The Enchanted Night

ead_article_top

Cassandra held her breath as she took in Rufus's figure silhouetted against the soft light—the warm hues traced his skin and gave him an ethereal glow as if she was beholding a vision. Her heartbeat picked up its pace, shivering as the sight of him warmed her.

She looked down at the gift in her hands. At once, pain lanced through her chest.

"I…I can't. It's too precious. I don't deserve it," she said, tasting the bittersweet on her tongue.

The gift was much too priceless, as she knew that it was more than just a present. It was as if Rufus's feelings were stitched in every thread. Cassandra closed her eyes against the feeling tugging at her chest. She would not be selfish.

He had kept his word. It was more than enough.

Rufus strode to Cassandra with slow steps, carefully coming closer to her.

"If you really think so, then be mine," he said softly, shading her from the sun. It was a futile act—the sun held no comparison to his brilliance.

The nearness of him did not help Cassandra's pounding chest. She was left at a loss as Rufus once again declared his feelings for her. But he was her brother-in-law. There was no way they could be together.

She stepped back and gathered her emotions, determined to keep them impervious.

"Mr. Luo," she started, "I am going to return the gift to you."

Rufus furrowed his brows at the way she addressed him. A shadow crossed in his dark brown pupils.

The smile on his lips died, like a candle blown out by the wind. Her words fell on him like a bucket of cold water.

It was a puzzle, even to himself, how much this woman would affect him. It was as if his body was automatically on the move even before he could think about his actions. When he learned of the dress, his first thought was to get it for Cassandra.

He knew that Cassandra was feeling depressed. She had devoted all of herself to her design, but all she got was the accusation of being a copycat.

Rufus had everything arranged carefully at the auction, taking all the steps he could to win her heart. Moreover, he wanted to show the person behind this that Cassandra was no weakling—she had very strong backing and would fight back.

Rufus looked into her eyes, and at once he knew that he could not push her any further. She looked at him as if one more word would make her break. And he did not want to be the reason for that expression. He took a deep breath and turned to sit in his chair, steeling himself to act professionally.

"Director Tong and the government of G City are working together to build a super-large-scale nursing home in the suburbs to solve the growing problem of excessive numbers of admission waiting in line. He, together with other people involved, recommends you as the designer for the nursing home."

Rufus slowly explained the reason why he called for Cassandra, his face wearing an expression of seriousness.

Jenks Tong had already heard about the reason for Cassandra's suspension, but he insisted that Cassandra should be the designer for the project. It came as quite a surprise.

It was expected that the group would not get huge profits from such government project, but there were other advantages. Once the news came out,

“Let's go and register our marriage on your birthday!”

Marrying Daniel should have been her best birthday gift, but everything was ruined the moment when she caught him sleeping with another woman on the day before her birthday.

“He’s going to marry that woman! She... was my best friend!"

aven't seen you for some time. I heard you were not feeling well. Are you better now?" he asked though his expression laced with worry.

His concern touched Cassandra and she smiled at him.

"Thank you for asking, Director Tong. I'm much better now."

As his father ignored him, Dylon touched his nose retreating to the sofa, then picked up a newspaper and began reading it.

It was only an initial discussion, so Cassandra did not mind Dylon's presence.

"Director Tong, I would like to ask you about your thoughts on the design of the nursing home,"

Cassandra began, sitting at the desk opposite him and taking out a pen and a pad for notes.

Jenks considered for a moment and then answered, "Well, it's a government project, and there is a large area allocated for it. With the size, one of the main objectives is of its multi-functional feature. There should be with dormitories, canteens, and entertainment facilities. Aside from these, we would also need an outpatient department for the medical staff..." he trailed off and then turned to her. "Do you have any other new ideas?"

Jenks had always regarded Cassandra highly. He thought she was an honest woman and a skilled designer.

When he heard that she was involved in plagiarism scandal and got suspended, he knew there must have been a mistake. She simply did not have it in her to do something like it. He wanted to help her out, so he appointed her as the designer of the nursing home.

"So here is what I think..."

Cassandra drew on her pad quickly and then showed the sketch to Jenks.

"I did an ocular check there this morning. As you said, it's really a big area, but I think it will be wasteful if we don't make use of the greening area. Why don't we designate a portion of the space for planting fruit trees or seedlings? The elders who are still able to and interested can help with planting. Products from the trees can help create profits for the nursing home for their use and make the best of their spare time at the same time."

Jenks listened as Cassandra explained her ideas. A smile formed on his lips. He knew he had made the right decision.