A Graduation Gift

After reaching the hospital, Lionel rushed into the emergency room with Cassandra in his arms.

"Hospitalize her!" he ordered, gave a wad of money and hurried away.

As quickly as he had come, his footsteps receded into the night, leaving the doctor bewildered at his abrupt manner.

Cassandra willed her eyes to open and looked at the doctor on duty, with a bitter smile on her lips.

"Doctor, I think I have a fever," said Cassandra weakly.

Then she lost consciousness and fell backwards.

Luckily, a pair of powerful arms caught her.

'Well, the doctor is quick in movement. He's really a nice and thoughtful man, '

thought Cassandra the second she fell into a coma.

The doctor stared at the second man who suddenly appeared in the emergency room. He suspected this second man must have come here in hot pursuit of the unruly character who had just left. By their manner of handling the unconscious lady, it was obvious there was bad blood between the two.

Rufus's face darkened with anger. Urgently, he ordered the third guy who accompanied him and was standing by his side, "Victor, keep a close watch on him. Find out what he's up to."

Quietly, Victor nodded and left, pensively touching his nose with a finger. By the hasty way in which Rufus followed Lionel, he knew Rufus really cared about Cassandra.

Rufus was right. Lionel didn't intend to take Cassandra to the doctor. It was just his excuse.

From the parking lot Lionel stepped on the gas and drove like a maniac straight to Ivy's home, burning with anxiety.

A puffy eyed Ivy came to open the door. When she saw Lionel, she threw herself directly into his arms.

"Here you are at last," she greeted, her anxiety echoing on every syllable.

A beautiful, strong woman most of the time, Ivy was now clumsy and irritable. She wore little make-up and was terribly upset. It distressed Lionel.

Helping her to sit on the sofa and wiping away her tears, Lionel held Ivy in his arms and comforted, "Take it easy. I'm here with you."

sobbed all the more, her shoulders twitching and her

to keep

you can't keep this baby. I'm not ready for

a moment a menacing look flashed across Ivy's face. But soon, realizing how futile it was trying to argue with him, she dropped her demand. 'It would

in a solemn tone now. "You see, after the last car accident, the doctor said my uterus sustained pretty bad injuries. It would be virtually impossible to conceive. But look, here I am, pregnant, beyond a shadow of a doubt. That to me is a

Lionel was brought back to reality.

Ivy falling in front of the car, the words she said to him

in his wrangles with Rufus. He needed to put things in order.

to her advantage, she once again burst into tears, and bitterly pleaded in a low voice, "Lionel, I'm not asking for much. All that I want is for you

She knew all about his philandering and had learned not to give a hoot about his other women. Even if he couldn't wise up and stop wasting time and money on every skirt he saw, Ivy wouldn't care. And for her patience putting up with his womanizing, he had come to love

that for a fact and it gave her boldness

but she

she had been planning for all those years go up in

to Lionel comforting her so tenderly, she enjoyed to see her plot pan out well. It cut his heart that she stubbornly insisted on having

can't give birth to this baby. I'll take you to the hospital for an abortion tomorrow. That's the best I can do

between them got dense. When she recovered from the initial shock, she said with a bitter smile, "Lionel, I finally know you have been lying to me with all these fake promises. In the end, you are giving up your baby. I should have known

and stood up, her hands resting gently on

I don't care whatever evil thoughts you have for your way of life. I'm not terminating the pregnancy, come what may. I'll have to

clock in the living room of their love nest struck timely, loud and clear.

the interruption, Ivy suddenly smiled at him. A charming, innocent

make it clear for you, Lionel. If ever you try to hurt my baby, that will be the end of

over her words, Lionel's mind ran through all the time they had been together. He remembered his first

simple way she carried herself. She was unpretentious, and charming in her own special way. And as they began dating,

head over heels in love with her. Among his many mistresses, Lionel

Under the arrangement of his family, he

face after he told her that he was going to marry Cassandra was still etched on his memory. In anger she had wriggled free from his arms and ran out of the door, into the busy traffic, absentmindedly ramming into a car. She had

was snatched out of the jaws of death, she had never been the same again. She turned into a completely different

her the villa. However, material satisfaction could not

than that. Quietly, he snubbed Cassandra and never touched her. But as long as they didn't dissolve the marriage, Ivy

you know I love you. I always thought

treading carefully. The final decision on the pregnancy was a ball in

me, so I have waited for all these years. But