A Graduation Gift

The photos were taken under dark light. In the night shadow, the two figures seemed to be standing close and gazing at each
other with affection in their eyes. Cassandra bent down to pick up the evidence of her offense. She tried to act composed in front
of Lionel.
"These photos were taken on the same day you graduated from Sapienza University in Rome. Didn't you tell me you didn't know
Rufus before? Then how is it possible that you and he showed up on the same cruise?"
Lionel's lips twisted in disdain, his anger barely restrained. He had gotten hold of these photos by accident. Apparently, on the
day of Cassandra's graduation, Rufus had been with her.
They had known each other for a long time, and his wife lied to him about it!
However, Cassandra knew nothing about when these photos were clicked. She had been drunk that night and could not
remember what she had done until she became sober.
She had no idea Rufus was on the cruise that night. As for the photos, she didn't know how they were taken and by whom. She
wasn't even aware they existed till now.
"Cassandra, you better explain this to me!"
At her prolonged silence, Lionel grew more and more furious. His sharp, cold eyes were locked on Cassandra's face as he
forced her to answer his question.
"There were a lot of guests on the cruise. I didn't know that Rufus was there. As you can see, these photos were taken from that
angle on purpose. And even if he was on the same cruise, I swear I didn't meet him that night,"
Cassandra said unemotionally. She wasn't nervous or flurried at Lionel's harsh voice. He couldn't intimidate her. She slowly lifted
up her chin and looked at Lionel defiantly, adding, "If you don't believe me, just wait for Rufus and ask him face to face. Or you
can make this a bigger issue and tell your father that Rufus and I are having an affair. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
The expression on Lionel's face turned inscrutable at the sarcasm in her words. Cassandra was clearly threatening him. She
didn't believe that he had the courage to do just as she said.
"Cassandra, do you really think I will believe your words?"

Lionel wasn't a fool. He knew that whoever was behind the camera took these pictures on purpose. However, it didn't change the
fact that Cassandra and Rufus had met each other in Rome.
"You've never believed me though, have you? No matter what I say, it is all futile because you never listen to me. I have nothing
to say about these photos. You can investigate them if you like. You and I are married, Lionel, in case you forgot. Hate me as
much as you like, but please don't use me as a tool to help you get rid of Rufus!"
Cassandra had never been as rational as she was now. She could see things clearly: Lionel wasn't mad at her because of those
photos. He didn't care that it put their marriage at risk. He just wanted to find an excuse to remove Rufus from the Tang Group!
Lionel stared at Cassandra with his mouth open, surprised. For the first time in years, he felt that the woman standing in front of
him was smarter than he thought. The ghost of a smile hovered on his thin lips.
"Cassandra, I've underestimated you."
Lionel decided to come clean. He stepped closer to Cassandra and touched his chin, staring at her with interest.
"If there is nothing else, I should get back to my work."
Cassandra didn't want to talk to Lionel anymore. She whirled around as soon as she finished speaking, ready and eager to
leave. However, the very next second, her arm was caught by Lionel. She gasped in surprise.
"Cassandra, how about we cooperate with each other for once?"
Lionel stopped her in her tracks. Perplexed, Cassandra frowned as she turned to look at Lionel. She slanted her pretty eyes at
him.
"I don't understand."
She dropped her head and looked at Lionel's hand which was still grabbing her arm. She shook it off, feeling disgusted.
Lionel slowly stepped forward and leaned over her shoulder. "Haven't you been dreaming about a free life? I'm offering you an
opportunity to seize your dreams. As long as you admit to an affair with Rufus, I promise you I will provide you with whatever you
want. You will be free as a bird,"
he whispered in her ear, his lips curved in an evil smile.

Cassandra could feel his hot breath caressing her skin. She stepped back out of instinct, eyes wide open as she stared at Lionel
in disbelief.
She didn't expect Lionel to be this vicious. How could he have come up with this idea? He was insane if he thought she would
agree to his schemes.
"Cooperate with me. I promise nothing will happen to your family. You and I will get a divorce too. You'll be free to do whatever
you like. Isn't that what you want? What do you think?"
Lionel fixed his gaze on Cassandra and quirked an eyebrow, waiting for her answer.
Time seemed to stop in the office. The air was rife with tension as Lionel still stared at her. Cassandra gave him a cold smile.
It was true that what Lionel had just offered was what Cassandra had been dreaming of, the Qin family's safety, her freedom. But
for some reason, achieving it this way made her feel sad and empty, and she was overwhelmed by mixed feelings.
"How can you be so cruel, Lionel? You are willing to trade your wife and brother's reputation to satisfy your own desire. I can't
stay with you for one more second. You make me sick. Don't pull me into your fight with Rufus. I won't participate in your
shameless and vindictive schemes. I'm not as despicable as you are!"
Cassandra glanced at Lionel with derision. Her dislike for him was evident on her delicate face.
Her acerbic words felt like a hard slap to his face:
"I won't participate in your shameless and vindictive schemes. I'm not as despicable as you!"
The last two sentences had Lionel's eyes narrowing in rage. He caught Cassandra's chin in his grasp and glared at her, his thin
smile laced with threat.
"What did you say?"
Lionel's grip on Cassandra grew harder. She gnashed her teeth together as she felt the sharp ache in her jaw. However, she still
lifted her eyes to him daringly, doing her best to hide any signs of pain.
"I said that you are shameless and vindictive. You are cruel to your family! No wonder father decided to ask Rufus to be the CEO
of Tang Group, even though he came back just a few days ago."

Her words angered Lionel beyond belief and his other hand shot up in warning. Cassandra closed her eyes and smiled at him
coldly. She despised him from the bottom of her heart.
She expected him to slap her, but the moments passed and he did nothing. Cassandra opened her eyes at last. Lionel let go of
her and dropped his hands to his side.
He didn't touch her again.
"I don't hit women. But Cassandra, you will regret what you said to me today. That's not a threat. It's a promise. Now get out of
my office!"
Lionel regained his breath even as his eyes burned with anger. He pointed to the door to make her leave.
Without another glance at Lionel, Cassandra spun around and walked out of his office.
As she made her exit, she realized that her legs were shaking. She had thought Lionel would actually hit her. Cassandra inhaled
slowly, trying to make up for her guilty conscience.
After all, Rufus and she...
The thought made her face lose all color. With her hands on the handrail next to her, Cassandra tried to catch her breath.
She didn't think Lionel could be so single-minded in his zeal for power. Rufus just left, and Lionel had already devised a plan to
kick his brother out of his position.
Lionel and Rufus were brothers. They shared the same father. Did that mean nothing to Lionel?
"Cassandra?"
Suddenly, she heard a young woman call out her name and it snapped her back to reality. Her thoughts skittered away from
Lionel and Rufus. Cassandra turned around. She saw a woman in a black and white dress standing not far away from her, a
sweet smile on her face.
Confused, Cassandra furrowed her brows in an attempt to identify who she was.
Before she could do so, however, the woman had run up to her and enveloped her in a cozy hug. She sounded elated when she
said, "Oh my gosh! Cassandra, it is you! I can't believe my eyes!"