A Graduation Gift

Back in high school, Cassandra was obsessed with Ferris wheels.
For her, they were big toys that gave you a slow flight over the sky, taking you all the way to breath-taking heights before bringing
you back to the ground where you could recapture the wonderful experience. It seemed to her that its shape alone symbolized
endless happiness.
She had wished, more than once, that she could one day take a ride on it with her beloved one, kissing and hugging him under
the stars.
It might have been beautiful, but she now knew it was all but a little girl's romantic fantasy.
Rufus took a look at the Ferris wheel before looking back at Cassandra beside him. Then, as if he had read her mind, he turned
and asked, "Do you want to take a ride?"
Cassandra, however, shook her head silently. The Ferris wheel did remind her of her long, cherished desire, but she didn't want
to satisfy it since she hadn't found her love in the real life. She would rather not ruin the fairy tale. She would wait for the prince.
"The amusement park will be rebuilt soon, and this Ferris wheel will probably be torn down. Our company has talked to the head
of the park, and if everything goes well, we may win the bid for the rebuilding," said Rufus.
Cassandra jerked her head in his direction upon hearing his words, with a?twinkle?in her?eyes.
So she might be able to redesign the park? And finally bring the Ferris wheel in her dream into reality, after so many years? She
couldn't believe her luck.
Again, she stared at the glittering big toy, lost in her thoughts. The colored lights of the wheel reflected brightly in her eyes.
Not far away from them, Lionel was talking to a man with a salt-and-pepper beard while walking through the crowds.
The man was introducing the park's existing facilities and explaining ideas for future plans to Lionel, but Lionel's thoughts were
far away.
He hated working overtime, but he was ordered to conduct site investigation as soon as possible since the board favored the
project. He was already upset by the extra work, and the bustling scene here further annoyed him.
Not knowing what was in Lionel's mind, the man went on guiding him enthusiastically through the park. When they reached the
Ferris wheel, the man stopped and pointed to this eye of the park, surrounded by neon lights.

"We plan to rebuild it into the biggest one in Asia, and move it to the centre of the park to make it a landmark," the man declared,
with a hint of pride.
Lionel looked up at the Ferris wheel, which made a blaze of color against the night sky.
Just when he tried to turn away from the dazzling lights, he saw a familiar figure.
Cassandra!
And the person by her side was none other than Rufus!
Cassandra was holding a big toy bear, standing shoulder to shoulder with Rufus. Lionel couldn't hear what they were talking
about, but he saw the delighted look on her pretty face.
While Rufus, a man?of?composure?and mildness, now was standing by her gentlemanly, looking her in the eye. He was tall and
handsome, and even more so under the lights. Girls passing by all stole a second look at him.
To them, they must have looked like a happy couple on a date in this romantic park.
Furious, Lionel clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. His veins stood out on his temples. His eyes flashed with
anger.
He had long suspected their relationship and had sent people to investigate it several times. But he couldn't find evidence to
back up what he thought until today.
He saw them together in such an intimate manner in this place for couples, with his own eyes. This was enough evidence for
him.
He stormed up to confront them, leaving the middle-aged man behind. His grim face could scarcely conceal his anger.
"What are you two doing here?" he asked sharply.
Cassandra was still drawing a beautiful blueprint for the park in her mind when she was suddenly snapped back to reality by an
angry voice. She whipped her head around and was astonished to find Lionel standing behind.
His face was dark. The anger showed in his eyes. It looked as if he wanted to kill her.

Rufus, on the contrary, appeared?unperturbed at Lionel's appearance. He merely shot him a sideways glance before saying
coldly, "What's so strange about us doing field inspection here?"
"So you are here to check out the site?"
Lionel asked less aggressively. He suddenly realized that Rufus's answer left him with no chance to vent on them. He decided to
hide his anger.
After coming to herself, Cassandra began to feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. Although there was nothing between her and
Rufus, and what they had been doing was no more than talking and looking around, she was still vexed when Lionel discovered
that she got along with Rufus in private. It was embarrassing that Lionel questioned them in such a way as if they were having an
affair, not to mention that the middle-aged man, who turned out to be the head of the park, was looking at the three of them with
curious eyes and an expression fraught with meaning on his face.
Rufus raised his chin to show disdain for Lionel. He said nothing to answer Lionel's question. Instead, he bowed and comforted
Cassandra gently.
"You can start drawing the first draft of the design after Lionel finalizes the contract. Make it anyway you like this time. I believe
the Tang family will give you their full support," he uttered in her ear.
Lionel blew his top hearing what Rufus said. Cassandra was his wife, yet this shameless man talked to her so freely and
intimately, acting like that she belonged to him! It was truly an insult to him.
He managed to hold his anger back considering that there were others present. But he went up and deliberately pulled
Cassandra into his arms, to show that she was his woman and no one else's. Then, he turned to the middle-aged man, who was
still surprised and confused, "Let's call it a day, Mr. Zhang. We can talk about it some other day!" he said.
Then, he turned and met Rufus with a stern look, his lips curling into a condescending smirk.
"You work so hard, Mr. Luo. I thank you on behalf of the Tang Group. It's an honor for us to have someone so devoted to our
company, who is willing to work at this late hour, like you. But I'm sorry you will have to work alone now, for I must take my wife
home right away," he sneered.
As soon as he had finished speaking, he tightened his hand on Cassandra and forced her to go with him.
Seeing them leaving without even looking back, Rufus stood there without speaking. But the grim look on his handsome face told
the loss he felt.

