A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 177

In spite of the situation being so chaotic, Cassandra couldn't turn a blind eye to Rufus's charm. She stood spellbound as she observed the dust stick to his carved face.

Soon she realized this was not the right time or the right place to be captivated by Rufus's look. In order to peel her eyes off from his handsomeness, Cassandra turned around and began to follow the rescue team to the next disaster site. On the other hand, Rufus was swiftly unloading the boxes of water and instant noddles from the car.

This experience meant a great deal to Cassandra and Rufus. They were beyond happy to be working together for a good cause. Somehow doing it together seemed like taking their relationship to the next level. It was like they had been through thick and thin together.

Rufus squinted and looked at another building not far away from him. Cassandra was analyzing the situation along with the rescue team in front of the building. She seemed very engaged and was pointing her fingers to the building while talking to other rescue team members.

"Cassandra, don't you dare think of leaving me again!"

Rufus murmured to himself.

When he first heard that Cassandra was gone, he was beyond worried. Panic had engulfed Rufus from every corner. Victor informed him that Cassandra had packed her luggage and left the Garden Villa. He was also informed where she was headed. His first reaction was fury which was soon replaced by worry. Rufus realized he couldn't stand a second without knowing if Cassandra was safe.

Horace had been still resting in the hospital ward. It was his responsibility to care for him until Lionel would show up there. He repressed his urge to find Cassandra for the time being.

As soon as his duty was over, Rufus dashed for the A City. On his way, he noticed the road was filled with vehicles carrying the patients. It wasn't easy for him to reach his destination. On top of that, he could see the casualty rates had amplified. The radio in his car confirmed all his worries. He realized how bad the situation actually was and sped his car to get there faster. Sweating with anxiety, he prayed for the well-being of the woman he was in love with.

'Why is she so damn reckless! Before bringing the staffs to A City, why didn't she consider talking to me?' his mind uttered with frustration. Inside his mind, Rufus swore he would teach her a lesson once he found her.

But what was buried behind his anger was anguish. In truth he had no idea if she was alive. In order to get this thought out of his mind, he was covering it up with anger. He had been using anger as his defense mechanism.

When he noticed that her car was parked near the city hall, Rufus thought he had finally found her. But on further inquiry he was told that she had indeed gone to A City.

This piece of information heightened his concern. For a split second he had wished that Cassandra wouldn't be inside the city.

With a heavy heart, he made his way to the disaster area. It was done very quickly as he had no difficulty getting inside. Without wasting any time, Rufus inquired about Cassandra but nobody seemed to have the details that could enlighten him. As he was passing by a school playground, a voice reverberated from the radio and made his heart beat faster. 'She was here!' he thought with resolution. She was looking for her friend Maggie's uncle. This was a pure stroke of luck and he internally celebrated.

He expectantly stood in front of the school gate and waited for Cassandra's arrival. Once he saw her, his heart finally relaxed. Instead of addressing her right away, he decided to follow her.

As he tailed behind Cassandra, Rufus overheard her conversation with Dylon. When he heard the whole story, he was overcome with mixed emotions.

He wondered how the woman he loved so dearly could have been so brash. 'Why did she insist on accompanying the rescue team? Is she not aware how dangerous it is?

What about the people she cares about? If something happened to her, what would happen to them?' Rufus wondered. All the while he was thinking about himself. It seemed impossible to envision a life without Cassandra. This made him realize the depth of his love.

Once again he was furious at Cassandra for putting her life at risk without considering his emotions. He was prepared to scream the hell out of her, but when he opened his mouth, he only said, "I will go with her."

Perhaps this was what he truly felt. He was willing to support her no matter what she did.

At the end of the day, all that mattered to him was that they were together.

In the chaotic A City, Rufus followed Cassandra and kept an eye out for her. He was helping others not far away from Cassandra, but his eyes would look for her every 10 seconds.

He had lost her once hence he wasn't willing to take any risk again.

After hours of working, night finally came. Everyone looked exhausted and Cassandra was no exception. Her face and clothes were dusty from all the labor.

She felt quite dirty and wished for a shower but the water resource was limited in the disaster area. Wet towel was her only choice so she began washing her face and hands with it. While she was engrossed in this task, a voice spoke from behind.

"Are you tired?"

Rufus hugged Cassandra as tight as he could. Right now they were outside the tent.

Today he had witnessed her selflessly risk her life for others. If he had to be completely honest, he felt rather proud of her. Yet a part of him worried about her safety.

"Yes, I am quite tired but it's alright because I'm very happy. The rescue team succeeded in saving five people today!" Cassandra replied.

Removing Rufus's hands from her waist, she turned around and hugged him. As she leaned on his chest, she could listen to his heartbeat. In this tired state, this felt like heaven to her.

Somehow his heartbeat always filled her with a sense of security. It was like she could feel his vitality and energy. Moreover, she felt the closest to him in this position. At the moment, this place was in chaos but she was disconnected from it all. To her it seemed like they were the only two souls present here.

"Well, you need to stop caring about others all the time. Your health matters too! Look at you, you look burned-out."

Rufus patted on Cassandra's shoulder gently. In spite of her weak appearance, she was resilient and strong. After working for a whole day, even her voice had became hoarse.

"I'm fine, alright? You're the one who should be taking care of your heath. I mean, you're the president of the Tang Group. And you spent your whole day unloading water and instant noodles!" Cassandra said with a mischievous smile.

When Rufus set out today, his only intention was to find Cassandra. He wasn't prepared for this hence he was wearing his suit. While he unloaded the relief supplies, his attire caught the attention of everyone. In their eyes, he didn't look like an ordinary volunteer. In fact, to the onlookers he came across as a celebrity figure.

"Oh please! That is not a big deal. Look around, almost every worker here is a man. If anything, you are the odd one here. I, on the other hand, can handle this."

Rufus smiled, put his hand on Cassandra's back and pulled her into his arms.

"Rufus…"

Cassandra blushed and tried to escape from his grasp.