Chapter 177 Never Lost Her Again


    In spite of the situation being so chaotic, Cassandra couldn''t turn a blind eye to Rufus''s charm. She


    stood spellbound as she observed the dust stick to his carved face.


    Soon she realized this was not the right time or the right ce to be captivated by Rufus''s look. In


    order to peel her eyes off from his handsomeness, Cassandra turned around and began to follow the


    rescue team to the next disaster site. On the other hand, Rufus was swiftly unloading the boxes of


    water and instant noddles from the car.


    This experience meant a great deal to Cassandra and Rufus. They were beyond happy to be working


    together for a good cause. Somehow doing it together seemed like taking their rtionship to the next


    level. It was like they had been through thick and thin together.


    Rufus squinted and looked at another building not far away from him. Cassandra was analyzing the


    situation along with the rescue team in front of the building. She seemed very engaged and was


    pointing her fingers to the building while talking to other rescue team members.


    "Cassandra, don''t you dare think of leaving me again!"


    Rufus murmured to himself.


    When he first heard that Cassandra was gone, he was beyond worried. Panic had engulfed Rufus from


    every corner. Victor informed him that Cassandra had packed her luggage and left the Garden Vi. He


    was also informed where she was headed. His first reaction was fury which was soon reced by


    worry. Rufus realized he couldn''t stand a second without knowing if Cassandra was safe.


    Horace had been still resting in the hospital ward. It was his responsibility to care for him until Lionel


    would show up there. He repressed his urge to find Cassandra for the time being.


    As soon as his duty was over, Rufus dashed for the A City. On his way, he noticed the road was filled


    with vehicles carrying the patients. It wasn''t easy for him to reach his destination. On top of that, he


    could see the casualty rates had amplified. The radio in his car confirmed all his worries. He realized


    how bad the situation actually was and sped his car to get there faster. Sweating with anxiety, he


    prayed for the well-being of the woman he was in love with.


    ''Why is she so damn reckless! Before bringing the staffs to A City, why didn''t she consider talking to


    me?'' his mind uttered with frustration. Inside his mind, Rufus swore he would teach her a lesson once


    he found her.


    But what was buried behind his anger was anguish. In truth he had no idea if she was alive. In order to


    get this thought out of his mind, he was covering it up with anger. He had been using anger as his


    defense mechanism.


    When he noticed that her car was parked near the city hall, Rufus thought he had finally found her. But


    on further inquiry he was told that she had indeed gone to A City.


    This piece of information heightened his concern. For a split second he had wished that Cassandra


    wouldn''t be inside the city.


    With a heavy heart, he made his way to the disaster area. It was done very quickly as he had no


    difficulty getting inside. Without wasting any time, Rufus inquired about Cassandra but nobody seemed


    to have the details that could enlighten him. As he was passing by a school yground, a voice


    reverberated from the radio and made his heart beat faster. ''She was here!'' he thought with resolution.


    She was looking for her friend Maggie''s uncle. This was a pure stroke of luck and he internally


    celebrated.


    He expectantly stood in front of the school gate and waited for Cassandra''s arrival. Once he saw her,


    his heart finally rxed. Instead of addressing her right away, he decided to follow her.


    As he tailed behind Cassandra, Rufus overheard her conversation with Dylon. When he heard the


    whole story, he was ovee with mixed emotions.


    He wondered how the woman he loved so dearly could have been so brash. ''Why did she insist on


    apanying the rescue team? Is she not aware how dangerous it is?


    What about the people she cares about? If something happened to her, what would happen to them?''


    Rufus wondered. All the while he was thinking about himself. It seemed impossible to envision a life


    without Cassandra. This made him realize the depth of his love.


    Once again he was furious at Cassandra for putting her life at risk without considering his emotions. He


    was prepared to scream the hell out of her, but when he opened his mouth, he only said, "I will go with


    her."


    Perhaps this was what he truly felt. He was willing to support her no matter what she did.


    At the end of the day, all that mattered to him was that they were together.


    In the chaotic A City, Rufus followed Cassandra and kept an eye out for her. He was helping others not


    far away from Cassandra, but his eyes would look for her every 10 seconds.


    He had lost her once hence he wasn''t willing to take any risk again.


    After hours of working, night finally came. Everyone looked exhausted and Cassandra was no


    exception. Her face and clothes were dusty from all thebor.


    She felt quite dirty and wished for a shower but the water resource was limited in the disaster area. Wet


    towel was her only choice so she began washing her face and hands with it. While she was engrossed


    in this task, a voice spoke from behind.


    "Are you tired?"Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Rufus hugged Cassandra as tight as he could. Right now they were outside the tent.


    Today he had witnessed her selflessly risk her life for others. If he had to bepletely honest, he felt


    rather proud of her. Yet a part of him worried about her safety.


    "Yes, I am quite tired but it''s alright because I''m very happy. The rescue team seeded in saving five


    people today!" Cassandra replied.


    Removing Rufus''s hands from her waist, she turned around and hugged him. As she leaned on his


    chest, she could listen to his heartbeat. In this tired state, this felt like heaven to her.


    Somehow his heartbeat always filled her with a sense of security. It was like she could feel his vitality


    and energy. Moreover, she felt the closest to him in this position. At the moment, this ce was in


    chaos but she was disconnected from it all. To her it seemed like they were the only two souls present


    here.


    "Well, you need to stop caring about others all the time. Your health matters too! Look at you, you look


    burned-out."


    Rufus patted on Cassandra''s shoulder gently. In spite of her weak appearance, she was resilient and


    strong. After working for a whole day, even her voice had became hoarse.


    "I''m fine, alright? You''re the one who should be taking care of your heath. I mean, you''re the president


    of the Tang Group. And you spent your whole day unloading water and instant noodles!" Cassandra


    said with a mischievous smile.


