A Graduation Gift

Chapter 235 Please Respect Us (Part One)

It took a few moments for Michelle to register Cassandra's words. 'What did she mean by that? Hadn't Rufus told her about his real identity yet? How is this possible?' wondered Michelle. 'Why wouldn't he tell Cassandra how prosperous and rich he actually is?

Or could it be that Cassandra wants to conceal her knowledge from me?' she guessed confusedly.

Michelle wasn't sure which one was the truth. Anyway, she shrugged off these thoughts and came back to the matter. She was determined to end Rufus and Cassandra's relationship once and for all.

"I don't know if you are pretending or not, Cassandra. To be honest, I don't care. I know that you are a lovely girl and you deserve love. In fact, I believe everyone deserves love. But as for me, my biggest concern is Rufus's reputation and his future. So I can't allow the two of you to be together anymore. I know this must be hard for you. But try to accept this and leave him alone," Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Michelle warned harshly. As she declared this, she stared into Cassandra's eyes with a piercing look. There was a note of finality in her tone and Cassandra felt it too. 'I can't let her sabotage Rufus's reputation. His career is his number one priority. No matter how much he loves her, I can't watch his career perish, ' thought Michelle with a sigh. She felt relieved after speaking out her heart.

Deep down, Michelle knew that Cassandra was a compassionate and kind girl. She had nothing against her nor did she dislike her. But rumors were insidious and cruel hence she concluded that they were by no means good for both of their reputations. So when it came to this, Michelle wanted to ensure Rufus's reputation was untarnished. Her concern for Rufus was understandable. And she had no regrets for blurting out her true feelings.

"Michelle, I respect you very much. But what you want me to do is something I am not capable of doing. I want you to respect the decision Rufus and I have taken. We are together because we love each other dearly. And as a couple, we have been through a lot of hardships already. And I am fully aware that this journey won't be smooth. I am predicting many obstacles in the coming future. In spite

of this, I am not willing to give up on us. No matter what happens, we will fight the hurdles in life together. I really hope that we can get our families' blessing,"

Cassandra said in a very humble tone. She looked back at Michelle politely as she waited for a reply. In truth, every word she spoke came straight from her heart. Even though life was hard, she couldn't fathom a life without Rufus. With the help of their love, they had reached a long way. 'How can I just surrender without a fight?' she thought.

It was very difficult to change the Tang family's opinion about their relationship. Everyone was hostile towards Cassandra. But Michelle's reason for being against their relationship was completely different. She was afraid that their association would endanger Rufus's reputation. Hence Michelle's aversion was not towards Cassandra instead it was her identity and previous relationship with Rufus's brother that irked her. And Cassandra knew this well. She was waiting for the right opportunity to change Michelle's mind about them.

Michelle was silent for a moment. She studied Cassandra with a grim face. Her expression was unreadable to Cassandra who seemed confused.

She had thought that she could persuade Cassandra to leave Rufus by offering her money. But Cassandra's response left her nonplussed. It turned out Cassandra didn't want the money. Also her determination to stay with Rufus was firm.

"Cassandra, you know that nothing you do will change the Tang family's opinion about your relationship. And regarding your family, I bet persuading them will be another difficult task. By picking this path, you are bringing more trouble to yourself. Love is not enough to get through this. I am pretty sure you will soon find yourself in a very bad situation. Don't act impulsively because there are too many things you need to consider. So my best advice for you is to carefully contemplate before making a decision,"

Michelle suggested in a monotonous tone. She wasn't impressed with Cassandra's conviction. 'She is too innocent and naive to understand the misery this decision will bring her. Moreover, getting blessings from their families is definitely not going to happen, ' Michelle thought.

"Michelle, I really appreciate that you are looking out for Rufus. I really do. It is nice to know someone truly cares about his well-being. But will you please try standing in our shoes for a moment? That's the only way for you to understand what we are going through,"

Cassandra pleaded as her intense eyes stayed glued on Michelle's face. Michelle could detect her earnestness just by looking at her. She really anticipated for Michelle to take her side. But somehow Michelle just couldn't do it. As she had said, Rufus's well being was her number one priority. She needed to do what was best for him. Her words would hurt Cassandra but she had no choice.

"I am sorry, Cassandra. I can't understand you. But most importantly, I don't want to understand you. In a nutshell, I will not approve your relationship. So please give up trying to persuade me. This is my final decision. Don't come crying for my blessings!"

After uttering these heart piercing words, Michelle turned around and sprinted out of the office. She didn't bother to wait for Cassandra's reply. She hoped she had made herself pretty clear. Now it was up to Cassandra whether she would listen to her or not. Michelle's strong actions startled Cassandra and she stood frozen on her seat.

The last words uttered by Michelle replayed on Cassandra's mind. Suddenly, the corners of her lips lifted and gave out a bitter smile.

'I am completely helpless now. When it comes to my relationship with Rufus, it seems like I won't receive any sort of support from anyone. In short, I have no one else to turn to, ' realized Cassandra. These thoughts were accompanied by a sense of desolation. It made her realize how lonely she was.

Just when she was about to drown in her miserable thoughts, she thought of the charity event she had to attend. This gave her an excuse to divert her mind. Hence she didn't have much time to wallow in self-pity. With a lot of courage, she pulled herself up. She changed into a beautiful dress in her office and put on a coat. Cassandra was ready for the event. When she got out of the building, she found Rufus waiting for her in his car.

"H-how are you...I thought your leg..." Cassandra's voice trailed off as she gaped at Rufus.

He was sitting on the driver's seat nonchalantly. Cassandra couldn't believe her own eyes. Yesterday, Rufus couldn't even walk without her assistance. It seemed impossible for him to get through the day without her support. But now he was gracefully driving the car. Cassandra's bewildered face depicted her shock.

"Hey Cassandra, I am perfectly fine so don't worry about it. Well, I just couldn't let my princess go to this big event in a taxi. Jump right in or else we will be late!" He came around and curtly pushed the car door open for her.

His eyes scrutinized Cassandra from head to toe. In this black dress, she looked ravishing.

The dress was simple but chic. After all, she was going to a charity event, not a fashion show. There was a flower shaped design right in front of her chest, making the outfit even more sophisticated. Rufus couldn't understand how she had managed to pick a dress that was both elegant and suitable for the occasion. There was something about the color black that made her skin look smoother and lovelier. All in all, Rufus found it hard to peel his eyes off her face. He had a sudden urge to embrace her, but somehow suppressed this desire.

Cassandra, on the other hand, was both stunned and touched by his gesture. Finally, she got inside the car. But Rufus didn't turn his face away from her. He continued to admire her beauty. Cassandra was oblivious of the effect she had on him.

"What's wrong?"