Chapter 77 A Simple Dream

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On a warm, winter afternoon, the soothing sunshine found its way into the patient ward, lighting up the dull, off white walls, filling the space with life. There was Cassandra, lying on her bed, just having prepared a cup of coffee for herself. She looked out as the sun shone in between the gently moving leaves, falling quietly in a daydream with her eyes open.

The hot Yirgacheffe, with its flower-like fragrance, induced warmth to her cold hands.

Quietly, the door opened, snapping her out of her reverie. She saw Edith walking in.

She wore an extravagant, pink fur coat which looked very warm apart from making her look absolutely gorgeous. Cassandra didn't remember her mother to be very fond of such fashionable clothes. Perhaps, it had been too long. She had no clue when and how things had changed so much.

But then again, maybe all women secretly wished to live an opulent and lavish life. No wonder when her father's company was on the brink of shutting down, she was sacrificed to trade for the wealth of the family.

'Right. Who could deal with poverty after living such a luxurious life?'

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, wondering what had brought her mother, an infrequent guest, here. Inquisitive, she asked, "Mom, what brings you here?"

Edith wore a grim look. Without reacting, she took off her coat and placed it casually on the couch near the door. Now she walked towards Cassandra, already beginning to scold her harshly, "Have you taken a look at yourself? What sort of nonsensical attitude is this? Can you at least refrain yourself from your outrageous behavior? Have you completely forgotten you represent Qin family? Don't lose your status, you dumb girl!" She threw a folded newspaper in Cassandra's direction as she finished.

The newspaper flung open, and landed on Cassandra's lap.

It was a local newspaper, and the page in front of her had a section called, 'Unreliable Rumors', which targeted at the scandals of the celebrities of G City. It was clear this wasn't a trusted source and only curated news for gossip.

Cassandra read the highlight. It was about the on-going affair between the head of a well-known company and his sister-in-law. Indeed, it was fancy and scandalous.

Soon, her eyes reached the part that mentioned about the wardrobe malfunction that had occurred to Cassandra at one of the parties. Her gown had almost slipped down her body but Rufus had pulled it up in time.

Well, this was true. She couldn't deny it, even though the extent of exaggeration was a little too much.

Sheepishly, she forced a smile, pretending not to be bothered by the news. She crushed the paper into a ball and casually threw it into the bin across the room. Feigning a light tone, she answered, "Mom, do you really believe this fake bullshit? It's clear they write just about anything for more readership."

Unconvinced by her explanation, Edith scoffed, "Yeah, I don't want to believe in it, either. But news like this never rises from thin air. I'm sure some fishy business might have occurred to spark a story. You better mind your behavior, and don't lose the respect your father has earned."

Cassandra's eyes blinked repeatedly, trying to cope with what her mother had just said. Her heart clenched at the mention of her father.

"Did someone say anything in front of dad? Just take it like a pinch of salt and forget about it."

Edith was still pissed. It seemed like she hadn't finished with this just yet.

"Cassandra, I have looked at the evaluation of Cloris's internship. The final grade was not A. She cried for so long after she came back. What happened? Why didn't she get the best grade?"

Cassandra could easily picture her sister

Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I'm alive, I'm still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses.”She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women...

you feel now? Better than before? When can you be discharged?"

'Discharged?' Cassandra thought in her heart. 'I would rather hide in the hospital forever than to face the Tang family. Even lying on the bed like a dead body was better than living there.'

Unwilling to reveal her true intention, she just answered ambiguously, "The doctor said I would still need to stay for a few more days till I fully recover. It depends, really. Can't say for sure."

Edith nodded and reached out for her hand with an amiable look, saying, "Cassandra, try to develop a good relationship with Lionel. You are young, and try to have a child as soon as possible. When your baby is born, your status in Tang family will enhance even more. And then, even if you resign from the post, they will still treat you well."

Cassandra could understand her mother's concern and that she meant well - she only hoped that her daughter would have a better life in Tang family, but...

When she thought of the fact that Ivy had moved into the Tang family house, expecting a baby, the light in her eyes ebbed away.

Baby… What a distant dream!

Her dream was different than her mother's, and much simpler. All she wished for was to be an ordinary person, to be in an ordinary marriage with no complications involved and then maybe to have a little daughter.

Daughter, yes. Whenever she thought of having a kid, she always hoped it would be a girl. She would give her all the love she could summon. They would wear the same clothes, watch the same shows, listen to the same music. Her daughter would basically be a mini version of herself, yet, better.

It was common for daughters to sympathize with their mothers. She imagined a future where she did not feel lonely, given the presence of her daughter around her all the time. Whenever things would bother her, her daughter would be there to listen to her. The soft, beautiful girl would console her, hug her and expel all her fatigue and worries.

Cassandra appreciated these small bits of love from her mother but did not feel they were intense or unconditional. In fact, they felt flawed, limited and fabricated.

She wanted to give her daughter all the love she herself had craved for all her life, so that she would grow up without any gaps or regrets in her heart.

But, sometimes, this felt like an unattainable dream. She was afraid she would never get that chance.

For no other reason but the fact that her husband was Lionel Tang.