    When Rufus set out today, his only intention was to find Cassandra. He wasn''t prepared for this hence


    he was wearing his suit. While he unloaded the relief supplies, his attire caught the attention of


    everyone. In their eyes, he didn''t look like an ordinary volunteer. In fact, to the onlookers he came


    across as a celebrity figure.


    "Oh please! That is not a big deal. Look around, almost every worker here is a man. If anything, you


    are the odd one here. I, on the other hand, can handle this."


    Rufus smiled, put his hand on Cassandra''s back and pulled her into his arms.


    "Rufus…"


    Cassandra blushed and tried to escape from his grasp.


    Rufus held her tightly and lowered his head. Carefully, he ced a soft kiss on Cassandra''s lips,


    ignoring the startled look that people were giving them.


    He had been watching her from afar the whole day. He did this because he didn''t want to interrupt her.


    But now he couldn''t resist himself from doing what he had been dying to do.


    In Cassandra''s mind, Rufus had be a hero. She was impressed with the work he had done today.


    Even though she knew he was strong, she never expected he woulde into the disaster area to do


    these menial tasks. Moreover, she couldn''t detect any trace of fatigue on his face. Cassandra had no


    knowledge about the training he received from the Dark Night Group. His first training given was


    physical training. Those who didn''t pass this stage was immediately kicked out from the group. In short,


    physical training was of utmost importance there.


    Rufus worked day and night during those days. His earnestness made him much better than the


    others. While everyone was asleep, he would still be running in the yground. This was the sort of


    commitment Rufus was capable of giving.


    Wind blew on his face and Rufus was brought back to reality. For a moment he was lost in his past.


    Cassandra''s cold hand touched his face and he looked into her eyes.


    "Rufus, Dylon and I…we''re just friends. I want you to know there is nothing going on between us."


    This had been at the back of her mind for weeks. But she finally mustered up the courage to say it out


    loud. Their rtionship was going smoothly and she wanted to wipe out any residue of


    misunderstanding.


    "Amanda and I are just friends too..."


    Rufus sighed and was about to exin his rtionship with Amanda. However, he was interrupted.


    "Cassandra,e with us and be quick. We have been informed that a woman and her child are


    trapped in a copsed building!"


    The leader of the rescue team eximed and waited for Cassandra.


    Without any hesitancy, Cassandra let go of Rufus''s face and ran to the leader.


    "I aming!"


    She hollered back in her hoarse voice. Watching her frail condition, Rufus was tempted to hold her


    back. But he was well aware that she wouldn''t stop at any cost. Without any choice, he followed her.


    Along with the rescue team, Rufus and Cassandra arrived at the residential building. On their arrival, a


    man ran towards them. Tears were falling down his face and he stammered while speaking,


    "Plea...please save my wife and son. The...they are trapped. I just returned fro...from another ci...city!"


    The man broke down.


    His face and hands were peppered with dust. They realized he must have attempted to dig into the


    ruins with his bare hands. Spots of dry blood was also visible on the tip of his fingers.


    Seeing the miserable condition of this man, Cassandra''s heart ached. She couldn''t bear to watch his


    agony any longer. She turned her face and studied the structure of the building.


    It was a typical residential building. The cracks in the ground caused a steep slope on the building. And


    she realized it could copse any second.


    The team took out their equipments and let out the rescue dogs. Without wasting another second, they


    began their duty.


    Having ants in his pants, the man was following around the team with a grief stricken face. Every now


    and then he would beg them to save his family.


    His helpless pleas tortured Cassandra. She bit her lips and hoped they would find his family as soon as


    possible.


    Just when she was praying, the rescue dog barked. They began digging the ground below them. The


    rescue team grabbed their equipments and ran to the area where the dog stood. The light shed and


    the equipments beeped, showing signs of life.


    Knowing she had to be quick, Cassandra immediately gave hermands. She told the team how to


    dig, what direction to focus and what direction to avoid. In a matter of minutes, she carefully filled them


    with her n.


    This building was at great risk of copsing so she advised them to be very careful.


    The team started their work and the concrete foundation brackets were exposed in the air soon.


    It was a corner in the bathroom, a safe ce to cover oneself during an earthquake. The man''s wife


    seemed to have somemon sense and this knowledge relieved Cassandra.


    The team moved the bricks and a figure came to their view.


    "There she is! There she is!"


    The man was delighted to see his wife. He wanted to step forward but he was held back by the team.


    They looked at the woman, standing. She bowed and squatted on the ground. Her head was hit by a


    stone. As a result, the whole area was drenched in blood.


    The wound on her head had turned into a scab. It looked like she had remained in that position for


    long. Her wound was intense and everyone knew she had very little chance to survive.


    Everyone present on the scene held their breath in anticipation. They were anxious and worried. A


    member in the rescue team brought his equipment and walked toward the woman. He put his index


    finger under her nose and felt her breath. Shaking his head, he looked back at the others.


    After receiving this sad news, everyone remained silent. Earlier there was hope, but now the


    atmosphere be mournful. Cassandra lost her bnce and almost fell onto the ground, but Rufus


    held her.


    Today she was full of hope since she watched five people survive. But this woman''s death changed it


    all.


    While he was about to move her body, the rescue man observed her hands were tightly bound over


    something. He squatted and tried to see what it was. As he removed her hands, he let out a scream,


    "I''ve got the baby!"


    The baby was in deep sleep. His face was bereft of any wound. He was tucked safely in his mother''s


    arms.


    The sight sent shivers down Cassandra''s spine. She couldn''t fathom it.


    After standing agape for a few minutes, she finallyprehended what had happened. ''The woman


    sacrificed her life to save her baby, '' her mind perceived. Cassandra felt a tenderness towards this


    woman and her motherly love.