The Rise of the White Lotus

Lexi immediately turned her head behind her and there, Ethan Lu's bright and dashing front welcomed her. For some unknown reason, she felt relieved seeing him appear out of nowhere. However, the next second, her brows arched upon realizing his statements.

On the other hand, Elliot Gong's jaw nearly dropped to the concrete ground seeing Ethan. What's more? He audaciously held her hand and still holding it! Moreover, did he just addressed her as 'Love'?!

"Hmm? Did he threaten you or something?" Ignoring her questioning gaze and her arched brows, Ethan Lu narrowed his eyes as he glared at his friend who was evidently shocked.

"Do you think I am that kind of person who can be threatened by just anyone?" Rolling her eyes, Lexi uttered apathetically.

"Hehe, of course not!" Shifting his deadly gaze to a merry one when he looked back at her inexpressive front, Ethan Lu grinned as he pressed his palm against hers out of excitement.

When Ethan pressed his palm against hers, Lexi glanced down to the relaxed hand clinging on her before she shifted her gaze back Ethan Lu's smiling eyes, she uttered, "Let go,"

"Ihh, don't wanna." Frowning, Ethan Lu lightly stumped his feet like a little kid about to throw a tantrum. "I missed you and --"

"Hold on!" Before Ethan Lu could finish his sentence, he was interrupted with the startling voice of Elliot Gong that made the two turned their heads to his direction. He resumed after catching their attention.

"You, both of you know each other?!" Elliot Gong then darted his gaze from Lexi to Ethan before it traveled down to their connected hands which made him blink countless times. He wanted to confirm that his eyes weren't deceiving him but to his surprise, they were indeed holding hands and Lexi didn't slap him just like what she usually does before with other guys!

"Isn't obvious?" Tilting his head on the side, Ethan Lu answered in a matter of factly tone. Slightly raising his chin, he instigated, "By the way, are you kidnapping my heart?"

"Don't jump into conclusion, but, why are you here?" Raising her brows, Lexi spoke before Elliot Gong could even defend his innocence.

Upon hearing her question, Ethan Lu awkwardly laughed as he instantly brainstormed to come up with an understandable reason. At first, he never planned to show himself to her and would just make sure that she was fine. However, how could he stay still after seeing that she was about to ride Elliot Gong's car?

If it was just a simple meal, he could refrain from doing anything as he could consider that Lexi was just having a meal with her colleague. But, riding on a man's car and guessing that he'd drive her home, that's a different case! After all, it would be a long drive and Lexi would have to spend hours alone with Elliot Gong!

It was not that he didn't trust Lexi but for god sake, he knew his friend's antics the very reason why he must stop this ridiculous charade of his!

Ethan Lu heavily sighed as he could not come up to a reasonable excuse, "Is missing you a reasonable excuse?" He then raised the hands that were holding hers and placed the back of her hand on his right cheek. His eyes were gentle which made her gulped.

'If you put it like that...' 

"Wait, wait, I'm lost here. Can you please enlighten me on what's going on?!" Dismayed to this sudden dogfood attack, Elliot Gong hysterically inquired that made Ethan Lu glared dagger at him, again. Regardless of the deathly glares, this… Ethan and Lexi… it was beyond his comprehension. Didn't they just meet a couple of days ago? Is Ethan's charisma that strong to women that even Lexi Yang fell for his trap?

'Is he dumb?' Ethan Lu dissed inwardly seeing that his friend had a ridiculous expression plastered across his face. 'Was he shocked that he's death was around the corner?'

Ignoring his friend, Ethan Lu turned his eyes that instantly transformed into an imaginary heart shape when it landed to Lexi's indifferent front. "Love, can we tell him?"

"Tell him what?" Knitting her brows, why was Ethan purposely worded his words that could be easily misunderstood if others heard him? It was as if they were secret lovers or anything… well, on another note, they were considered dating, right?

"That I'm head over heels with you and wooing you." Winking, Ethan Lu grinned as he uttered his words audible enough for his friend to comprehend. His words, of course, had an indirect message to Elliot Gong.

In Elliot Gong's understanding, Ethan Lu was basically saying; 'She's mine, so f*ck off.'

"What? Uhh, headache." Feeling his knees weakened, Elliot Gong massaged his temples trying to lessen his headache. 

Even if he tried hard enough to fathom this shocking news to him, unfortunately, he could not wrap it around his head! Setting aside from Ethan Lu's flirtatious nature and Lexi falling for his trap, how about Morris Liu? Ethan Lu knew that Lexi was his friend's former fiance right? However, that's all that he knew! 

Since Ethan Lu has been wasting his life away from recent months, he missed tons of things that incurred his friends. Hence, he could barely rely on the rumors because he didn't witness anything that occurred in the past. Furthermore, knowing Ethan Lu, if he knew what truly happened between the two or rather, to Morris Liu -- he'd surely be put in a complicated position.

"This is impossible… truly impossible." Elliot Gong mumbled as he massaged his temples.

"Are we going or not?" Unbothered by their drama, Lexi glanced at the people that go in and out of the hotel, and the three of them were clearly garnering their attention. She could not blame them though as the three of them seemed to be in a love triangle starring in a soap opera.

"Uh, right…" Elliot Gong was reminded of where they were and quickly glanced at the odd glances thrown at them. Seeing that Ethan Lu wouldn't let her hand go and Lexi needed to be comfortable with him, Elliot Gong heavily sighed.

"We can use my car -- we three can't fit in your car anyway." Acknowledging the dilemma, Ethan Lu suggested with a grin. At least, in this case, he could watch his friend and one wrong move from him, he'd surely break his fingers, one by one.