A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 44

Obscene moans could be heard continually from the video on the screen. Some of the employees blushed with embarrassment and the whispers in the crowd grew heated, resulting in an increased commotion.

When the words 'Lionel Tang' showed up on the screen, each one of them turned to look at Lionel, who was sitting in the front of the room.

Lionel had turned pale the moment he saw the video. Now, seeing his name on it, he jumped out of his chair. Rushing to the stage, he plucked the remote out of the hands of the stunned emcee.

Pointing it at the screen, he turned off the video and furiously looked around.

"Who is responsible for this prank? And what are you people looking at? Close your eyes, goddammit, all of you!"

Lionel's eyes flashed with rage like flames of fire. Ivy's face had gone white. She was completely dumbfounded at what just happened. How did the video get switched to this?

She had arranged the video in the playlist, the one of Rufus and Cassandra entering and leaving the hotel room in H City. How did it get swapped for the footage of her and Lionel in bed?

The erotic video spoiled the celebration banquet. Everyone had been having a great time until now, an awkward tension lingered in the air. Horace was trembling. He wanted to go up on the stage and slap his disappointing son.

"What a shame! How disgraceful!"

Jill put an arm around Horace and patted him on the chest in consolation. She was red with embarrassment too.

People were whispering once again. Cassandra blinked and looked around, not sure what to do next. She gulped hard, feeling like she had lost the ability to speak.

"Did you do that?"

she somehow asked Rufus, who stood next to her. His face had been expressionless ever since the video began. He didn't let out so much as a gasp. Unlike others, he wasn't shocked or scandalized.

He was always calm in the face of all kinds of situations, no matter how startling they were. But why today? Why did he decide to play the video in front of all employees in the Tang Group at the victory banquet? It was quite a real blow to Lionel.

"I'm just reciprocating an act of kindness."

Rufus sneered, not answering her directly. The curl of his lips sent a chill down her spine.

His words dripped with insinuation and it puzzled Cassandra. What was he playing at? The very air around him was daunting.

"Isn't…this a bit too much?"

After a long pause, Cassandra mustered up her courage and asked him the question, wringing her hands.

"Is it, though? You think I crossed a line?"

Rufus asked her pointedly without looking at her. His voice was cold and indifferent.

He sighed internally. Cassandra didn't know about Lionel and Ivy's plan. If he hadn't changed the video himself, she would have been the one humiliated in this scenario.

"It's just…tonight was meant for celebration. I don't think it was appropriate to play that video,"

Cassandra said lightly, attempting to explain her point of view. She had sensed the displeasure in his words.

"Cassandra, the truth is much crueler than you think."

Rufus smiled mirthlessly and left her side without another word. He strode toward the stage, meaning to clean up the mess he had created.

Cassandra looked at his receding figure until it gradually escaped her view. She blinked in confusion, not understanding what he had meant to say.

She always knew that Rufus was not a simple man, but he seemed to be an enigma. She had no idea about the secrets he hid deep inside his heart.

Back at the Tang mansion, a terrible silence pervaded the living room.

"Tell me. What the hell was that video? I always turned a blind eye to your flings with those women as long as you didn't do anything unforgivable. Now, the entire company knows about your affairs! You've embarrassed our family!"

Horace sat in the middle of the room and glared at Lionel. His face was dreadfully grim. His son had failed him utterly.