The Rise of the White Lotus

When Ethan Lu pressed the send button, the trivial tension enveloping in his heart slightly lightened as he vented his uneasiness to his dear friend: Elliot Gong.

Putting back the phone inside his suit pocket, Ethan Lu unhurriedly departed the car. His assistant, Lyrick Jiang was already waiting for him outside the vehicle with his ever composed demeanor. 

"Young Master,"

Just like any typical nightclubs, it has laser and spotlights with flashy colors, several sports cars parked outside, and a crowd— male and females formed on a line to the main entrance. 

"You can just wait here or have fun inside— I'll go alone." Glancing at the booming establishment that was owned by Chris Yu, Ethan Lu muttered as he slid his hand inside his pocket before he strode to the other entrance for authorized personnel only.

Lyrick Jiang bowed his head as he translated his boss's words to 'this is a private and personal matter, don't interrupt us if not necessary'. Since he didn't send him away, Lyrick Jiang decided to wait inside the car as he would rather enjoy this peace and rest instead of listening to the blood-raising noises inside.

*****

Since the guard outside the private entrance recognized Ethan Lu and he was told beforehand regarding an important meeting from his boss; Chris Yu, the guard let the man enter after a polite bow.

From then on, Ethan Lu was guided by the establishment's manager as they were expecting him. This treatment wasn't new to Ethan Lu as he had always been treated as a VVIP. However, with every step he seized, the distance from where Morris Liu was waiting decreased that made him a little more restless.

The heart-thumping music that pressured his heart to beat in sync slowly fades. Soon, they arrived at the most ironically silent area inside the club; Chris Yu's humble office.

The manager lightly knocked on the door, "Sir, Young Master Lu had arrived." He then turned to face Ethan Lu before he courtly smiled and bowed once again. 

The manager didn't wait for the people inside his boss' office to give permission as he left Ethan Lu after he delivered his report.

Ethan Lu briefly glanced at the retreating figure of the establishment's manager as he simply shook his head, "Chris has been training his employees to be creepy." He murmured as he recalled that Chris Yu had an odd contagious habit to make people weird— just like him.

Shrugging his shoulders, Ethan Lu reached for the door handle and without exerting much effort, he opened the door and entered. The moment Ethan Lu got a clear view of the lavish and enormous Spanish interior design office slash home of his friend— there, Morris Liu together with Chris Yu had a solemn expression plastered across their face.

As Ethan Lu took a step forward and closed the door, he immediately sensed the dreaded atmosphere shrouding every corner of the grandiose room which made him furrowed his brows.

"Err, what's up?" Breaking the stifling silence, both men finally turned their attention to Ethan Lu's direction without any enthusiasm. 

Chris Yu only tilted his head, directing to the couch across him, gesturing him to take a seat. On the other hand, Morris Liu who sat on the head seat, with his ever stoic expression, he fixed his cold and domineering gaze to him which baffled Ethan Lu even more.

"Did you two kill someone? Because that would make me think with your expression." Awkwardly breaking the ice, Ethan Lu humored as he strode towards the long couch— across Chris Yu and on Morris Liu's left side.

When he finally perched at the seat, Ethan Lu's grin froze upon hearing Morris Liu's cold-blooded response. 

"I did." Morris Liu gave him a side glance and witnessed how Ethan Lu turned his surprised countenance to him. He clenched his jaw as his hand slightly trembled as if he was reminded about something unpleasant.

"Haha, Brother Mo, are you still mad at me? That joke almost got me, haha!" Ethan Lu inelegantly laughed as he shook his head. However, as he chuckled, his eyes altered from Morris Liu's inexpressive front to Chris Yu's unusual serious attitude. They neither laughed or showed any sign of pranking him which stopped him from snickering.

Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Ethan Lu cleared his throat and licked his lips that seemed to dry up the instant he saw their complexion. "What? Did you… brother Mo? You…?" Although he wanted to keep it straight, Ethan Lu could not continue his questions as he narrowed his eyes in confusion.

He could not wrap it around his head about his friend "killing" someone; not to mention, that friend he was talking about was Morris Liu. Therefore, even if he didn't fully buy this 'killing someone' ploy as he still hoped that they were pranking him— Ethan Lu's heart began to pound louder and louder.

"We tried to contact you for days but we can't. I asked Lyrick and that's when he told me you're on vacation." Suddenly, Chris Yu flatly spoke as he raised his gaze to meet his. 

"No one knows where the hell did you go…" Grinding his teeth, Chris Yu was relieved that they came back safe and sound yet, he was totally pissed how Ethan Lu utilized to hide his whereabouts from anyone. What if something happened? After all, the next day when Kong Shuren died, someone already tried to assassinate Morris Liu.

"Whatever both of you are playing, I'm out. I don't believe any of this and this is not a funny joke." Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Ethan Lu glared at them as he was growing impatient with this lame none sense. Just when he stood up, Morris Liu's snowy, raw voice reached him which made him sat back again.

"Lexi… she's in danger." 

"What?" Knitting his brows in disbelief, Ethan Lu looked at Morris Liu who still had no change of emotions across his face. "What did you say?"

"Someone, I mean, there are people who are trying to kill her… and her family." Fixing his distant gaze to him, Morris Liu didn't go around in circles as he dived into the bottom line.

Ethan Lu loosened his tie as Morris Liu's words processed in his mind. Did he hear him right? There are people trying to harm Lexi? No matter how fast his thoughts were, Morris Liu's words just didn't make sense.

"People? Kill who? Lexi? The whole Yang family? Why?" Repeating the keywords that engraved in his mind, Ethan Lu scoffed as he was nearly rendered speechless. 

'Does this have anything to do with my family?' 

"My fault." Vaguely responding, Morris Liu's fist that was already trembling tightened even more, whitening his knuckles. "I killed someone and that person left a kill order to eliminate me and everyone I care for if he died." Since he knew he could not reveal Wren Tanaka and Seraphina Yue's involvement in this as they were more terrifying than Kong Shuren, Morris Liu claimed the latter's death.

Slowly closing his eyes and tilting his head back while he massaged the bridge of his nose. Tremendous waves of different awful emotions came rushing inside Ethan Lu— which made him let out a deep, long exhale. At this point, he didn't know what to feel anymore with this explosive bombs dropped in front of him without any short notice. 

Even the fact that Morris Liu killed someone— it was utterly unbelievable. He knew him since childhood, hence, he could not picture this man whom he admired and respected with his insightful business instinct taking someone else's life. 

Granting that Ethan Lu was raised to such a survival environment such as family traditions and absurd rules, he never thought of killing someone— crippling maybe, but he's a strong believer that no one was above the law.

After some silence, Ethan Lu opened his eyes, they were as sharp and piercing like a dagger, as he turned his gaze to Morris Liu. He quickly scrutinized his sitting figure and had a glimpse of his tightened fist. "Why? Why did they drag them into your mess? They are certainly not the people you cared nor they are precious to you. Why not your Mia Chen? Why Lexi?!"

His voice was stern as Ethan Lu suppressed the overwhelming rage enveloping his heart. He didn't care anymore to know whoever he messed with or what crime did he do. However, his main concern was, why would they drag Lexi and her parents into this? After all, what Morris Liu did to them was enough proof to prove that they were valueless in his eyes.

"Because he knew… he had always known that I love her."