
He pretended not to see Rufus and enveloped Cassandra in his strong arms. Burying his face into her hair, he inhaled deeply
and sighed in satisfaction to irritate his half-brother on purpose.
"I've been so busy lately. Sorry I didn't have time to come see you. How are you doing now?"
Lionel asked as if he cared. Jill had taught him never to show weakness in front of an enemy, no matter how bad the situation
got. He always bore that principle in mind.
A keen hunter was always exceptionable at detecting the weakness of his prey before striking it down.
However, Rufus was a keener hunter than him. He was more insightful than most people and saw through Lionel's ruse
immediately.

It was no wonder that he was so successful in business. His shrewdness had made sure he emerged safely on the other side of
every danger he faced.
And he had come back to this city not only to take over the reins of the Tang Group, but also to avenge an innocent and
vulnerable woman...