Chapter 222 Unless I Were Dead

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"You want my position? Okay, let's call all board members together and initiate voting. The candidate with the most votes wins, I'll happily resign if I don't win," Rufus said assertively.

Rufus's insolent smile and confidence humiliated Lionel. He didn't take Lionel seriously and didn't even see him as a threat.

Rufus had good reasons to be confident. He was far more qualified than Lionel in progressive thinking and far more learned overall. Lionel himself was uncertain about the vote. Those senior executives on the board were smart and foxy. When he was the CEO, Lionel needed to respect and listen to them as he used their discretion to make decisions or pass a plan. He needed their consent as well. Rufus, however, didn't need to do that. He was so talented and experienced that they would listen to him and follow his instructions strictly instead. Rufus had no problem running the Tang Group.

What if the senior executives made things difficult and the company became unmanageable for Lionel when he went back?

Every time he thought that there was no one to trust or rely on in the company, Lionel felt frustrated and jealous of Rufus.

Rufus had already taken away Lionel's authority. He had no say on the board. He was part of the executive members but the members didn't take him seriously. So his restrictive power was pretty much of no use.

"Lionel, go back to your bedroom! You stay out of it!" Horace commanded

He lifted his head up and glared at Lionel.

Lionel knew that he wasn't able to replace Rufus. He knew he shouldn't get involved in the conversation in the first place.

Horace, who had the final say in the company, wanted to restrict Rufus's authority and power. He would then be able to force him to break up with Cassandra. But Rufus stood assertively and showed no form of surrender.

Horace's plot failed dismally.

"You go back too. Let's talk about it another day," Horace said arrogantly.

Feeling infuriated, he pretentiously waved at Rufus and asked Jill to help him upstairs. Disappointment showed on his face. He was at a loss for words, and this didn't happen often. He was humiliated by his own son.

Jill glared at Rufus, annoyed.

Rufus grew up as an illegitimate child. Since his return there had been no peace and serenity in the Tang family. Their lives were filled with quarrels and sadness. Jill felt irritated, blaming all drama on Rufus. She didn't like this man at all.

Rufus just smiled rebelliously. He didn't seem to care about his father's feelings as the Tang family had never truly accepted him. He had always been an outsider and could think of it never changing.

Why then should he show compassion and care about them?

Rufus's eye showed conceit and hatred. He swore one day he would turn this luxurious mansion into a despicable hell hole.

Cassandra's cell phone had been vibrating in her bag. She knew it was Rufus calling again but still ignored him.

Cassandra and Rufus had never communicated frequently before. Since she moved out, Rufus called her continuously. She had put her phone on vibrate mode as the annoying ringtone rang countless times in a day.

She decided to be obstinate this time. There was no difference whether they got back together or broke up since she would be the one getting hurt.

Rufus was preoccupied

When her boyfriend betrayed her, all light and joy was gone from Cherry’s life. Deserted, bereft of hope, she married a man that she had barely met, but she had never expected him to be her ex-boyfriend’s uncle.

Cherry thought that she had finally found her happiness, but she had no idea about the dark secrets that were bound to unfold and haunt her forever...

e cruelly even though I have done so much for her?' he thought sadly.

The more Rufus thought about it, the more he got annoyed. He called Cassandra again, but she didn't answer him.

Cassandra slowly walked down to the street. There were vines on the wall, carrying pockets of beautiful yellow flowers, which had such a sweet happy fragrance.

Rufus and she had known each other as lovers for about a year. However, one would think they had known each other for at least ten years. All couples fought, so did they. The conflicts between them were so intense and frequent that it had to come to a stop.

'Love hurts but ours tortures, ' Cassandra felt exhausted.

Rufus kept calling her, which made Cassandra irritated. 'Does this man not take no as an answer and since when did he become so childish?' she was getting annoyed.

Cassandra answered the phone again. He asserted angrily and fast, "Cassandra, save your words until I arrive. I'm at the Garden Road now!"

Rufus was anxious and angry but most of all desperate.

"Rufus, I've left the villa. You don't need to come here," Cassandra said rebelliously.

She saw a taxi driving to her direction and waved him down.

"Cassandra, do you think I'm playing a love game? I tell you what. I want you to be my woman. Do you hear me? I won't let you go!" Rufus cried out.

This woman meant everything to him. She was the one. He could never find anyone else like her. He couldn't let her go.

"Rufus, we can still be friends," Casandra said pitifully.

She felt as if a knife was piercing her heart, but she still turned him down.

She was afraid that she would cry next, then would run into his arms again. She missed him so much already. She feared that she would never be able to leave again, once she went back to him.

"Cassandra, don't ever think about leaving me, unless I am dead!" he said loudly.

His voice was mixed up with a high-pitched braking sound and then crashing.

Then Cassandra heard the busy tone from the other end of the phone.

Her eyes widened. Cassandra's pulse started racing. Her mind became erratic. She shouted into the bleeping phone, "Rufus, what's going on? Rufus, no please no! Rufus, answer me, please..."