Cassandra struggled to free herself. "Don't you dare to defy me, or I will make sure that you won't be able to sleep alone tonight!
I'm warning you," Lionel whispered furiously.
Cassandra went red with terror. She could only look dejectedly over her shoulder at Rufus as she left with Lionel.
Looking at their backs, Rufus's eyes were filled with disappointment and sorrow. His arms fell to his sides, then he suddenly
clenched his fists.
Lionel had ruined everything. His happiness would always be short-lived if he couldn't change this situation. 'End it all!' A voice
screamed deep inside him.
'End all of this, as soon as possible!'
Everything was shrouded in darkness outside the park. When they reached the car, Lionel threw Cassandra in, and got in
without releasing her wrist. He asked through clenched teeth, sporting an angry grimace, "Why are you always with Rufus? Tell
me now, what did you two plan to do next if I didn't catch you in the act? It's very late, you should be at home, don't you think so?
Know your place, Mrs. Tang!"
Cassandra screwed up her face in pain as Lionel almost crushed her arm. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but she held them
back.
"As you saw, we were talking about the park project. It was all about work,"
Cassandra replied as calm as she could. She never met his gaze from the beginning, and stared out the window even when
answering his question. She just wanted out.
The more indifferent she was, the more irritated Lionel became. 'Work, huh? I wasn't born yesterday!' he thought furiously. She
couldn't fool him. He had seen the way she looked at that man! She was smiling in a way she had never smiled at him!
"Listen, Cassandra! Stay away from Rufus! Do you hear me?"
Lionel spat, subconsciously doubling the strength to squeeze her arm, as if to crush it. He was so pissed off that he failed to
notice that Cassandra had turned pale from the pain.
"What makes you think you can decide who should be my friend and who should not?" Cassandra responded with the same
composure. "I think we made a deal when getting married that we will never interfere in each other's lives, didn't we, Mr. Tang?"

she added, flashing a mocking smile. She saw no point in arguing with this man, who had brazenly brought his mistress back to
the Tang family. 'Who are you to meddle in my affairs?' she thought.
What was more, their marriage was nothing but a sham. All they had to do was to play their own parts and put on a good show.
Surely he should not wish for anything more than that!
"Don't you dare! You are my wife, and you are not allowed to get that close to a man, especially when it is Rufus!" Lionel almost
yelled at her.
He seemed to have lost control of his emotions and pressed himself against her to bully her more. Whether due to rage or
jealousy, veins on his forehead kept bulging. He really hated it when she was indifferent, for it made him feel like this woman
would leave him at any time. He wanted her under his thumb!
"Sorry, but I'm tired. Let's go back now,"
Cassandra softened her tone a bit after looking at his angry face. She was alarmed by how mad he had become, and gave him a
quick and wary glance. But she still didn't want to talk about this matter with him or explain herself to him.
Because she liked Rufus, which she couldn't deny. And she didn't think it was necessary to tell Lionel about it. But, even if she
could hide it from others, she couldn't lie to herself.
She felt truly happy only when she was with Rufus.
That man might not be good at expressing himself, and was even a bit quiet sometimes, but little by little, he gave her a sense of
security and warmed her heart, in a way no one else could. Rufus. Yes, it was Rufus who had been the sunshine in her life, and
brought light into her soul.
Since she had sacrificed her true love for this marriage of convenience, she would not let others deprive her of her right to decide
who she liked or to whom her heart really belonged.
Cassandra knew what she did after getting drunk that night was wrong, but she regretted about it no more.
Feeling miserable, she kept telling herself all the time that she must endure it—the shame, pain and humiliation—for the sake of
the Qin family.
"Looks like you will not stop seducing other men if I don't make you my woman and satisfy your lust!" Lionel spat out, enraged.

Now Cassandra could no longer ignore the wickedness in his eyes. Her eyes popped out in fear as she sensed that the car filled
up with danger.
"What are you doing, Lionel? Let go of me!"