Night spread over the small space like a dark canopy as tears clouded Cassandra's vision and made
everything dimmer. Her tears, flowing like waterfalls, traced wet paths down her cheeks.
Cassandra surrendered to her sorrows as Rufus held her in his arms. She had reached the end of her
tether, and it was as if her past was catching up to her, along with everything she tried so desperately
to bury and leave behind. Letting herself be lulled in his embrace, she closed her eyes and clung to the
comfort he was giving her like it was air. She knew that she shouldn't let him hug her like this - she was
a married woman and he was her brother-in-law. However, she just couldn't prevent herself from
reaching out to him as sobs wracked her frame and shivering from the coldness that sprang from her
chest.
Rufus felt her shivers and wrapped his arms tighter around her, stroking her hair gently. His chest
constricted at the sight of Cassandra's tear-stained face. Another tremor shook her shoulders. At that
moment, if he could take away her pain or somehow find a way to free her from it and claim it for
himself, he would not have hesitated. He remembered her smiles as they drove on the road here, and
wanted so desperately to bring it back, the image of her face almost gleaming against the light of day.
The tremors eased and he felt her shoulders relax as she continued to breathe deeply. "Why are you
crying?" he finally asked. "Aren't you happy that you are back home?"
He looked down and Cassandra raised her head slowly to meet his eyes, not speaking a word. Rufus
looked into her eyes, and he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from the pain in her eyes, as if
it was speaking to him. He watched once again as tears filled her eyes to the brim, flowing down her
face in wet trails.
"Silly girl," Rufus sighed and gave her a fond smile.
He did not know why he had done this - taking her in his arms and comforting her as the emotions
raging inside her. All he knew was that even before he could comprehend it, his feet were headed to
her, and arms reached out holding her to him. He didn't understand it himself, but it seemed that when
it came to this woman, he dropped all his guards. Slowly and carefully, he raised his hand and held her
face. His touch was careful, as if he was touching delicate glass. Cassandra felt his warm fingers wipe
her tears as his eyes never left hers.
At once, more tears flowed out, as a sudden wave of sorrow washed over her. It was as if that small
touch released more of her sadness. "Rufus..."
She called him, her voice shaking.
She didn't know where to begin and what to tell him. Her head was a whirlwind because her pain had
wrung her chest, squeezing out whatever was left of her.
Rufus didn't say a word and just looked at her, patiently waiting, until she could find the words to start.
He kept wiping her tears away. There was a desire inside calling him to protect her, keep her safe, and
hide her away forever from anything that could have hurt her. It was an alien feeling, one that he had
never experienced before, and yet unmistakable, like a mark brandishing itself in his mind.
The Cassandra he knew was strong and stubborn, but now looking at the woman in his arms, she was
so fragile and hurting. He wanted nothing more at that instant than to be the one to protect her.
Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next. His mind stopped for a moment when he felt
her soft and warm lips on his own. Cassandra was standing on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms
around Rufus' neck when she pressed her lips on his, pulling him closer desperately.
It was as if everything else stopped around them. Everything Rufus knew that moment winded down to
Cassandra's lips and the bitter taste of her tears. It was as if he could hear the world's heartbeat as it
pulsed silently around the two of them.
Cassandra kissed Rufus. That was what happened.
In the next second, he put his arms around Cassandra's waist, holding her even closer and tighter. He
kissed her and answered her lips with a fire of his own.
They knew nothing but their lips on each other, arms clinging as though they were both trying to
memorize each other through the kiss. They forgot where they were and what they were here for. They
forgot about everything. Everything, except for their knowledge of each other, faded into the
background.
For once, Cassandra let herself go wild. Rufus filled her mind and she drowned herself in his scent, his
touch. She felt intoxicated with the man who was kissing her, his arms giving her warmth she did not
know she so desperately craved.
Unexpectedly, a sound of someone's voice came from a distance.
"Sis, are you there? Sis?"
The sudden voice made them stop what they were doing.
Cassandra felt dread when the weight of the events that had just transpired dawned on her. She pulled
away from Rufus immediately, mumbling apologies, "I am sorry... I am really sorry..."
She was about to cry again. Her sister's call pulled her out of what she was feeling.
What the hell had she done just now? What was she thinking? They were still in the house of the her
family for God's sake! One small mistake and they would have been in big trouble. Was she out of her
mind?
"Stop apologizing," Rufus cut her sharply.
Hearing her apologies left an unpleasant taste in his mouth even as his lips still tingled from the kiss.
Rufus could practically hear her thinking as she stared fixedly down to avoid his eyes. As always, she
was considering everyone else's feelings but her own. It made his heart ache fore her, despite his
irritation. Frustration grew in his chest as he looked at her, knowing that she was locked in a marriage
with someone else. He wanted to snatch her from his brother and keep her forever.
The way she answered his kiss and sank in his arms...The way she made everything seem so simple
and familiar...It felt as though they belonged together.
"Are you in the back yard, sis?" Cloris' voice ripped him away from his thoughts. "Lionel is here. We are
all waiting for you."
