The Rise of the White Lotus

"Interesting…" Lexi nodded her head in understanding. Glancing up at Nico Zhuang, Lexi curled the corner of her lips upward. "So you went on a date with Miss Chang?" out of nowhere, Lexi asked, causing his brows to twitch.

"No," clearing his throat, Nico Zhuang shook his head. Lexi was starting with him again. She's taking his action to a different meaning again when obviously, she knows why he does things. 

"That's all. I got to check the production and lab for the new samples for Miss Ning." Nico Zhuang diverted the conversation and yet, Lexi's twinkling eyes suggested more teasing. That's his cue to head out before Lexi could tease him further.

Therefore, after stating his remark, he slightly bowed his head and left his boss's office. Until now, he couldn't get the grasp of Lexi teasing him with Andy Chang. Even if he recalled all interactions he had with the said woman, Nico Zhuang couldn't think of events that might mislead them to think he liked her or vice versa.

Perhaps, Lexi was just bored? Or stress, so she was de-stressing herself by teasing him? Might be the case. With that in mind, Nico Zhuang shrugged his shoulders as he closed the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Lexi chuckled upon seeing his reaction. Well, Nico Zhuang's thoughts were more or less right. But, Lexi was merely trying to open his heart to express his feelings. After all, Nico Zhuang was more lenient and his tolerance level towards Andy Chang was something Lexi haven't seen him doing to others aside from her.

He was her people thus, she knew. Moreover, before she got to know that Nico Zhuang was Ethan Lu's shadow guard, they became friends. Lexi was certain that if not because he was tasked to keep a close eye of her, Nico Zhuang would keep his distance from her too.

"Hay…" Shaking her head, Lexi reclined on her office chair and swiveled it slowly. Tapping her fingers on the armchair, Lexi stared at the ceiling with a satisfied smile. "So, Andy and Avah are sisters? Interesting…" Lexi murmured. 

Maybe the heaven had been rooting for her, for letting her meet Andy Chang. Who would have thought that Andy Chang's existence would help her in some ways? First, the Hannah Gan's scandal and now, she might help her with Avah Tong.

Truly, the world wasn't that huge at all, eh?

"Let's see…" Lexi straightened her posture as she opened one drawer on her desk and fished out her phone. Having the thought to call Avah Tong, however, an incoming call showed just before she could.

"Oh?" Arching her brows, Lexi thought that her blackmailer had already given up. Well, she thought wrong. Letting out a sigh, Lexi unhesitatingly answered the call and placed it in front of her ear.

"Yes?" as if she was just answering a friend's call, Lexi leaned her back on the office chair as she swung it a little from left to right. 

A faint scoff came from the other end of the line, which made her lips curled into a more satisfied smile. Her nonchalance surely picked on his nerves, but that's what she intended to do. So, the more they were irked, the more she was pleased.

"Make sure you don't call the cops or you wouldn't like what will happen." After a minute of silence, the man threatened. However, his threats were nothing but empty words that didn't even affect Lexi.

"Sure, that's all?" Looking at her nails, Lexi indifferently dawdled as if he was wasting her time.

This attitude of hers, although the man wasn't Dylan Lu himself, she annoyed the hell out of him. He couldn't intimidate her any longer, and because the money he would receive was actually their accomplice's money, the man was more concerned about himself.

Gritting his teeth, the man was about to hung up but stopped when Lexi spoke again. "Is your boss there?"

"..."

"You know you'll be a scapegoat, right?" Since he wasn't responding, Lexi inquired as she arched her right brow.

Actually, she was unsure if there's really another person behind this man or he's the sole perpetrator. Regardless, Lexi wanted to try her luck. She wouldn't lose that much anyway — it would only give him a bit of information that she didn't entirely uncover this whole scheme.

"I mean, you can always enjoy that 50 million yourself if you give me the original copies and destroy other copies. Why do you have to return the fifty million to its owner and end up behind bars in exchange?" Lexi said in a matter-of-fact tone. Clearly, she was trying to manipulate him as it was the best chance because she cornered them.

Although Lexi wouldn't know if this person would listen to what she was blabbering, but she was just suggesting. After all, she didn't want those fifty million to return to Laurel Wang's hand — if she's truly an accomplice. 

Moreover, if she would put herself in the man's shoes, Lexi would probably betray them instead of taking all the bullets. They were facing her and Ethan Lu so the exchange was surely a trap. The reason Lexi thought she wouldn't hear from her blackmailer again because that trap was already obvious.

Therefore, no sane person would willingly jump into a trap unless they needed the bait so much. Well, fifty million must be too tempting indeed. Even a woman like Laurel Wang that came from a wealthy family would still have second thoughts if they should let go or not.

"What do you think? Instead of dealing with me under your employer's orders, why don't we have a deal of our own?" Lexi suggested but to no avail, she only heard silence before the call ended followed by the beeping tone.

"Well," shrugging her shoulders, Lexi chuckled as she spun her chair once. "I guess I'll get my answer some other time." she muttered before she hummed and closed her eyes to rest a little.

Although she didn't get his answer now, Lexi knew that deep down, a seed was successfully implanted on the man's mind.