The Rise of the White Lotus

After the stressful night that Ethan Lu thought would be the end of his one-sided relationship with Avah Tong that had a huge turn, in the end, he kept firm on his words. 

Unlike his usual, negligence about Avah Tong, after that night, he would often— not so frequently but no too seldom— check on her and her health. He even got her her own villa, hired a few maids so she wouldn't need to do chores around her place, and accompanied her to her first check-up the two days later.

All of that was his first step to take care of the woman that now bears his child. It was not that he was doing it out of unconditional love but, an obligation for the consequences of his thoughtless immoral actions. Though he didn't love her, he wasn't cowardly enough to turn his back against his responsibility due to his own recklessness. Therefore, taking care of her, being with her in times of need, that was the right thing to do, right?

Months went by, and Avah Tong was already in her third trimester. It has been surprisingly a few peaceful months for Avah Tong while Ethan Lu laid low on his rebellious act against his own family.

It was as if nothing could possibly go wrong until one lucky day after Ethan Lu and Avah Tong went to her place after her follow-up check-up— they were stunned the moment they arrived because Edward Lu was already inside waiting for them. 

"I had been waiting for both of you." Seeing the two standing there like a statue not far away from the door, Edward Lu's elderly yet intimidating voice snapped at them. 

"Grandpa, what are you doing here?"

"Ha! This cheeky brat!" Scoffing, Edward Lu spat as he glared daggers at his audacious grandson. He then darted his eyes to Avah Tong down to her huge tummy as if he wasn't surprised that she was pregnant. 

The instant the old man's eyes landed on her, Avah Tong bowed her head as deeply as she could while her shoulders slightly trembled. It only stopped when she felt Ethan Lu's hand on her shoulder before she turned to look at his reassuring eyes. 

"Let's go inside. You can't keep standing for such a long time." As usual, he was cold with a little bit of sincere care for her well-being. With that said note, Ethan Lu assisted Avah Tong as if his grandfather's presence didn't pose a threat to him. 

When the two settled on the sofas in the middle of the living area, across the couch Edward Lu was perching, Ethan Lu's sharp dark eyes raised to meet the wrinkled eyes set on him. 

"Grandpa, this is Avah, Avah Tong... the mother of my child." After minutes of silence and only a battle of gazes against his grandfather, Ethan Lu finally broke the quietness as introduced Avah Tong to him. 

"I know who she is." Inexpressive and intimidating, Edward Lu responded in a matter of fact tone. "Mother of your child? Ha!" By the way of his tone, he was clearly mocking him or her, or the old news. Nevertheless, he was evidently displeased. 

"Woman, what do you want with my child?" Shifting his disdainful eyes to Avah Tong, Edward Lu unkindly asked as if his question were needed to be answered with full honesty. 

"Grandpa!" 

"Scram!" Upon hearing his grandson loudly call him out, Edward Lu ground his teeth as he glared at Ethan Lu to shut him up. However, as someone as courageous as Ethan Lu, he wouldn't back down by the looks of his challenging eyes. 

"It is not a secret that my grandson will be the heir of our Lu family so, are you one of the people that wants to take advantage of this fool?" Ignoring the threatening stare that was cast on him, Edward Lu turned his attention to Avah Tong whose shoulders were trembling. 

"N—no, grandpa." Stuttering, Avah Tong's lower lips shook as her tongue moved backward. To her, Edward Lu was scarier than she expected as his eyes seemed to know her whole existence since she was born. 

"Don't address me like that. I haven't acknowledged you as my granddaughter-in-law." Without looking away, Edward Lu harshly corrected her which made the woman look down at her hands that were resting on her huge tummy. 

"Grandpa, whether you like it or not, I am the father of Avah's child. So, even if you want to disown me, then do it. I can't and will never turn my back on my responsibilities as my child's father." Displeased by his grandfather's usual intimidation to outsiders and even to some of their family members, Ethan Lu was extra upset about how he talked to Avah Tong. 

After all, she was bearing a child and even though she was a healthy pregnant woman, he didn't want her to be stressed out. After all, this kind of encounter could still put her in a critical way that also could affect the child's health. 

"Ha! The guts to say responsibility while you are turning your back on your obligations as my heir!" Edward Lu's tone volumed up as he pounded the tip of his cane on the carpeted floor, causing a nonexistent cloud of dust to scatter. 

