A Graduation Gift novel Chapter 182

A slight smirk of triumph hung on Horace's mouth. Rufus knew he must have a trick up his sleeve.

He had intended to leave Rufus and Amanda alone in the living room so that sparks might start to fly between them.

But he was mistaken. While Lionel was faultlessly obedient to him, Rufus would never allow himself to be ordered about.

Rufus stood quietly, his eyes never leaving Horace, watching for his next move.

"Miss Ke, I'm so sorry to have missed your last concert. I was feeling quite under the weather. I heard it was a great success, congratulations,"

Ivy exclaimed. She hoped her enthusiasm would hide her dismay that she had in fact, not been invited to the concert.

"Oh, that's fine. Thank you, Mrs. Tang." Amanda said. "I have decided to settle down in G City. Holding concerts is only minor; but it's imperative when it comes to running a piano school. Actually, I want to discuss the construction project with you, Mr. Luo, in the coming days. When do you have time?"

Amanda tilted her head in Rufus's direction, waiting for his answer.

"Lionel is in charge of this, not me,"

Rufus answered indifferently, his face expressionless.

And he wasn't lying. It was Lionel who had signed his name on the contract and was responsible for this project. Rufus did not want to get involved at all.

Amanda was stunned. She knew very well that Rufus was deliberately trying to keep her at a distance.

"From what I've been told, Lionel is busy. He is already responsible for several projects in the tourism industrial area,"

Amanda continued, keeping up the pressure. She felt bad as Rufus rejected her in front of others, but she didn't want him to feel any animosity from her. Clearly, winning his heart back would take more patience.

"Well, speaking of Lionel. Why hasn't he come back yet? Ivy, have you called him and let him know we have a distinguished guest waiting and he should hurry back?"

Jill who had been watching the group obsequiously suddenly realized that Lionel had yet to return although it was already dark.

"Maybe he is still busy with his work,"

Ivy made an excuse. She had called Lionel several times, but he hadn't answered. She grew anxious, not knowing what he was doing.

"Miss Ke, my wife is a fan of yours. She has enjoyed all the music you play,"

Horace tried to change the subject, buttering Amanda up with his sweet talk.

Jill gladly joined in, eager to discuss her 'newfound hobby' with Amanda after cramming for piano music recently.

Horace had told Jill that Amanda had a good relationship with the government officials in G City, but stayed quiet about the investor's expectations. He was hoping that she could put in a good word for them. Jill and Ivy complimented Amanda desperately; while Amanda just smiled, throwing shy glances over to Rufus from time to time.

To the untrained eye, you wouldn't be able to catch the tension that hung above the room. But looking around, everyone in the room had their own axe to grind, their own agenda to pursue. The facade of jovial harmony was just a front.

Rufus's phone vibrated. He took it out and answered. Muffled voices could be heard from the other end of the line. And suddenly, his face fell and he stormed out of the room without a word.

"Rufus! Where are you going?"

Horace called after him. He didn't expect Rufus to leave in such a hurry.

But Rufus was already nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, across town in the hotel, Cloris took out her camera and began to set it up. Her plan to take Cassandra's nude photos was all coming together.

'How dare you send someone to try and molest me, Cassandra, ' she sneered to herself. 'Well, just you wait. I'll post these nude photos online and everyone will be able to see your true colors.'

A vicious monster growled within Cloris as she adjusted the camera one last time.

Lionel had been hiding in the corner of the corridor surreptitiously. He'd watched as David came out of the room, opened up an envelope stashed with money and walked off, nodding with satisfaction.

Lionel's heart sank. He knew David must have a hidden agenda. But what was Cloris doing here? What were the two of them up to?

As David left, Lionel snuck up to the door he had just exited. He pressed his ear against the door, hoping to hear what was going on inside. But it was deadly quiet inside.

'What should I do?' he thought. 'Should I break in to find out what they are doing?

But I had already caused trouble in Qin Group this afternoon, and Cassandra was pretty upset with me. What if the two sisters are just having a regular date...there is just no reason for me to go in. I'm probably imaging it.'

But Lionel couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling in his stomach. He was worried about Cassandra.

As he stood by the door, trying to figure out what to do, someone suddenly appeared before him.

"What are you doing here?"

Rufus bellowed, his cold face covered in a frown of displeasure.

