The Rise of the White Lotus

"Hah! Did you hear that? I captured her heart but I am the slave of love~" Boasting upon hearing Lexi's humor, Ethan Lu proudly announced as he thrust his chin forward toward the stunned and pale Evelyn Lu.

"What— but— how… my ship…" Distraught, Evelyn Lu murmured yet, she didn't know where to start with her sentiments. If it came from Ethan Lu, she could just bite him as hard as she could and brainwash herself that Ethan Lu was just a delusional Lexi admirer. However, those words came out from Lexi's mouth herself. Therefore, how could she counter that?

"Your ship that hasn't and would never sail sunk, miserably." Evilly grinning, Ethan Lu spat out to scrub salt on the fresh gash on Evelyn Lu's wounded heart. He only stopped when Lexi gave him a warning glance which shut him up that very second.

"Come inside first." Meekly smiling, Lexi assisted the distraught Evelyn Lu inside, followed by the silent Ethan Lu and the indifferent Louis Lu.

When they arrived at the living area, Lexi only prepared tea that was made by her mother after she was assured that Evelyn Lu was sitting properly on the couch. She then served them tea just like a wife serving her husband's guests before Lexi sat beside Evelyn Lu, opposite to Ethan Lu while Louis Lu perched on the other side.

"Goddess, you mean, you and Eli, there's no… EliXi?" As broken-hearted as she sounded, Evelyn Lu turned her teary eyes to Lexi as she finally confronted her worst fear. Meanwhile, upon hearing her question, Ethan Lu could only scoff in dismay as he really could not believe he has a cousin as stupid as Evelyn Lu and as weird as Louis Lu.

"Eli, he's a good friend. But, there are no romantic feelings between us, purely just friends just like what he always says in his interviews." Offering a warm smile, Lexi mildly shook her head to the side as she explained to this hardcore EliXi shipper. She knew that fans like her would only want their idol's happiness and at the same time, pressure them to the male artists of their choice. That was the reason why Lexi had been inactive to any social media platform; aside from her busy schedule and all her plans for the future.

"It was your cousin and I that had been together for more than half a year." Adding to her statements, Lexi clarified and gave her the proximity of the length of time that she had been with Ethan Lu. That means to say that even before the Taming Heart's set, she had been with Ethan Lu— although the timeline of their official relationship status was just a week prior to when the movie was out in theaters.

"Half a year…" With every clarification that came out of Lexi's mouth, a part of EliXi's heart on Evelyn Lu fell apart one after another. Just how could this happen? Her ship started after watching that popular movie. Therefore, she knew the timeline and made her research into the proximity of the time the movie started filming. But, Lexi being with her cousin for half a year, then that means they had been together even before that.

"Waaah!" After the last piece of her heart fell off, Evelyn Lu could not contain her brokenheartedness as she broke down and cried on Lexi's lap, hugging her waist without reserve.

"How could this happen? You and Eli look so great together! Waaah!" In between her loud cries, Evelyn Lu blabbered as she really thought that Elliot Gong and Lexi were a match made in heaven. All the perfect manipulation pictures she did to put the two in the same picture, putting her heart and soul into the wish that the two were in a happy relationship and maybe a happy marriage was all for naught as Lexi had been with another man all this time.

Lexi helplessly patted the crying Evelyn Lu's back as she let her cry her heart out. Meanwhile, Ethan Lu ground his teeth in annoyance as he wanted to ducttape his cousin's mouth to refrain her from spouting nonsense. 

'Look great together?! How dare this little girl say such sinful words in front of me! Just you wait shorty! When my love is not looking I will surely give you a good scolding!' He grumbled and threatened inwardly. After all, to him, fate put the two of them together in the most unexpected time and place. After having a parallel world despite having the same circle of friends for a long time, how could he keep his cool when someone was shipping Lexi to someone else, especially his own kin.

"Eve, no matter how you see me and Eli had looked together, but for me, only your cousin is the perfect match for me." Still patting the crying Evelyn Lu's back, Lexi softly spoke. "If you know me, you surely know all of the scandals that were thrown at me in the past and all of my history about my failed engagement and my suicide attempt as it was made public." Pausing, a touch of gentleness flashed across Lexi's eyes as she recalled everything.

"Those trying times, one of the people who were there for me to move forward was Ethan. I'm sorry for disappointing you as an EliXi fan but, I can never unlove your cousin."

Evelyn Lu listened to her explanation and hearing her side of the story, her cries lessened until she was only hiccuping. Retracting her head from Lexi's lap, Evelyn Lu sat and looked at her without wiping her tears and snot. "It's not your fault *hiccup* you don't have to say sorry to me goddess."

Of course, Evelyn Lu knew everything about Lexi, even her past as she was too high profile before Taming Hearts. The reason why she could stand her more was that despite her downfall and losing the limelight, Lexi managed to get back on her feet and rise again before she finally took a long hiatus from showbiz because she wanted to pursue her dreams.

"I am just sad." Adding to her sentiments, Evelyn Lu was still disheartened that her ship never existed in the first place.

"Eh? Why are you sad?" Arching his brows, Ethan Lu's dismay earlier vanished upon hearing Lexi's sentiments. "You nonexistent ship might have miserably sunk but isn't it better that one of your idols are your cousin's friend and the other one would be your cousin-in-law? Since your goddess is your big brother's future wife, she would be your big sister, no?" In a matter of fact tone, Ethan Lu explained the obvious.

Evelyn Lu's hiccups magically stopped as she was struck by this seemingly new realization. Slowly, she turned her dilated eyes towards Ethan Lu's poker face before blinking numerous times. When all of his words properly processed inside her barely used brain, she gasped in astonishment.

"How can I not have thought of that?! Goddess, can I call you big sis?!" From bawling her eyes out to a giddy Evelyn Lu, she turned to Lexi as she sought for her approval.

"Because you're stupid." Murmuring, Ethan Lu scoffed as he helplessly shook his head. He could not believe the stupidity level of his pampered cousin whose only talent was to be cute and a professional troublemaker.

"Mhmm…" Nodding in satisfaction, Lexi was glad that Evelyn Lu got over her brokenheartedness faster than she expected.

"Yes, big sis! Omo~!" Excited, Evelyn Lu jubilantly addressed her as her big sis as her EliXi's heart that fell off was instantly replaced as 'Lexi's number one cousin-in-law and number one big sister Lexi's lover.'