A Graduation Gift

Seeing the contented smile on Jenks's face encouraged Cassandra to go on with sharing her ideas.
"Nursing homes aren't just a place for elders to kill time. We can build it into a three-bedroom apartment where elders can
actually live together, chatting, making friends, and having fun. This will make them feel like they are living in an actual home
instead."
Jenks nodded, signalling his approval.
"I need you to work overtime the next few days to finish the design. Even though I'm appointing you to this case, you still have to
work hard and deliver a good design to be able to convince the shareholders that you're the right person for this project. Do your
best and show them what you've got!"
"Thank you Director Tong for the opportunity! I won't let you down!"
Cassandra appreciated his confidence in her and it solidified her resolve.
As Cassandra packed her things to leave, Dylon stood up and said, "Father, I'd like to walk Cassandra out."
He then left the office with Cassandra.
"Can we have a walk together?"
Dylon asked as he sighed to himself.
The usual smile on Dylon's face was replaced by a concerned look, alerting Cassandra that something was upsetting him.
"What's wrong? You don't look like your usual self,"
Cassandra asked with a hint of worry in her voice.
Dylon had saved her life in the past, so her heart aches as the once cheerful Dylon was now wrapped in worry. She decided to
try and take some pressure off his shoulders.
"I was planning to tell my father that I'll be going away for a trip next week. But I don't have the heart to hurt his feelings, he
works so hard at this old age,"
Dylon confessed with a rueful look on his face as his mind went into turmoil.

Cassandra suddenly recalled what Jenks said to her the other night, "My son doesn't want to take over the family business and
just keeps to his interest... He wants to go to the tropical forests, the grasslands, and the deserts. He brought his camera
equipment and stayed there for months at a time..."
In the past, Cassandra was able to persuade Jenks to accept his son's hobbies and cheer up. Maybe he would change his mind
one day and grant his father's wishes.
But the truth was that Dylon really wasn't interested in all about the family business. Jenks had no other choice but to find a new
successor which was very difficult for him. He worked all his life in the hospital. How could he hand it over to anyone else other
than his son?
He wanted Dylon to take it over. No one else.
But, to avoid fighting with his own son, he did not force the job upon him. This was why Dylon was able to stick to his hobbies all
those years.
Cassandra thought about what to say for a minute. She composed herself then said, "Dylon, I have to tell you something. Let's
go to the aisle over there."
The serious expression on Cassandra's face told Dylon that what she had to say was very important. So he didn't ask any
questions and simply walked with her to the aisle.
As summer was coming to an end, the crepe myrtle bushes had all but gone. It was now very comfortable to bath under the
sunshine during the warm afternoon.
"Dylon, what I'm about to say should stay between you and me. Please keep this a secret if you value me as your friend,"
Cassandra said in earnest and Dylon nodded at her approvingly.
"Of course I will keep your secret! Don't worry about it, Cassandra."
Cassandra gathered her thoughts for a minute and started telling Dylon her story.
She recounted how her family business went bankrupt so her parents married her to Lionel as a trade-off to help the family. She
then told him her dream and the dilemma she was trapped in, essentially repeating what she said to his father the other day.
Dylon's face slowly became serious as he listened to Cassandra's story and his eyes softened a bit.

Cassandra shrugged as she finished her story.
"You see, everyone has their own struggles. But we all have the right to choose the life we want the same as you have the right
to refuse to take over your family business.
Even though my husband doesn't like me, I never regret marrying him. Because I did it for my parents. They brought me to the
world and raised me up. I can't ignore them to chase my own dreams.
My parents are getting older by the day. I need to grit my teeth and take whatever life has to give because we simply just can't
lose the Qing group."
Cassandra felt a sudden rush of relief as the words left her mouth.
She actually did not want her colleagues know about her background. Otherwise they might treat her favorably because of her
parents. She wanted to earn everything by what she did, not her name.
Cassandra told Dylon everything because he and his father were different from her colleagues, they were both kind and he had
helped her.
Something inside her still hoped that the two could still smooth over their differences and became close again. She knew what it
felt to grow away from one's family, and she did not want it to happen to Dylon.
Dylon felt a hard thumping on his chest as his heart raced. He did not expect that Cassandra was already married, more so in an
arranged marriage by her parents.
Suddenly, he recalled the day he was able to pull the upset Cassandra out of the way of a fast moving car.
Now, Cassandra was able to make him see the situation in a whole new light as he was struggling between two choices.
People certainly had the right to chase their dream, but they still had to take their family, especially their parents, into
consideration.
"I will think carefully about it. Thank you for sharing your secret with me, Cassandra,"
he said sincerely with tears coming out of his eyes.
Cassandra smiled, her beauty shining brightly under the sunshine.

It was warm inside the Tang mansion. Jill and Ivy chatted on the ground floor when Cassandra got back home. It seemed as if
they were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and Cassandra was the third wheel.
"I'm home."
Cassandra greeted Jill and turned around to go upstairs.
"Wait, Cassandra, why couldn't you just stay at home since you've been suspended now? Work doesn't matter. You know you
should take care of the household chores, right?"
Jill complained with a disappointed look. Cassandra, her daughter-in-law, was no better than Ivy. The latter was able to help her
with different chores and take a huge load off her shoulder.
It was understandable because Cassandra was always busy with work before. But now, since she was suspended for plagiarism,
why did she still go out every day instead of helping out in the house? Jill couldn't hold down her anger whenever she thought
about it.
"The Company just got a new case and Rufus appointed me to it and reinstated me,"
Cassandra explained to Jill respectfully.
She knew Jill had a bad temper and couldn't bear someone talk back to her. She would blow up at Cassandra if the she dared to
annoy her.
"Rufus? Him? How is he powerful enough to reinstate you at the company?"
Jill snarled as her eyebrows arched in contempt.
In the first place, she already didn't get along with Rufus. And now he reinstated Cassandra? It irritated her a lot.
"It was voted on by the board. Rufus just updated her with the decision. I was actually present when they voted for it."
A male voice came from the door as Lionel walked in on them and explained with a frown.
Jill pulled a long face as Lionel defended Cassandra. She was about to scold Cassandra due to her absence today but didn't
expect Lionel to get involved at the moment. It annoyed her so much to see her son take Cassandra's side.

Ivy almost lost her temper as Lionel talked for Cassandra, but she managed to hold it back.
The air in the room was becoming tense and Cassandra knew something was wrong, so she made up an excuse to go back to
her room. Jill gave out a snort but Cassandra simply did her best to ignore it.
She had been holding a grudge against Cassandra, and the daughter-in-law just never tried to please her. Even though her
parents married her to Lionel as a trade-off, Cassandra was actually very talented and able to earn her position in the Tang
Group. She deserved everything she got and there was no need for her to please anyone.
It was hard for the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law to get along with each other. There was a long way to go for
Cassandra, but instead, Ivy, the mistress was pretty good at it.
Lionel suddenly grabbed the door as Cassandra was about to close it. He stood in front of her with a smile.
Cassandra felt a tingling sensation all over her body. She was uneasy whenever being with Lionel alone and wanted to run away.
"How come you didn't tell me you were in trouble with plagiarism? I knew nothing about it until I attended the meeting today."
Lionel went to meetings according to his changing mood and was not a regular member of the board. It wasn't until today that he
was told Cassandra's design was plagiarised.
As Lionel's eyes gazed at her, she felt discomfort building from inside her.
"I know I didn't steal anyone else's idea. That's enough. I don't care what others think of me."