Lionel was taken aback. Why was Rufus here? It seemed like more and more people were getting wrapped up in this drama.

"I'm here on business,"

Lionel stammered out an excuse. Now, his curiosity was piqued even more.

Rufus snorted with disbelief but didn't say anything. He turned to the door instead, testing the lock before thumping the door loudly with his fist. The door swung open.

Lionel looked on, speechless. How was Rufus able to break down the door of a five-star hotel room with so much as a punch?

Suddenly, security guards came rushing over. Lionel tried to stop them at the door.

Rufus walked straight into the suite, unfazed. There was no one in the living room, but the bedroom door remained closed.

He walked straight over and opened the door with as much ease as he'd banged down the door of the room. Cloris looked up at him as he burst in, dumbfounded, the camera still in her hands.

'What is Rufus doing here?' Cloris's eyes were wide with disbelief.

Rufus's eyes slowly scanned the room, instinctively gulping as his eyes came to the naked body lying in bed.

He rushed over, wrapping Cassandra up in a quilt.

"Put down the camera and get out," he said to Cloris, the words coming out like icicles piercing through her.

Cloris couldn't believe she'd been caught red-handed. She didn't want to make the whole situation worse, so she dragged her feet out of the bedroom obediently.

Rufus helped Cassandra to put her clothes back on, anger blazing through his heart.

Cloris had been planning on taking nude photos of Cassandra! How could Cloris hate Cassandra so much? They were sisters!

Rufus had seen with his own eyes how kind and caring Cassandra was to Cloris. If she knew what Cloris had tried to do to her, she would be heartbroken.

He couldn't help the rage from contorting his face as he thought about how unfairly Cassandra had been treated by her family since she was a child.

It was better not to tell Cassandra about this, he decided.

With Cassandra appropriately covered up, he walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. Cloris was still in the living room; trembling with fear, her face pale. Lionel stood beside her, confused.

"Get out of here. We'll pretend this never happened," Rufus said, trying to contain the anger in his voice.

The look he was giving Cloris could have turned water into ice.

Cloris was shocked. She didn't expect Rufus to let her go easily. She'd been ready for throwing down a challenge to Cassandra.

"Go before I change my mind and call the police to arrest you. And if you ever try anything like this on Cassandra again, you will suffer the consequences!"

Every muscle in Rufus's face was tensed up. He was trying to hold back his anger for the sake of Cassandra who still lay unconsciously in the bedroom.

Cassandra had once said that Cloris would help to run the Qin Group after she graduated. But unexpectedly, her sister was holding onto so much hostility.

It was the greatest agony to be betrayed by your own family. Rufus knew it for himself, and he desperately wanted to keep Cassandra away from such pain.

As Cloris rushed out of the room, Lionel finally found his words.

"I sent the security guards outside away. Now tell me what happened."

Lionel stared at Rufus, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

"You don't need to know."

Rufus's heart was breaking more as he thought about the sadness tinged with Cassandra's childhood, and continued to do so now.

"Fine. If you don't tell me, I will ask Cassandra myself,"

Lionel said defiantly, hoping he might see Rufus waver, but he was disappointed.

"Lionel, mind your own business and behave yourself. Don't poke your nose into things that do not concern you."

Rufus always treated Lionel like a child. A flash of disdain came through him.

"Rufus, Cassandra is my ex-wife. You cannot do this. This is incest!"

Lionel pushed, with unexpected violence in his tone. He couldn't stand Rufus's continued arrogance.

"As you said, she's your ex-wife. Since you have divorced each other, it's not an incest anymore,"

Rufus retorted with laissez-faire. The veil of charm on his handsome face hid a deep sense of contempt for this sad man.

"Fine. I'll go dig into it. I will figure out what you're up to."

Lionel's finger pointed right at Rufus's nose, his glare fuelled by his anger.

Rufus carefully pushed Lionel's finger away from his face, a look of sympathy in his eyes.

"Since you've got so much time on your hands, why don't you think about how you're going to tackle the projects in the industrial area? The marketing department has been a mess since coming under your leadership."

Rufus's cruel words touched a nerve in Lionel.

He knew as well as Rufus that his recent projects had been taken off him, either by the Dawn Star Group or by the Qin Group. Filled to the brim with frustration, Lionel stamped his foot and roared, "Shut up, Rufus! I know you are behind all of this!"