A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 51

Cassandra was not his first woman. Put it more frankly, she was only one in a countless list, including a random fling here and there or a one-night stand once in a while. It was hopeless to hang on to him.

Tonight, in the faint light and the dappled shade her stunning beauty still shined through. That captivated him. Like they did the first time when they met, he ached to get her laid again.

But upon her cold and heartless words, his heart convulsed in an instant.

To recover from her smothering words he took a deep breath, reflected for a moment, and told himself to ignore his hurt feelings.

With intense eyes, he watched her face, and sensed a distance between them. It was a deep, dark rift that separated their souls and emotions, even while she stood right in front of him. How awful!

"Sorry to say this, Cassandra, but you are doomed to lose!" he declared, without blinking.

Believing that the headstrong woman could never escape, he fixed his gaze on her, trying to read her mind. The insolence in his voice was unmistakable.

But Cassandra didn't mind him. She simply brushed him off with a mocking smile.

"Well, whether I will win or lose, it is not up to you," she said nonchalantly.

"At least by now, you have been on a losing streak, haven't you?"

Rufus retorted.

Intentionally, he wanted to get on her nerves.

Never had Lionel treated her with respect, Cassandra's love and respect for him had fizzled out along the line. Now, she didn't even give a damn. The only inspiration she had in this particular case were the interests of the Qins - her family.

"Whatever you think or do can't change anything. I've already made up my mind and I'm OK, without your advice!"

Cassandra stood her ground.

Frustrated by her stubbornness, Rufus heaved a sigh and thought for a moment before reaching out a hand to stroke her cheek.

"It is quite late, go to sleep!" he suggested.

Cassandra blinked, wondering what would be his next move. Their rivalry was was here to stay and it was only sensible for Cassandra to keep a watchful eye, if she was to survive in the game.

Silently, she thought to herself, 'Am I such a fool? The man I keep fantasizing over is my husband's elder stepbrother. That's my brother-in-law! Why invest my emotions in him when I know well it's a very complicated relationship?'

There was no doubt, her marriage to Lionel was just a trade-off. Her life had been set and it would not be wise to allow this man into her life. She began to fear for her family, and their family.

As if escaping some danger, Cassandra went back to her room in haste, trotting all the way. By the time she got to the room, her pulse was racing and her face flushing.

As she walked to the bed, she smiled at Cloris, who was fast asleep on the bed, like a delicate and adorable doll.

Careful not to disrupt her delicate, adorable sister on whom she dotted, Cassandra tiptoed around to her side of the bed and quietly climbed into her quilt. Although Cloris was younger by three years, all along, they had looked more like twins. But now, gazing at her sister, Cassandra realized that three year gap had somewhat aged her. 'Is it because I'm stressed up?' she wondered.

In the meantime, Cloris was mumbling something in her dream, "Rufus..." The rest of her sentence was unintelligible.

'These are the fantasies of the naive girls. As long as they have someone on their mind, they can't stop thinking about them even in their dreams, ' Cassandra sigh inwardly.

There was no need to trouble her mind over such petty issues, especially when it concerned her sister. Soon, she drifted into sleep.

Dashing under the faint streetlight, the man lit a cigarette. The red glow flickered between his fingers. His dark brown eyes looked all the more obscure behind the fumes of smoke that curling around him.

On the way back home to the Tangs family residence, Cassandra and Lionel rode in the same car. In her parents' presence, she didn't think it was right to upset them when she could as well put on an appearance of a happy couple.

While her flashy sister Cloris, rode in the same car with Rufus, who cleverly hid his emotions behind a dark pair of sunglasses that gave him the detached look of an insensitive sculpture.

Cassandra dozed off all the way, while Lionel kept stealing looks at her every now and then. Something cruel gripped his mind as they went.

'You cannot dodge me at all times! Tonight, I won't let you make any excuses!' he cursed within.

'Why should I waste my time on pleasing one girl, when I have the whole world at my feet?'