When she heard no response, Cloris called out again. She was afraid of the dark, so she chose to
stand outside the back yard, waiting for her sister to answer her. Her sister's voice filled the
atmosphere with an urgency that mirrored the turmoil of Cassandra's thoughts. What she did was
wrong - kissing Rufus, the man who was not her husband, was terribly wrong. She raised her head to
look at him, her eyes blown wide with confusion. His gaze mirrored her surprise, and none of them
spoke, as if waiting for the other to break the guilty silence.
Neither of them had expected that Lionel would come at this hour. Why did he decide to come here in
the last minute?
It was Cassandra who spoke up first. She turned her head away from Rufus, feeling shame at her
actions. She was a married woman, but had acted so wrongly. She quickly wiped the tears that were
still on her cheeks, then said in a leveled voice, "I am going in now."
Rufus was left to stare at her as she quickly walked towards the direction of Cloris' voice. He watched
as her figure disappear into the darkness. Cassandra walked with quick strides and soon, she was
inside the house. The corners of Rufus's mouth lifted into a knowing smirk. She kissed him first. It
warmed him, relishing the implications that sat behind her action.
It was obvious that her flustered reaction made him extremely happy.
Meanwhile, Vernon and Edith sat on the sofa in the living room. Across from them, Lionel, who rushed
here this late, faced them with a charmingly apologetic smile on his face.
"I am really sorry to bother you this late. There was so much work to do so I wasn't able to accompany
Cassandra. Please forgive me for my impoliteness,"
he said in a sincere tone. Courtesy was something that came easy to him, having had to deal with all
sorts of people. He could play the part of the loving, devoted husband if he wanted to, and it would fool
everyone in the room. If it weren't for his cruel attitude towards Cassandra before, one could easily
mistake this man for a dedicated husband who adored his wife.
Vernon was obviously delighted upon hearing him. "That's all right. We are very happy that you can be
here. You must be tired and hungry rushing here this late. I asked the cook to prepare something for
you to eat. Do you have any preferences?"
he asked kindly, a beaming smile on his face.
"I will ask the maid to prepare a room for you. Oh, that's right. How silly of me! You can just sleep in
Cassandra's room with her,"
Edith chuckled embarrassedly at her mistake. Still, she felt something was amiss and couldn't help but
glance at the direction of the back yard. Why hadn't Cassandra come in yet? What was she doing in
the back yard?
At that moment, Cloris burst into the room with Cassandra following her. "Sis, my brother-in-law really
cares about you. He immediately rushed here as soon as he finished his work. And it's so late! He is
really a good husband. You are making me jealous!" she said, feigning envy, but almost swooning at
the sight of Lionel.
She also wanted a husband who cherished her and loved her. In her eyes, Lionel was the perfect
husband, going to great lengths for her sister.
Cassandra didn't reply to her sister's words. In all honesty, she didn't know what to say. Telling her the
truth was obviously not an option, but she didn't want to lie either. It in fact concerned her that Lionel
was here, for she had no idea why he came. She kept silent and just smiled, hoping Cloris would drop
this subject.
"By the way, where is Rufus? Have you seen him?
He said he was going to use the bathroom just now, but he still hasn't come back." Cassandra felt as if
a bomb had detonated in her mind at hearing her sister's question. She struggled to keep herself calm
and said, "Um. I don't know. I haven't seen him."
The mention of his name brought back the guilt that she felt about what she had done. She didn't dare
to make eyecontact with Cloris, afraid that her eyes would betray her. Her cheeks warmed and she
licked her lips, subconsciously. She could almost feel his lips on hers again. Even as she felt herself
wanting to crumble in shame, in one corner of her heart, there was an emotion that had evaded her for
so long: happiness. It was as if the warmth in his arms reached her heart, thawing the cold pain held
captive for so long.
Cloris continued to chatter as they made their way to the three in the living room, but her words couldn't
register on her sister's mind. When Cassandra's eyes met with Lionel's, she caught a very strange
sight. He was sitting on the sofa, with a gentle smile that she had never seen before.
Despite her surprise, her expression did not change. She had already known from Cloris earlier that he
would be here, and so she had been able to brace herself for the encounter. She just hoped that he
could play nice and not embarrass her in front of her family.
She greeted her parents as she always did, as if nothing was unusual. Then she walked towards Lionel
and sat down on the sofa beside him, carefully keeping some distance between them.
Lionel turned to her, his eyes shining. He almost seemed happy to see his wife as he gave her an
affectionate smile. Cassandra felt him move closer and erase the distance between them on the sofa.
"Sorry I'm late, honey,"
he said softly. Saying that she was shocked was an understatement. An unreadable look appeared on
Cassandra's face as she struggled to make sense of what was happening. Did she hear him right?
Lionel really called her 'honey'? She wasn't dreaming, was she? Besides, what was wrong with him?
When did he ever use such a gentle tone to talk to her? What was he trying to do?
Questions poured into Cassandra's head, making her turn her head to look at the man who was sitting
beside her. She wore a normal expression but surprise was evident in her eyes. Lionel looked at her
with tender eyes, still smiling softly. But as soon as his gaze moved down to her swollen lips, the smile
on his face withered, and his eyes turned into cold steel.
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