The Rise of the White Lotus

When Lexi and Ethan Lu entered the villa, Louis Lu was busy skimming through a document on the couch in the living area. There were a few documents neatly arranged on the small table in the middle of the set of sofas, a glassful of water on the other side, and a laptop. 

Surprisingly enough, he had prepared his set up in a fraction of minutes as Lexi and Ethan Lu flirted for a while before they decided to go inside. Well, Ethan Lu tried to salvage the broken atmosphere caused by his cousin which worked. 

"Don't mind me." Louis Lu muttered sensing the gaze of the two who just entered the residence. 

"Hah! Lou, stay like that and don't disturb us once again!" Pointing his finger at him, Ethan Lu warned. 

"Shh," Lexi shot Ethan Lu a shushing eye as she lightly tugged the hem of his blazer suit. Is he indirectly telling him: 'Lou, we were about to make love so don't disturb our sexy time.' 

"I won't… unless someone comes looking for you again." Raising his gaze, Louis Lu blankly uttered as he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. 

Upon hearing those unconvincing words, Ethan Lu only clicked his tongue as he shook his head sideways. When he turned to the beauty beside him, Ethan Lu's irked persona instantly transformed into a lover boy. 

"My Love, shall we rest for a bit?" Gesturing her towards the stairs, Ethan Lu's lips curled into an excited grin— displaying his even white, small teeth. Lexi rolled her eyes before a faint chuckle slipped out from her lips. She then started taking slow strides towards the master's bedroom followed by Ethan Lu from behind. 

As they made their way upstairs, Louis Lu raised his gaze once again and stared at their retreating backs. No one knew what he had in mind at that time before he averted his gaze and focused on the document he was working on. Still, it was evident that he could not focus as much as he wanted to and the area of the document he was holding slightly creased. 

"Oi, you smell suspicious— what are you up to?" Churu narrowed her eyes as she didn't bother to follow the two knowing what they would do and observed him. Instead, she flew and sat on top of Louis Lu's laptop. 

Although Lexi had recently stayed at this place for a few days due to her fever, Churu didn't wander around. Hence, she didn't get the chance to see this man. Moreover, Louis Lu spent his entire day outside with business meetings and site visits, he only goes back late at night. This was probably his first time going home earlier than usual.

As Churu thoroughly observed Louis Lu, she decided to get close to him and sniffed all over him. After getting a whiff of his odorless scent, Churu's superficial brows knitted together. 

"Am I being too sensitive because I'm leaving?" She muttered as she could neither smell danger or goodness from him. Was it because her senses had been declining? Regardless, she felt restless for some unknown reason.

"Whatever, I am keeping an eye on you, Lulu!" Churu flew back as she gestured and eye for an eye to Louis Lu which he continued to do what he was doing. "These people, really… Just when I thought that Morris guy is already troublesome to deal with." 

****

When Lexi and Ethan Lu arrived at the master's bedroom, Ethan Lu suddenly dragged her towards the enormous bathroom with caution. As they entered the grandiose bathroom that Lexi secretly adored owning, Ethan Lu turned to face her. His gaze traveled from her head to her toes that made her brows furrowed and tilted her head to the side. 

"Hmm?" She hummed a questioning tune because Ethan Lu didn't utter a word as he scanned her as if she was butt naked. 

"Tsk," After several seconds, Ethan Lu only clicked his tongue as if annoyed at something he recalled. "I will bathe you— I meant with you as well."

"Ethan, that was awkward." Rolling her eyes, Lexi was expecting something steamy before he would propose this. She expected this much as Lexi wouldn't allow them to go straight naked to bed without even freshening up. 

After all, they came from an event and recalled how he kissed every part of her until he was slightly satisfied— Lexi knew she should be prepared. However, he just bluntly said those words as if it was more of a chore than him being aroused by the idea. Therefore, Lexi was being petty and her mood gradually reduced. 

"*sigh* That," Letting out a heavy sigh, Ethan Lu suddenly pointed at her knee she used to hurt Gael Zhang. "It should be cleansed— I will personally sanitize it so no remnant from that lowly man would remain." He frowned as the brief memory of when Lexi assaulted Gael Zhang flashed in his head.

Ethan Lu already had this thought in mind earlier while waiting for Lexi to exit the establishment. However, that plan slightly drifted away when Lexi started flirting with him. But now, when they're on their way in his room and he had a glimpse of her flawless leg and knee, his anger toward the man resurfaced— even the fact that he wanted to scrub her knee that she used to strike Gael Zhang because it still touched his private part.

"Pfft-!" Upon hearing the cause of his sullen mood, Lexi covered her mouth as she suppressed her chuckles. "I already planed that— you don't know how long I bath after assaulting a man." she briefly explained which made the corners of his eyes twitch.

"You mean this wasn't the first?" 

"I kick where it hurts." Nonchalantly shrugging, Lexi raised her brows and displayed an innocent look that didn't appear that much with her matured, sharp facial features. "Didn't I mention before that I faced tons of lawsuits before? That's because of that and what I did afterward to vent my anger, so…"

At first, Lexi didn't want to let him see that side of her despite mentioning it like it was nothing. After all, telling a story was easy to understand but in reality, if he saw it before his eyes, Lexi was afraid that he would have second thoughts about her. Alas, after pondering about it through their journey in his villa, Lexi decided to face whatever he would think of her.

Ethan Lu only frowned and heavily exhaled before he took a step forward and pulled her to his embrace. "How can you be so kind? How dare they make you exert effort to the extent of injuring your knees? My poor baby…"

"Uh, Ethan…? It's the other way around— it's them who were hurt." Surprised by his sudden sympathy which she actually didn't need… or so she thought.

"What? They forced you to assault their juniors— how can they traumatize you like that?" Still embracing her as he stroked Lexi's head, Ethan Lu gently coaxed her. 

He didn't mind how vile she could be, as he already loved everything about her— her perfect flaws and the goodness she has. Moreover, he recalled that he also had the taste of her knee strike back then, therefore, he believed that wasn't enough for a man not to like her. 

Ethan Lu was fortunate that Lexi was drunk as hell at that time and couldn't use her full stregth. Still, it tormented him.

"Don't worry, you have me now. I won't let them get away with it." Slowly pushing her, Ethan Lu subtly smiled as his eyes locked on her pretty ones. With that said remarks, his hand slowly cupped her cheek and leaned forward for a kiss. Lexi smiled as she closed her eyes, welcoming his loving lips and the moving warmth he emitted.

Indeed, she has him now. Hence, her heart felt so reassured that it nearly melted. How could he be so understanding and biased towards her? He was just too perfect for her that her day wouldn't be completed without talking to him. 

Until now, Lexi could not believe that Ethan Lu was the person who would help her heal and be one of her strongest supporters of moving forward. He never judged her previous actions nor her misconducts that were obviously unjustifiable. Surely, the best occurrence or people are the ones she never expected to be in her life.

She was grateful that she got to meet these wonderful people especially him, Ethan Lu that made her feel her heart had never been broken.