Chapter 45 Cassandra Is Back


    A white Bentley sped on the road, its tires gliding smoothly over the pavement. The woman in the front


    passenger seat rolled down the window and closed her eyes, a blissful expression on her face. She


    breathed in deeply, a big smile lighting up her features. She was filled with anticipation, and her heart


    pounded rhythmically in her chest as the engine hummed.


    "Someone''s in a good mood,"


    Rufus said lightly, his eyes crinkling as he sat behind the wheel. He nced at the woman beside him,


    and then turned his attention back to the road.


    Cassandra''s smile grew wider at his remark. She turned to him, her face almost gleaming with joy.


    "Of course. Finally, I''m on my way home. It''s been a long time," she replied cheerfully and drew a long


    breath. "I can hardly wait."


    Since her return from Rome, she had only seen her mother, Edith, once. After four years of separation,


    it was nowhere near enough. She hadn''t gone back to visit her family for many years, and even if that


    ce held no good memories, a significant part of her past stayed there, in the house where she grew


    up.


    The smile on Rufus'' lips vanished as he listened to her. He gripped the steering wheel and drove on,


    falling back on instinct as thoughts swirled inside his head. Home. What an obscure concept. To the


    likes of him, home was a luxury.


    ''No, it was once a luxury, '' he corrected himself silently, fighting off the bitter taste the word left in his


    mouth. Now he didn''t need it at all.


    He had no need for it after the only person he could call his family was already gone. When his mother


    died, she took with her all the warmth he had ever known in his life. Now, he was truly orphaned. Alone,


    and homeless.


    "You don''t look well. Are you all right?" He was pulled back from his gloomy musings by Cassandra''s


    voice.


    She kept staring at him, concern written all over her face, as if she was waiting for an answer from him.


    After the party, the two seemed to have an unspoken understanding, as if they had known each other


    better.


    Cassandra''s heart beat faster at the thought. Rufus found himself unable to break off from the deep


    pools of Cassandra''s eyes. Holding her gaze, he caught a glimpse of the red light and hurriedly


    mmed the brakes to stop the car in time.


    He let out a relieved breath. Cassandra was surprised at the jolt. Her concern grew as she wondered


    whether Rufus was alright.


    "Brother, is everything okay?"


    Cassandra asked again, moving close to Rufus. Rufus''s profile filled her eyes as she turned to him. He


    was breathing a little harshly, and then he turned his head to meet her gaze and brought his hand to


    her cheek.


    Cassandra was a little startled at the touch of his fingers. "What are you doing, brother? Are you sure


    everything is alright?" she repeated.


    The space between them was gradually disappearing as Rufus found himself, for the thousandth time


    that day, staring into her clear, bright eyes.


    "What did you just call me?" he asked softly.


    "Brother,"


    Cassandra said again.


    Rufus winced at the word, as if something had stung him. The hand on her face pressed more firmly as


    he spoke.


    "What?" he asked again, his tone rising.


    "Rufus, what''s wrong?" Cassandra said. Rufus was her brother-inw, wasn''t he? Why was he acting


    this way?


    She held her breath as she felt him move closer. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, only to hear him


    say, "Remember, I don''t like you calling me ''brother.''"


    As the light changed to green, the drivers behind beeped their horns annoyingly. After that, Rufus


    looked with satisfaction at Cassandra''s face. Then, he dropped his hand and ced them back on the


    steering wheel, driving on with a wicked smile on his face.


    Nothing happened!


    Cassandray back on her seat, breathless, after Rufus had released her. She almost thought he


    would kiss her. Her face warmed at her thoughts


    and she pped her forehead with a hand. Gosh, what was she thinking? Why did she expect Rufus to


    kiss her?


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    While driving, Rufus cocked an eyebrow and threw a quick ce at Cassandra. Just a moment earlier


    she was practically gleaming with happiness, and now she was sitting back, her arms crossed over her


    chest. He chuckled inwardly at her annoyed expression.


    Cassandra could feel his eyes on her and that made her blush. "Concentrate on driving and stop


    looking at me," she told him off, hiding her embarrassment in her dismissive tone. "What? You''ve never


    seen a beautiful woman before? Am I that pretty to look at?"


