Chapter 393 Pay Him Back


    Rufus was stricken with grief. There was absolutely no way for him to find out what had happened to


    Cassandra after she left, and he knew she wouldn''t want to talk about it.


    He already had an inkling anyway. Someone as stubborn as Cassandra would never tell.


    "I''ll arrange a ce for your mother where rk won''t be able to reach. But please, Cassandra. Take


    better care of yourself,"


    he responded, hugging Cassandra as tight as he could in a futile effort to merge them into one.


    "I will. Even if it''s for you, I''ll take better care of myself!"


    Cassandra promised. Her clear, smooth face glowed against the moonlight.


    Rufus slowly reached down and met his lips with hers. The kiss was light, but filled with tenderness and


    adoration. The moonlight cascaded past the window and shone on their figures, gracefully silhouetting


    their frames.


    In Cassandra''s office, Lyndsy frowned at the sight of Cassandra''s desk. Documents and scraps of


    paper were piled and scattered all over it.


    "Cassandra, Cassandra. How could you let this happen to you?" Lyndsy muttered to herself.


    Dissatisfied, she turned to her agent.


    "Miss Qin is a manager. Keeping track of the paperwork isn''t part of her work description. It is actually


    your responsibility. Why are you making Cassandra do your work?"


    Lyndsy spat annoyingly.


    "Lyndsy, don''t get mad. I asked her to leave them to me because I wanted to go over the scripts. I was


    afraid that your agent wouldn''t be able to handle all of these,"


    Cassandra quipped, hurriedly entering the office to defend Lyndsy''s agent. Lyndsy had a point:


    paperwork wasn''t part of her job description, the agent was just trying to spite her. But she didn''t want


    to trouble Lyndsy at all.


    "But this is ridiculous! You''re already burdened with so much work. This is extra!" Lyndsy sighed. "Don''t


    worry, Cassandra. When the year ends, I''ll give you a thick, red envelope for your bonus!"


    she said, pinching her nose as she tried to relieve her tension. Lyndsy deeply appreciated Cassandra


    and valued her work ethic about managing her studio. If it weren''t for Cassandra''s supervision, the


    studio wouldn''t have been as efficient as it was today.


    "Lyndsy, don''t worry about it. I''ve told you. It''s okay. You gave me the job when I really needed it. I just


    hope you can still allow me to keep the studio in order,"


    Cassandra replied as she grinned from ear to ear. Wherever she worked, be it as Tang Group''s


    architectural manager or Lyndsy''s studio manager, she had only always wished to excellently perform


    in her work.


    "Fine," Lyndsy sighed again, closing her eyes before quickly opening them back, suddenly


    remembering a thought. "By the way, TY Entertainment''s movie shoot is going to start soon. Both of us


    will be pretty busy in theing weeks, but I swear to you, once this is over, I''ll give you your well-


    deserved vacation leave,"


    Lyndsy said confidently. She was fully aware that Cassandra was always swamped with work, and she


    had sworn to herself to return the favor. She only wished that there was someone that could keep up


    with Cassandra''s excellent work ethic just so they could share her burden.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just as Cassandra was about to retort, her phone rang loudly. She shot Lyndsy an apologetic look


    before excusing herself out of her office to answer her phone in the hallway.


    "Cassandra! I''m going crazy over here!" Ste eximed in a barrage of screams. Cassandra could


    easily imagine Ste''s iling figure as she spoke to her over the phone. "Remember Joel? The guy


    who stole your sketches! He''s back in Tang Group! Seriously! What the fuck right? It''s so fucking


    infuriating that I lost all interest in working here. I can''t stay here any longer. I can''t stay while Lionel is


    leading us headfirst into the shit hole. So I resigned!"


    Ste finished, sounding incredibly upset. A chill ran through Cassandra''s spine upon hearing the


    news.


    "Joel''s back? Shouldn''t he still be in jail?"


    Cassandra was mortified by what she heard. She knew that thepany itself persecuted Joel. How


    could they allow him toe back?


    "Only God knows what on earth Lionel''s been thinking! He himself demanded for Joel toe back to


    work for thepany. Lionel even assigned him to my department. What''s worse, he came back with


    an even higher paycheck! It was ludicrous! I couldn''t stand seeing such a despicable man. I didn''t even


    take one thorough look at him before I resigned,"


    Ste ranted angrily. Cassandra could feel how upset she was.


    "Ste, calm down. I''ll be off work soon. Do you want to drop by my office so we could talkter?"


    Cassandra offered.


    It would be nice to see Ste once again. She knew she would be able to calm her friend down face-to-


    face anyway.


    Ste hung up on her after she quickly agreed without further retaliation. The entire time, Lyndsy was


    inside in the office, trying to hide the fact that she was eavesdropping. Ste''s voice rang angrily past


    through Cassandra''s phone so that she could hear fragments of Ste''s aggravated voice.


    When Cassandra''s eyes met up with hers, she realized that Cassandra had caught her listening in.


    She let out a light, embarrassed chuckle. "Seems like your friend is rather upset. What''s the matter?"


    Lyndsy asked Cassandra, whose eyebrows were furrowed together.


    "It''s nothing. My friend just resigned. I''ll have to listen to the entire storyter,"


    Cassandra replied conservatively, not wanting to involve Lyndsy more into the discussion. Lyndsy, after


    all, was a world-renown actress. She had more things to worry about.


    "Resigned? Where did she work?"


