44 The Misunderstanding

The days of the Spring Festival had passed and Andrew hadn't contacted Cora since that night.

Cora was certain he was finished with her. Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months. It was time for her to graduate. She was finishing with high honors and her family was very proud of her. Gordon and Charlotte gave her a car as a graduation gift. Cora was shocked.

After the graduation ceremony, Cora attended the farewell dinner where teachers and students gathered to say their goodbyes. It was held at a very nice restaurant in Beijing.

As Cora was coming out of the washroom, she saw Andrew. He was walking in with a group of businessmen, talking. Suddenly he felt someone staring at him. He looked up and his eyes collided with Cora's.

For a moment they stared at each other and everything around them ceased to exist. Then a man spoke to Andrew and he tore his gaze away from her. The men entered their private room. Cora sighed and rejoined her group.

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The next day, Cora gathered all her courage and drove her car to the Promise Financial Group, the company that Andrew owned.

No one at the front desk dared to stop her as they remembered her from before. She took the elevator to the top floor where his office was.

She went directly to his office door and knocked quickly, and opened the door without waiting.

The scene that greeted her was not what she had expected. Andrew was hugging a woman. She wasn't just any woman, either. She was Mary Ann, a big star in the entertainment industry.

Cora was horrified. Picking up the last shred of dignity that she had left, she said simply, "Mr. President, I see you are rather busy. I came here to clarify some things with you, but I see now that it is unnecessary that I do so. Please excuse me for interrupting your private meeting." Her last words clearly carried her disgust to both individuals.

Before Andrew could react, she closed the door and quickly took the elevator to the parking garage. She got in her car and left without turning back.

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Andrew frantically dialed Cora's number over and over. She had blacklisted him.

"I could call her and explain." Mary Ann offered.

"No, that won't be necessary. Give my greetings to Lionel." Andrew said with a sigh.

He had a business dinner that night and he assumed Cora might need some time to calm down. He'd go to the Zhou villa tomorrow to explain.

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That night at dinner Cora hesitantly brought up a topic.

"Do you remember a few weeks ago when you offered to send me abroad for a few days after graduation? If that offer still stands, I think I'd like to go."

"Of course. However, I'm sending a group of bodyguards with you. I don't want you all alone in another country." Gordon agreed.

"Thank you. I'd like to go as soon as possible." Cora said.

"Why so sudden?" Asked Charlotte.

"I need a fresh start. I'm done with school and broken up with Andrew. I want to put some things behind me and hopefully come back refreshed. I want my focus to be on taking care of Mommy and preparing for college this Autumn." Cora explained.

Gordon was able to arrange for her and a team of four bodyguards to take his private jet the next day around noon.

At around two o'clock he received a phone call from Andrew.

"Is there anyway I could join your family for dinner tonight?" Andrew asked.

"Absolutely. But if you're looking for Cora, she's not here. She left the country earlier today." Gordon was purposefully vague.

"She—Where is she?" Andrew asked.

"She went to Japan." Gordon stated.

"Alone?" Andrew asked.

"Well there were a few good looking men with her. She seemed to be familiar with them." Gordon answered with a bland voice. After all, Cora was familiar with the men in his security team.

"Her itinerary. Now." Andrew said thru gritted teeth.

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Cora gave her driver the address for the restaurant Gordon had booked for her.

Once she arrived, she was seated in a VIP box. She ordered and the food came quickly. Just a few minutes later the door opened again and she was face to face with Andrew.

She stared silently as he made his way to her table.

"Hello, Cora." He said quietly.

"Gordon told you I was here." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes." He affirmed.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"Because I'm an idiot." Andrew said.

"I know that already. Tell me what I don't know." Cora said.

"I can tell you that the woman you saw yesterday is my biological cousin. She's the daughter of my mom's sister. She came to tell me she and her husband are expecting a baby." Andrew explained.

"Big star Mary Ann is your cousin? And she's married?" Cora was surprised.

"Yes. She keeps her private life separate from her acting career." He told her.

Cora nodded.

"So, you tell me something." He changed the subject.

"What is that?" Cora asked.

"Tell me what you came to my office to say yesterday." He commanded.

"I know you're done with me and I understand that, but I never explained why I rejected your proposal. Everyone from Charlotte to my therapist says you need to know."Cora began.

"I'm listening." He said softly.

"When I told you I wasn't worthy of you, I didn't mean my place in society or finances. It's that something happened to me before we met that took my purity. I never should've allowed us to date and grow closer, but you were so kind and loving. I'm sorry I gave you false hope." Cora apologized.

"Why do you think something from your past makes you impure and unworthy of me?" Andrew asked in confusion."

"Because I was raped." Cora said, staring into his eyes.