A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 172

Rufus fixed his eyes on the figures behind the curtain. He couldn't make anything out from the vague shadows beneath the cloth.

He could do nothing but guess what they could be doing. As a man who wanted complete control over things, he hated not knowing what was happening inside the room.

As he was restlessly trying to peek past the curtain, his cellphone rang. Victor's name popped up on the screen. "What is it?" Rufus asked.

"Mr. Luo, Mr. Tang was just sent to the hospital. He had an asthma attack," Victor said anxiously.

There was static and noise over Victor's end, and Rufus could hear Jill's worried voice in the background.

"Shit. Okay. I'll be there in a bit. Have someone here to watch over Cassandra. I'll text you the location," Rufus said in an upset voice. It had been an awful day.

Rufus threw his cigarette on the ground and extinguished it with his foot fiercely. He glanced back at the window again, but the light had already beem turned off.

His eyes darkened just as his jaw started to clench. Rufus gripped his phone and quickly texted Victor the location before shoving it back into his pocket. Then he rushed towards the hospital.

Once he reached the hospital, most of the Tang family members were seen waiting outside the emergency room.

Jill was sitting by the bench, trying her hardest to wipe her tears away. Ivy was doting on her, patting her on the back to calm her down. Lionel was pacing the hallway, struggling to keep himself steady.

Rufus approached the family and walked up to Lionel. When their eyes met, Lionel stopped pacing and kept himself still.

"What happened? How is father?"

Rufus's face now looked solemnly grim, which, Lionel falsely thought, was due to his worry for Horace.

"Mother and father were fighting, and that was what triggered the attack," Lionel answered quickly.

While he spoke, his peripheral vision glanced at Jill, who couldn't stop her tears from streaming down.

Rufus held a cold expression and looked towards the direction. Jill seemed to notice the gaze, so she raised her head and met Rufus's eyes.

She hated how he looked at her. She stood up quickly, eyes all red and puffy.

"What are you giving me that look for? Don't think that you're not to blame for this! We wouldn't even be fighting if it weren't for you! It was all your fault! Your father is now in an emergency condition because of you!" the woman yelled hysterically.

Jill heaved, suddenly realizing how exhausted she was from crying and worrying. She gasped for air to catch her breath before plopping back down on the bench. She couldn't help but let the tears fall once again. Ivy, worried that the situation would worsen, immediately stood in front of her and let Jill cry without Rufus's antagonizing gaze.

Rufus sneered angrily, 'This is so ridiculous! Horace is an idiot for choosing her over my mom. She's rude and bland.'

The emergency room suddenly opened. Horace was lying on the emergency bed as the nurses pushed him out through the door. Once Jill saw Horace, she quickly threw herself over to the bed and wailed, "Horace! Please don't do that again! How can Lionel and I live without you? No one would ever be able to protect us! Tang Group will be taken away quickly without you! We're just as good as dead without you!"

Lionel tried to interrupt his mother to tell her to stop. She was making a scene and everyone could hear her.

"Mom, please. People are watching."

Jill suddenly realized how inappropriate she was and quickly raised herself up to stand beside the bed. She turned her eyes to the doctor and nurses around who shot her annoyed glances, and quickly wiped her tears away.

"Doctor, how is my father?"

Rufus asked in spite of the embarrassing moment.

"He is better now. Asthma is a chronic disease, and it can recur easily. For now, he has to rest well. He'll have to stay as an in-patient at the ward for a few more days, just so we can monitor him. He can only be discharged once he's stable enough."

The doctor seemed to be relieved to hear a normal inquiry other than Jill's ballistic speech. He knew about the Tang family because they shared a close relationship with Jenks Tong, who was the director of the hospital. And given that they were a prestigious family he expected them to be eloquent people. He bit his tongue to say nothing harsh so he wouldn't embarrass himself, the family, or his superior.

It did make him wonder, though, why a woman like Jill would be part of the Tang family. Moreover, she was the matriarch! It was incredible!

The doctor heard the other son speak from beside the mother.

"Will father be fine?" he limply asked. "Nothing can happen to him since the CEO of Tang Group is still Rufus!"

'What a family... Alas...' the doctor sighed inwardly.

He shook his head as he left the troublesome family, leaving the nurses to handle the patient.

After Horace was transferred to the hospital ward, Rufus stood beside his bed and fixed his gaze at his own father who was sleeping peacefully.