    Lyndsy prodded. Cassandra could feel how interested Lyndsy was with Ste''s situation. She figured


    Lyndsy was also using this time as a breather, and wanted a small distraction before going back to


    work.


    "Well... She was the department head of Public Rtions in Tang Group,"


    Cassandra said lightly, not really paying attention to her much. She was still busy trying to organize her


    thoughts and ns in her head.


    "Wow! It''s a good thing she''s resigned, then. Do you think she''d want to work here? I was actually busy


    thinking about getting an assistant for you who could help you with your tasks. If thisdy is your friend,


    she must be willing enough to work with you, no? She could help you! I''ll wait for her then, and we


    could discuss it over coffee!"


    Lyndsy said, delighted over the rather upsetting news. She felt like she could hit two birds with one


    stone. Cassandra would have an assistant to keep up with her, and her office would be maintained


    organized!


    Cassandra, however, was dumbfounded by the sudden proposal. Her lips parted in an attempt to


    speak, but the words never came out.


    A woman brashly dashed right into Cassandra''s office. Cassandra and Lyndsy''s eyes darted towards


    the door, and while Ste was about to greet Cassandra, she saw Lyndsy first.


    "Oh my god, you are Lyndsy!"


    Ste''s eyes widened at the sight of the movie star. Whatever annoyance she had expressed on the


    phone earlier quickly dissipated, and turned into excitement.


    "Wow, it''s really you! I''ve only seen you on screen. I can''t believe it''s actually you, in the flesh! You''re


    much more gorgeous than you are on screen!"


    Ste excitedly said, almost drooling at the sight of the actress.


    Lyndsy awkwardly chuckled from all the sudden attention.


    "Ha-ha...Cassandra, your friend is so...interesting. Would you please introduce us?"


    Lyndsy asked sheepishly as she beamed her pearly white teeth at Ste.


    Contrary to Lyndsy, Ste was actually an incredibly serious woman who was even stricter whenever


    she worked. She knew when to draw the line between work and leisure, though she often went ballistic


    after work.


    Cassandra could feel that she was talking to two versions of Lyndsy or two versions of Ste. Their


    personalities were exactly alike. "Ah, yes. Lyndsy, this is my old high school ssmate and ex-


    colleague, Ste Mu. She''s my closest friend."


    Cassandra obliged, looking at the two. Lyndsy held her hand out and Ste eagerly took her hand with


    both of hers, eagerly shaking the idol''s hand.


    "And Ste, this is the hottest superstar, world-renowned actress, and now my boss, Lyndsy Su!"


    Cassandra continued, and Ste looked like she was being awarded a medal during her high school


    graduation.


    The two women instantly seemed to click. Cassandra felt like she was seeing twins from the way they


    reacted.


    It wasn''t long before they developed their own friendship. The three of them left the office to have


    dinner at a hotpot restaurant. Cassandra, still a bit dazed from the entire day, found herself staring into


    the steam rising out of the hotpot, just like the way she remembered when she ate with Dylon and


    Lyndsy the veryst time.


    Lyndsy, sensing Cassandra''s change in mood, realized what was bothering her.


    "Do you miss Dylon? I remember how he helped mest time. He isn''t in G city anymore, is he?"


    Lyndsy asked quietly. She vividly remembered that when he helped her, it was around the time that


    Lyndsy was having trouble with her agency, eventually resolving the issue in court.


    "Yeah. He''s gone abroad now. He probably needs more time before he''de back,"


    Cassandra said meekly. Dylon was such a gentleman and he was always willing to help without asking


    for anything in return.


    She had sincerely believed that rk was just as noble as Dylon. But she was wrong.


    "Cassandra," Ste began, cing her hand over Cassandra''s, "just enjoy your time with rk. I think


    he''s a good man!"


    Ste couldn''t handle the cloud of negativity looming over them. She had to redirect it somewhere else.


    "Oh Cassandra, I actually did some research on rk!" Lyndsy replied, getting looks from Cassandra


    and Ste. "He just purchased the biggest five-star hotel in G City. I also found out he has several


    properties and businesses overseas, too. I don''t think you''d have to worry about marrying him,


    Cassandra. He''s rich and incredibly smitten with you!"


    Lyndsy said, grinning at Cassandra to lighten the mood. When she didn''t receive a response, she


    looked at Cassandra thoroughly, and noticed how her eyes started to dim.


    Ste immediately realized why. "Cassandra. Someone treats you with so much kindness, but you


    don''t seem to care; someone treats you with such tant disregard for your efforts, but you can''t seem


    to forget about him.


    Why, Cassandra?


    Rufus is already engaged with Amanda. Why do you still want to be with him? Wake up, dear. There''s


    so many more fish in the sea apart from Rufus. rk''s one of them, and he seems like such a perfect


    choice!" "She has a point, Cassandra. Why are you so hung up on Rufus?"


    Lyndsy nodded, trying to understand Cassandra''s emotions.


    Why must it be Rufus?


    A bitter smile crept up on Cassandra''s face.


    Cassandra was also curious about that too. Why must it be Rufus? They met at the wrong time. They


    were born into arguing families. When they got through that, the third wheel appeared.


    She had already lost her child. She had been defamed. She had even lost thepany that her father


    had worked so hard on.


    But right now, Rufus was kneeling in front of her, asking for her forgiveness.


    "I...I wonder about that too," Cassandra said, earning a few surprised looks from the girls.


    "I guess I owed him in my former life. I have to pay him back in this life."


    A sad smile appeared on her face. She kept her eyes glued to the steam rising from the pot, as if she


    were searching for an answer in its midst.