A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 446

Cassandra was frozen inside and out, as though a bucket of icy water had been poured right over her head and chilled her to the bone.

Cloris's cutting words were like daggers to her heart, the pain spreading all through her body.

Rufus had been standing aside trying not to interfere in the sisterly fight. But as he saw Cloris get more and more defensive, he decided to step in.

"What do you mean, Cloris? What did Cassandra do to make you hate her so badly?" he asked, astonished at how quickly their argument had escalated.

Rufus had sensed that Cloris had been skirting around the real issue and he was curious to know what she was hiding.

But this was neither the time nor the place for Cloris to dive into it. After all, she wasn't about to destroy her reputation in front of so many strangers.

"You have no right to know!"

Cloris rolled her eyes, dismissing Rufus's incredulous questions.

"Then, who does have the right to know?"

Rufus persisted, his eyes fixed upon Cloris's stone-cold face.

"It doesn't matter. Not you, anyways," Cloris retorted.

She pushed him aside, dashing towards the door to the restaurant. Arthur hurried to pay the bill and rushed out after her.

Back in the restaurant, Cassandra was still standing in the same spot. Her hands were clenched into tight balls, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to hold back the tears.

She felt humiliated as she stood in the wake of her sister's insults. She felt like she might die right at this spot.

Sensing that things were only getting started, Joel tried to slowly remove himself from the situation but Rufus reached out his arm to stop him.

"Was it Lionel who got you out of jail?"

Rufus asked coldly. He'd never trusted Joel, and the guy always seemed to find himself in the middle of trouble wherever he went.

Joel dared not speak as he tried to dodge around Rufus to get to the door. Tiny beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his shirt was starting to cling to him.

"Just answer my question before you leave."

Rufus wouldn't let him go so easily and he stepped in front of Joel, blocking his way yet again.

The man in front of him had planned to rape Cassandra before, and besides, he stole her design and sold it to someone else later. Thus, he needed to get things straightened before Joel would do something to hurt her again.

"Mr. Luo, I don't know what I might have done to offend you but would you please let me go. I have to be somewhere," Joel asked politely.

Rufus nodded quietly, and without a word, escorted her out to the car.

As they stepped outside, the cold air blasted onto their faces, cutting Cassandra's face but she felt nothing at all.

She was still stuck in her thoughts, her sister's words still ringing in her ears. She was dumbstruck, totally confused as why all her efforts to help Cloris over the years had been in vain.

In this world, there were plenty of people who wouldn't think twice before treading all over your sincerity. Instead of showing gratitude to your kind acts, they would spit in your face with disdain. Over time, you'd slowly become numb as pieces of your heart slowly broke away.

"Stop thinking about that nonsense. It will do no good. You've admitted that Cloris is too young to understand, right?"

Rufus could read the anguish on Cassandra's face and wanted to comfort her.

"I'm worried about Courtney. How will she be able to recover if the two people that put her in such a state refuse to help her out of it? Every time I think about the anxiety plastered on Auntie Whitney's face, I can't breathe."

Cassandra's hands went to her chest, like she was losing her breath right there.

A light appeared in Rufus's eyes as an idea sprung into his mind.

He pulled Cassandra in towards him, her head resting on his chest, and gave her a kiss on her forehead.