Chapter 178 Secret Investor

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Cassandra was startled, as were all the people around her.

The baby slept soundly, as if nothing had happened, oblivious to the act of motherhood by which he was saved. Somehow, the mother had squatted with him in her arms, protecting him against the falling boulders with her own body.

Cassandra's mouth fell open in horror, surprise, gratefulness. All at once, these emotions were so hard to process that her hands started to tremble.

Something seemed to cross her mind abruptly but only for an instant. She couldn't hold on to it no matter how hard she tried.

The mother had protected her baby, keeping all the dangers at bay. This truly, was the power of love and love alone.

Dylon snapped to his senses, still recovering from the shock of what had just happened. He sprung forward to test the blood pressure and pulse of the baby, then carried him to the ambulance which had just arrived at the scene. Standing by the ambulance, he saw the father of the baby, wailing helplessly, knelt down on his knees.

Cassandra didn't know what to look at, the destruction or the distancing of loved ones. She felt solemn, stirred and numbed by the misery around her.

Naturally, the night was disturbing. Cassandra lay in Rufus's arms, snuggling against his chest. Her eyes were stuck to the wall, as if it was a canvas on which was playing all images from the events of the day that she couldn't get out of her head. She didn't realize but she was now mumbling. Rufus arched his neck to hear her better but he couldn't make out any proper words.

Soon, thereafter, she fell asleep. Sleep was equally appalling. She dreamed of a strange woman, holding a baby in her arms, crying in horror, looking right into her eyes.

"Don't come closer!" Cassandra yelled, alarmed. "Stop!" Louder, this time.

She could not make out their faces. They might as well have been made out of sand sifting through the wind.

All Cassandra saw was the woman clutching her baby, as if she was holding the most valuable treasure that ever existed. The most disturbing thing was the hostility and hatred with which she stared at Cassandra.

Cassandra felt tremendously sad and helpless. The sadness hit her oddly, making her desperate to ask for an explanation. Why did the woman hate her so much? She wanted to ask, yell, shriek but no sound came out of her wide open mouth.

The dream tortured her the entire night, coming and going in flashes, like memory left behind by terrible things. She was grateful to have been woken up by some noises in the morning.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Rufus lying next to her, looking straight at her. There were concerns and a sweet sense of care in his eyes.

"Did you have a nightmare last night? I know you didn't sleep well."

Rufus initiated an exchange, hoping she would release some of her stress and anxiety. He brushed his hand across her cheek, then held her by her bare shoulder.

"It's nothing. It's just...because of whatever happened yesterday."

The imagery of the dream was still fresh in her mind. She didn't know what it meant or whether it was a premonition for something. She didn't want to talk about it. One, describing it would mean reliving the horror of it; and two, she didn't want Rufus to worry about her.

"Ummhmm...See, your body is really weak right now. You won't be able to make it. Just go home and rest, okay?"

Rufus constantly worried about her health. He wished she would leave as soon as possible a

"Do you know what you did wrong? It's alright if you just wanted to own me. But you should not have helped Molly leave me!"

When Brian learns the truth, there is no chance for Hannah to win his heart.

Molly, who wants to run away from Brian, seems to be the only one to blame for Hannah's misfortune...

he edge all the time.

"Father, don't be so worried. You're the chairman of Tang Group. Arthur is still scared of you and he would never drive away or exterminate us. We still have some projects of the industrial district," Lionel said, trying to comfort Horace.

His intention was good but he didn't realize the severity of the situation. He didn't think it was necessary to worry about such competition as long as Tang Group had projects to do.

Horace was done trying to make him understand with his shortsighted vision. He simply waved his hand at Lionel, signalling him to leave the room. He needed time to think of immediate countermeasures.

Horace paced up and down in his study. After a while, he finally dialed the phone number that was burnt in his memory.

The voice on the other end was as hoarse as he remembered it used to be.

"Mr. Tang, needless to say, you are in some big trouble... Do you seek help from me?"

The person seemed unsurprised, casual and calm, as if there was nothing unusual happening.

"Yes...Tang Group needs huge investments to stay afloat. I'd like to know how things are going. Have you made a decision yet?"

Horace trod with extreme care, choosing his words carefully before he spoke. It was crucial that he kept this man on his side.

"Well, Mr. Tang, I think I already told you. We will offer you anything you want the day your beloved son Rufus and Amanda get engaged. Surely, you haven't forgotten that. The illness couldn't have been that bad."

The tone didn't change. The way he talked didn't convey any chance of concession. It startled Horace.

He really seemed to be after Rufus and Amanda's marriage. Horace didn't understand why. What would it mean to him?

"Mr. Tang, don't worry. There will be no harm inflicted upon Rufus if he is engaged to Amanda. The only thing I want is for Rufus to settle down and have a happy family. After that, he can serve Tang Group as he's been doing all these years. This is the only way we can reach any conclusion and ensure a safe investment."

This man sounded so sure. He had pointed out exactly what Horace was doubtful of and already given a justification for it.

Now Horace had come to a realization. They seemed to trust Rufus too but weren't satisfied about the way he operated, which was too reserved.