"If you want to be a responsible father, start by working to earn money instead of using my money." With a humph, Edward Lu assisted himself to stand before he walked out of the villa. 

He left the place with a heavy atmosphere as his harsh yet truthful words hit Ethan Lu. Yet, the old man didn't care as what he said was all nothing but the truth. As they say, the truth hurts. 

Regardless of that unlucky encounter with Edward Lu, Avah Tong and Ethan Lu resumed their daily lives. Avah Tong taking extra care of her health and readying her body to give birth while Ethan Lu attended to his duty as an executive in the Lu Corporation. 

Granted that Ethan Lu bought her a new place, still, he rarely visits and would only come with her whenever her check-up day comes. Even so, he fully supported her in terms of financial needs as Edward Lu constantly threw him projects that would preoccupy him. 

Soon, Avah Tong's due date came and Ethan Lu was coincidentally overseas. When the news reached him, Avah Tong already gave birth and his work wouldn't be done for another five days. Hence, although he felt like a failure, Ethan Lu could only call her at least once a day and hasten his work so he could go home. 

Little did he know, the moment he would go home, he would be slapped by a harsh truth of the deceit he believed this whole time. 

**

After five days, instead of heading to the hospital after arriving in the country, Ethan Lu was summoned by an emergency in the family. Therefore, since it was called an emergency meeting, there was no way that he would take it as anything without value. Moreover, he would only be delayed to meet his child for several more hours. The sensible reason why he agreed to head straight to the Lu main residence. 

"Grandpa, where are the others? I thought this was an emergency?" Upon reaching the room where his grandfather usually gathers all of the core members of their family, he saw no one but his grandfather sipping his own cup of tea. 

"It is. Sit." Putting down the cup of tea on the saucer plate, Edward Lu calmly thrust his chin towards the seat across him, indicating where he should be seated. 

Furrowing his brows, despite his confusion, Ethan Lu followed his grandfather's instruction and perched opposite him. When he was seated, Ethan Lu glanced down to the folder that Edward Lu threw out in front of him. 

"It is an emergency because my foolish heir was about to be forced into a marriage with a child that wasn't his." Smirking, Edward Lu scoffed in disdain as the content of the folder he threw at him was a paternity test of the newborn child and Ethan Lu. 

"What—"

"Will you even listen to me using mere words? Check for yourself you foolish brat!" Grinding his teeth, Edward Lu spat in frustration as he waited for so long for this day to come. 

The old man knew that Ethan Lu was not in love with the woman and the child was an 'accident'. However, one way or another, meeting the woman, his radar for an opportunist sent red signals inside his head. Therefore, as a man that always follows his instincts, Edward Lu made a deeper dig into the woman's profile. 

She came from a middle-class family but, for some reason, she could afford a lavish lifestyle like one of the wealthy young misses. Hence, the easy approach to a higher class man like Ethan Lu. That alone was already suspicious to the old man as he was old enough to distinguish if a person was worthy to trust or not. 

But, since he didn't find out if she was meeting another man aside from his grandson, Edward Lu needed a confirmation if the child has his grandson's blood running through his veins. Thus, taking advantage of the fact that Avah Tong was unconscious after giving birth, Edward Lu ordered to get a sample of the child's cheek swab and Ethan Lu's strand of hair that the head butler in the main residence got a hold of. 

Opening the folder with little faith in his grandfather's words, Ethan Lu skimmed the result of a multiple paternity tests that were conducted at different laboratories. All of them had the same DNA analysis saying there was a zero probability that he was the father. 

His eyes read the highlighted result of the alleged father being "excluded" meaning that he was not the biological father.  He showed no sign of sadness, happiness, or nonchalance. In other words, he bore no expression as no one, not even Edward Lu could discern what he has in his mind. 

"Thanks, Grandpa." After some time of silence, Ethan Lu closed the documents as he slightly bowed his head before slowly standing up. 

"Where are you going?"

"To the hospital." Bearing the same emotionless tone, Ethan Lu didn't give his grandfather a glance as he left the room. On the other hand, Edward Lu just shook his head sideways before he heaved a heavy sigh. 

"What a foolish brat." He mumbled before continuing to sip on his tea. To him, he had done his job to save his grandson from a scheming woman like Avah Tong. Thus, it was now up to Ethan Lu what he would do next.