A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 109

Cassandra anticipated that Horace would deny her request, but she at least expected him to dilly-dally. However instead, he gave her an outright rejection.

"You want to divorce Lionel? Over my dead body will you divorce!" he roared.

Every muscle on Horace's face convulsed with rage.

He went ballistic.

He thought that he treated her nicely. She was still young when she married his son. When she requested to take up higher studies in Rome, he allowed her to do so and even sent her to the best design school.

Upon finishing her study, she came home and refused to be a real couple with Lionel simply because they did not get along. Horace did not interfere with their affairs as a father, either. He believed that the young couple should solve their own problems.

He made Cassandra the manager of the Design Department, which actually made many board members unhappy. It was a very coveted position. Still, he gave it to her despite their opposition.

The way Horace saw it, Cassandra had no reason to leave the family. He had given her everything she needed. Now, she was telling him in front of everyone that she wanted a divorce? He felt so betrayed.

Jill stood up and rubbed her husband's back to calm him down. It was rare for Horace to be this agitated. He was not easily angered but right now, he was fuming. She blamed Cassandra.

"Don't be so unreasonable, Cassandra. You know his condition. He is not at his peak health, to say the least. Should news of this break out, something terrible would surely happen to him because of distress!"

Jill said. The moment she finished talking, Horace began to cough severely. He had asthma so he had to monitor his breathing often. However, what Cassandra told him today caused him to cough uncontrollably.

Cassandra had to swallow her words when she saw her father-in-law's condition. It was really not her intention to cause so much trouble.

"I'm sorry..."

Cassandra felt as if her chest was getting tighter. It suddenly became so difficult to breathe. Not knowing what to do and quite devastated with what she had done, she decided to run out of the room.

On a kneejerk reaction, Lionel stood up and was about to chase after Cassandra. He felt anxious when she left the room. Ivy, however, was hawk-eyed. She shot him a sharp glance and pulled his arm before he could go anywhere.

"Lionel!"

She called his name with an affectionate yet aggrieved voice. This immediately stopped Lionel on his tracks.

He lowered his head and looked at Ivy.

There were tears in her eyes, making her look very vulnerable.

Lionel frowned seeing her sad face. His heart ached to see her like that.

Ivy was pregnant. If he went out to chase after another Cassandra, how would she feel?

Lionel turned around and slowly sat down beside Ivy.

With sad eyes and a quivering voice, Ivy also slowly looked at everyone in the room and started to speak.

"Auntie, Uncle, I...know I cannot marry Lionel. I just really wish I could. I will also give you my baby. All I would ask is that you let me stay here for a few more months after he is born so I can at least feel what it's like to have the love of a husband and parents-in-law,"

she said as tears rolled down her cheeks. Everyone looked at her with sympathy.

"My parents died when I was still a girl. I long for a family. And although I didn't stay with you for so long, I'm keeping all the beautiful memories in my mind. Thank you for taking care of me. Now, Cassandra wants to divorce Lionel because of me. I know this made you very unhappy and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry for ruining your family. I think now it would be the best for me to move out so that she can eventually change her mind," Ivy continued.

She kept letting her tears run down her face. They sparkled like the dew on the grass in the morning.

Jill had always gotten along with Ivy. It broke her heart to see her so sorrowful.

"Ivy, please don't blame yourself. And please don't think about leaving. Just relax and focus on taking care of yourself and the baby. It's not your fault. As for what Cassandra said, she may be overwhelmed. We'll just move on for now and see where it goes,"

Jill assured her. With a wave of her hand, she signaled a maid to fetch Horace's medication and had him take it. Dinner was prepared but eating was the last thing on everyone's mind.

They all left the dining room sullenly and went to their respective rooms. When Rufus got to his, he immediately changed his clothes and hopped out of the window onto the grass of the ground floor.

The light was dim and he was hardly recognizable. He ran to the wall and climbed up so smoothly. It was clear that he had done this several times before. Letting go of the edge at the other side, he landed on the sidewalk.

He shot glances left and right looking for Cassandra. True enough, he found the woman walking lost in thought.

He approached slowly and inconspicuously observed her. She walked slowly with arms wrapped herself. The wind blew over her hair. She looked so lonely in the cold, windy night.

Rufus followed her from behind at a slow pace. He wanted to know where she would head for.

Cassandra was at a loss after she ran out. Where could she go?