The Rise of the White Lotus

One month later…

"Love…" Waking up in the middle of the night, Lexi grumpily sat and rested her back against the bed's headboard. She then slightly tugged Ethan Lu who was soundlessly sleeping next to her with a book about the do's and don'ts about pregnancy. Alas, her slight movement didn't wake up the sleeping log. Hence, Lexi shook his shoulder stronger which finally woke him up.

"Oh? Love, there's something wrong?" Still half asleep and half awake, Ethan Lu supported himself by his elbow as he looked up at Lexi under the dim light of the room.

"I'm hungry… I want some pizza." Frowning, Lexi slightly licked her bottom lip as her cravings were going out of control with every passing day. 

Normally, Lexi would just crave something when she was awake, but now, she woke up because her stomach was growling nonstop. What's more? Her tongue seemed to crave for one particular food in this late hour. 

"Oh… pizza? Alright, I'll buy—" Shaking his sleepy head awake, the rest of Ethan Lu's words were stuck on his throat upon checking the time. It was already past midnight and Lexi was asking for a pizza! Where would he go to buy one?!

"I know it's complicated but I'm starving. Me and the kids…" Suddenly, Lexi was already on the verge of breaking down as she understood the dilemma. However, no matter how clear it was, it still breaks her heart as she was willing to put her life on the line just to have some pizza right now.

"Oh, oh, love, babies, just wait." Rubbing his eyes to force them to completely open, Ethan Lu helped himself to sit up straight and stretched for a bit. "I'll try to find a way okay?" Helplessly, Ethan Lu comforted his first baby named Lexi Yang so she wouldn't throw a tantrum. Alas, unbeknownst to him, Lexi's next words would take the challenge to the next level.

"Alright, I want the pizza that we had as our breakfast last month with Eve and Lou." Her eyes gleamed upon hearing her man say he'll find a way. After all, whenever Ethan Lu says that, he would surely get it for her. Thus, Lexi added as it was that particular taste of pizza that her tongue was having a craving for.

"Ahh?" Momentarily, Ethan Lu's mind went blank upon hearing Lexi's request. If she wanted a pizza, he could pester the ever-reliable Lyrick Jiang to contact anyone to personally make a healthy pizza that was good for a pregnant woman. However, getting Louis Lu involved, at this time of the night, Ethan Lu would have to prepare himself to get ripped-off.

Regardless, when his mind finally began working again, Ethan Lu just smiled and nodded before reaching for his phone that was on the bedside table. Dialing Louis Lu's number, it rang numerous times until the beeping sound indicating that it wasn't answered.

"I'll call him again." Awkwardly smiling to the hopeful preggy, Ethan Lu retried the number to try reaching his cousin again. Alas, it was always left unanswered until the fifth attempt.

"Hello?" The moment it connected, Louis Lu's stoic voice was heard on the other end. He doesn't sound like he was asleep or he was getting into the bed. To be precise, by the tone of his voice, Louis Lu seemed it was afternoon in his time.

"Lou…"

"Hmm? I'm sorry. I was in a meeting in NY so I couldn't pick up the call earlier. What is it? Is there a problem for you to call me in the middle of the night at your place?" As usual, Louis Lu's unchanging tone explained his reason to avoid a misunderstanding. When Ethan Lu heard that Louis Lu was back in New York, he understood that it was still around noon in the country's time zone. 

"Uhm… can I ask a favor? Lexi was craving for some pizza. The pizza you brought here the last time to be exact." Massaging his temple, Ethan Lu raised his gaze to Lexi who was excitedly anticipating his good reaction.

"She wants that pizza? Now? Why?" Tilting his head to the side, Louis Lu's brows furrowed as he was still unaware of Lexi's pregnancy. Or rather, everyone in the Lu family aside from Edward Lu didn't know a thing about Lexi's pregnancy to keep her safe.

"Uh…" Pondering whether to tell Louis Lu about the current situation or not, Ethan Lu felt like having a headache being sandwiched between Louis Lu's exact desire for the true reason and Lexi's crazy cravings.

"She's pregnant?" Without further ado, Louis Lu's sharp assumption instantly hit the spot which made Ethan Lu heavily sigh.

"Don't tell anyone."

"Fortunately, he's still in country x for seminars. I'll tell him but you have to pay thrice the price. I can't afford that." Nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders, Louis Lu responded that made Ethan Lu heaved a sigh of relief.

"Alright. I need it as soon as possible and what I meant by that is not one, two or three hours from now. Thank you." Upon hearing Ethan Lu's statement, a priceless smile formed on the side of Lexi's lips that instantly soothed Ethan Lu's bank account from being reduced with a surely enormous amount just by purchasing a pizza.

After that, the call ended and Ethan Lu received a message from Louis Lu saying that this friend, the pizza chef was on it and he needed to wire him a painstakingly huge amount of money that could make a normal person live in luxury for a year. Regardless of the amount, as long as his babies were happy, Ethan Lu would not mind shelling out more money.

"Love, I'm so happy~! Now, let's eat first." Extremely joyous, Lexi threw herself to Ethan Lu with her lips curled up from ear to ear. Of course, other than her, perhaps, his three subordinates who were always being dragged in by Lexi's crazy cravings that made their jobs extra challenging would be glad about this news if it reached them.

*****

[Country X international airport]

"I'm finally back." A woman wearing huge glasses clinging onto her small and petite nose, a white fitted sleeveless shirt underneath her leather jacket, big curls on her blonde hair, red stilettos, red paint of her thin lips that were curled into a sneer, muttered as she inhaled the air of the country.

Lifting her glasses over her head, she revealed sharp, oval eyes that matched perfectly with her long curled lashes. Moving her head to her side then looked down, a child around five to six years old was innocently clinging onto her hand.

"Darling, are you excited to meet Daddy?" Squatting down a little, the woman smiled brightly which made the little boy smile as well.

"Yes, mommy!" Nodding his head, the adorable little guy smiled while his eyes sparkled in excitement.