    She said in a challenging tone, still not meeting his gaze. She glued her eyes to the other side of the


    window and let the air cool her heated cheeks.


    A slight breeze rose, carrying the scent of flowers. It lightened the atmosphere in the car, and suddenly,


    it wasfortable. Rufus had the same feeling whenever he stayed with Cassandra. He let himself be


    wrapped in the feelings offort as they drove on in a cozy and warm silence.


    That evening, Lionel finally returned home.


    As soon as he entered, he began looking for Cassandra, walking to and fro while calling her name


    insistently. What happened at the celebration party had be theughing stock in the Tang Group.


    ''Cassandra and Rufus must have nned it together.'' He huffed in irritation.


    Lionel''s attention was caught when his father''s voice boomed in the hallway. "You have got a lot of


    nerve toe back!"


    Horace shouted, purple with rage. Part of him wanted to give him a beating.


    Lionel pulled back his annoyed expression at the sight of his father. "Father, where is Cassandra?"


    he asked in a controlled voice.


    It was her day off today. She should be at home. However, he had called for her more than a few times


    and she dared not answer. It got on his nerves even more that she had the gall to not face him.


    "Do you remember who is Cassandra?" his father retorted sarcastically. "And do you even remember


    that you are married? You bring shame to our family!"


    Horace shouted, burned with anger. He knew his son as well as he knew the back of his own hand, and


    this knowledge worried him. To his great relief, a good woman appeared, and he took matters into his


    own hands to marry his son to someone who would do him a great deal of good.


    Cassandra''s charm and abilities were obvious to anyone with discerning eyes, but apparently, Lionel


    had failed to see even this. He was about to reproach him more when his wife''s voice called out to him


    sharply.


    "Horace, please... Our son finally came back, and the first thing you do is scolding him,"


    Jill brought a bowl of hot ginseng soup from the kitchen and walked up to Lionel, speaking to her son


    gently.


    "Son, you must be tired. Come and have some soup. I made it for you."


    She led him to the sofa and then put the bowl on the tea table. There was a stark contrast between


    how Jill and Horace treated Lionel. In her eyes, Lionel could do nothing wrong.


    "Mother, where is Cassandra?"


    Lionel ignored his father''s earlier scolding and turned to ask his mother instead when he didn''t get an


    answer from him.


    At once, Jill''s face fell into a grimace. That woman''s name hurt her ears. She snorted contemptuously,


    "She has gone back to visit her family...with the illegitimate son."


    She spoke thest words slowly, dropping her voice almost to a whisper. Then, she looked at Horace


    and gave him a long gaze.


    "What?"


    Lionel jumped up from the sofa at Jill''s words. With the uncalcted movement, he banged his knee


    painfully against the tea table, knocking off the bowl of hot soup from the table. The sound of porcin


    as it hit the floor was harsh and stinging. Almost half of the ginseng soup fell on Lionel''s legs.


    "Ouch!" Lionel winced as a stabbing pain fell on his leg. Jill turned pale with fear and hurriedly asked


    the servants to sweep away the shards.


    "Son, are you all right? Do you get burnt? Let me see,"


    she asked him hurriedly. Lionel said nothing to her and ignored the burning sensation on his skin as he


    red threateningly at Horace.


    "Was it you who allowed Rufus to take Cassandra back?"


    he asked through gritted teeth.


    "And what of it?"


    Horace snapped back, challenging him. Lionel was too proud to see logic. The Qin family lived far


    away from the Tang family, and it was not safe for Cassandra to go back home alone. What was more,


    Lionel never spared a nce for Cassandra. He wouldn''t have gone to visit the Qin family with her


    anyway, so why was he acting like a neglected husband now?


    "You old fool! I am Cassandra''s husband!"


    Lionel bellowed in fury, the pain in his leg forgotten. He red at his father with reproachful eyes, and


    then rushed out without waiting for Horace''s answer. Jill called pleadingly after him, but her cries fell on


    deaf ears.


    After several hours'' drive, Rufus and Cassandra finally arrived in the northernmost part of G City, where


    Cassandra''s family lived.


    People from the Qin family had been eagerly awaiting her arrival. They stood at the gate with watchful


    eyes, ready to greet her with open arms.


    As the white Bentley approached, Edith standing on the side, finally let out a relieved smile.


    Cassandra was finally back…