The Rise of the White Lotus

"Let me go! Let me go! This is illegal — Help!" Retaliating despite that Nico Zhuang was restraining her by her wrist as he pinned her down, Mia Chen screamed at the top of her lungs. 

If one didn't know the full story, they would think that Lexi's group was harassing a fragile woman. Thankfully, with Morris Liu and Lexi's mind combined, they secured this whole floor; meaning, the only people on this floor was them. 

"Mia, do you want to talk while being pinned down? Well, we don't mind, you know. I'm just concerned about that unsightly position — Nico might get numb." Lexi marginally raised her brows as she tilted her head to the side. 

She had already foreseen that they couldn't invite Mia Chen by using peace and words. Hence, Lexi wasn't surprised that Mia Chen attempted to assault her. Yet, knowing that not only Chris Yu was there, Nico Zhuang was on standby as well.

And if Mia Chen got away, Jarred Guo was just around the area hence, it would be impossible for her. She'll only exhaust herself with three gentlemen chasing at her. 

Alas, what Lexi didn't expect was that Nico Zhuang would deal with her with zero gentleness. That was what caught her off-guard. Truly, Nico Zhuang could be a gentleman and, at the same time, he would turn that off if necessary. 

"You—!" Mia Chen could only grit her teeth as she glared at Lexi's direction. She felt the pressure on her back got heavier and Nico Zhuang's grip tightened as if he would unhesitatingly break her wrist at Lexi's signal. 

"Hmm?" Slowly, a smirk formed on the side of Lexi's lips as she cast her a knowing look. On the other hand, Morris Liu's cold stare showed zero empathy as he glanced at Chris Yu who languidly approached Mia Chen and Nico Zhuang's standpoint. 

"Don't play hard to get, woman. Your luck had run out, and he got his hands on you first before me. He's not as gentle as me — you can tell." Clicking his tongue multiple times, Chris Yu shook his head sideways as he showed his half-hearted concern towards her.  

*****

"Let me warn you, I'll know even before you can think of something funny. I won't show you mercy — sit still." Forcing Mia Chen to sit on the bed of her own hotel room where she stayed last night, Nico Zhuang threatened as a dreading glint flashed across his eyes. 

She could tell that he was dead serious. These eyes... they were akin to the eyes of a reaper that had delivered millions of souls to hell. Little did she know, Nico Zhuang was just intimidating her.

'Who was he again? Right, Lexi's assistant. Who would have thought he would have someone like him as an assistant?' Mia Chen scoffed as she overlooked this particular angle. Since she was staring at him for a while now, Mia Chen finally recalled where she saw him. 

He was the man who's always with Lexi. However, she wouldn't mess up like this if her partner in crime informed her about him. Truly, she could not fully trust Dylan Lu or any of the Lu's as they were all cunning. How foolish of her to agree to work with him if he was useless in the end.

"I'll kill you one day." Glaring at the emotionless eyes looking down on her, Mia Chen vindicated. However, Nico Zhuang then retreated and stood to the side as he wouldn't waste his energy on her anymore. 

He treated her threats as mere noise as he knew she would not be capable to do so after this. Moreover, Nico Zhuang would be more glad that she would turn her grudges to him instead of Lexi. In that case, she wouldn't have to bother Lexi and he could deal with her in a battle of life. 

"Well, this is quite a morning for all of us, isn't it?" Perching on the chair opposite Mia Chen, Lexi slowly placed her leg over the other as she nonchalantly smiled. Meanwhile, Morris Liu positioned himself on the side as he leaned his back on the huge floor to length window with his arms crossed under his chest. 

Lexi slowly scanned Mia Chen's room and stared at the monitors that were on the side. "I wonder if you liked the exclusive porn we directed just for you." Based on the position of the monitors and the bed, Mia Chen could see everything that was going on on the monitors even if she was laying down. Therefore, out of pure curiosity, Lexi wondered. 

"Directed just for me...?" Under her breath, Mia Chen murmured, repeating the keywords on Lexi's statements. 

"Mhmm..." Lexi hummed a tune as she gently nodded her head. "I'm mildly surprised that you didn't notice that the people you were watching last night weren't us. Though they have the same built like me and brother Mo, unfortunately for you, that's not us." 

"Impossible." Scoffing in ridicule, Mia Chen retorted. "You can deny it all you want and try to cover up what you did last night, but..." She paused as her lips stretched a little upward. 

"I have evidence of the two of you together — being intimate with each other." Mia Chen spouted in mockery. 

To her, since she turned off the monitors last night, and hadn't reviewed the whole recording, Mia Chen guessed that Lexi and Morris Liu must have figured that they were being filmed. Thus, with that possibility, they must have used their power and influence to track the culprit: HER. 

If she thought it that way, Mia Chen was more convinced as Morris Liu was always like that. Not to mention, Lexi cherished her relationship with Ethan Lu and would do everything she could to cover her sin. Just like what she did back when she was crazy over Morris Liu.

"Evidence? The two of us being intimate? Are you sure?" Blinking her eyes numerous times, Lexi tilted her head to the side. Just then, a knock from outside was heard and without further ado, Jarred Guo arrived carrying a tray of coffees and teas. 

As Nico Zhuang helped him distribute the coffee for the people inside, except Mia Chen, Jarred Guo handed the takeout tea to Lexi. 

"Thank you, Red. Leave a note to the Rika and Jaime that I'll join them later — also, to Andy and Eli." Smiling, Lexi slightly nodded her head as she accepted the tea she requested. Jarred Guo only nodded his head as he departed from the room to execute his menial task. 

Lexi then returned her gaze to Mia Chen before she chuckled. "I'm sorry. We were partying all night and I have a slight hangover — so, apologies if we bothered you a little all night." 

Upon hearing Lexi's statement, Mia Chen lifelessly stared at her as she took a sip of her tea. 

'Partying? It was really them?' Recalling the vague sounds last night, Mia Chen's heart slowly sank even more.