The Rise of the White Lotus

Lexi then dropped Victoria Tang to their gallery. In the entrance, Kevin Woo was entering the establishment. Upon seeing the car that stopped outside, he paused his tracks and looked at the women exiting the vehicle. 

He first saw Victoria Tang hitching out from the front passenger seat while Lexi on the driver's seat. As the two women went to the trunk, Kevin Woo saw that they were helping each other, carrying the luggage. Although he was confused what it was for, Kevin Woo jogged towards them. 

"Hey," he greeted and stopped several steps away from them. His gaze first landed on Victoria Tang before it shifted to Lexi. 

"Hey," stretching her lips up, Lexi greeted back. It has been awhile since she met him. Recalling their last encounter, Lexi scrutinized the man and was glad that he doesn't seem that depress anymore. 

"Hi Kev. I'll be staying in the studio for a while... it's fine, right?" Victoria Tang smiled as she sheepishly informed him about the plan. She was embarrassed that she didn't inform him beforehand because Lexi suggested about it earlier. 

"What are you saying? This place is yours, you don't need my approval." 

"Thank you," Despite that Kevin Woo was fine about it, Victoria Tang still responded kindly. 

"It's been a while, Kevin. I'm glad you're doing fine." Lexi turned to Kevin Woo, her statement was replied by a smile from the man. 

"I'm glad too." Kevin Woo answered with the mutual relief with Lexi's tone. "I haven't thanked you guys enough." He then slightly bowed his head as if thanking her sincerely in his heart. 

Kevin Woo would be lying if he didn't have the phase of hating Lexi and Ethan after that whole Mia Chen incident. However, that hate was actually just to blame others for his own incompetence. 

He was fooled, tricked, had his feelings be played by a woman whom he believed was a person he believed she was. The realization was hard to accept but, overtime, he finally accepted it slowly. 

With the help of his arts, he expressed his emotions and understood things clearly. Of course, he had to thank Victoria Tang as she also helped him in some ways. She was a good friend... or rather, he had always had amazing friends. 

His perception of friendship that should be all fun and games, it changed completely. The concept of friends that should conceal their wrongs and turn a blind on it, Kevin Woo understood that that wasn't friendship. 

True friendship was something that should push the other up, not bring them down. True friendship was something that won't tolerate their wrong doings. Instead, they should correct each other and beat each other up if necessary to knock some senses into them. 

Therefore, upon this realization, Kevin Woo couldn't blame Lexi and Ethan Lu anymore. What they did to expose Mia Chen was painful for him, but he wouldn't see Mia Chen's true nature if not for them. 

He would've been her toy and believe all her lies if not for it. He was afraid that if his friends didn't pull him out of the said woman's spell, he might have turned into a horrible spell in the name of love. 

"Anyway, I'll take my things first inside." Victoria Tang broke the silence between Kevin Woo and Lexi. 

When Kevin Woo snapped back from his thoughts, he turned to Victoria Tang. "No, let me." He offered, reaching out to the suitcase. 

Shaking her head sideways, Victoria Tang refused. "It's fine. I know you and Lexi had some things to sort out." She said before casting Lexi her attention. 

"Lexi, thank you for everything." With this said note, Victoria Tang made a deep bow as she owed Lexi a whole ton. 

"Aren't we friends slash cousins'?" Surprised by the deep bow, Lexi helped her raised her head with a grin. 

"Thank you," Victoria Tang eyes softened even more as her eyes sting. Without second hesitation, Victoria Tang hugged Lexi as she stopped herself from crying. 

All these years, the years she spent alone after having Vincent Tang, Victoria Tang didn't have anyone to turn to. Her family disowned her for getting herself pregnant out of wedlock. 

Not to mention, the rumors and odd glances of everyone around her for being a single mother, Victoria Tang had gone through a lot and she only had her son. 

But now, Lexi showed nothing but sincere best wishes for her. She was just a cousin, Lexi was more like a loving sister and a genuine friend. 

This made Victoria Tang be at ease that Ethan Lu had a wonderful wife. No wonder Ethan Lu had matured into a good, reliable man because he had a wife like Lexi. 

"Everything will be fine, okay? Let's keep in touch." Lexi patted Victoria Tang's back gently. Whatever unsaid words they kept inside, it didn't need to be uttered as this warm hug was enough. 

After that, Victoria Tang rolled her things inside the gallery while Kevin and Lexi remained outside. 

"Well, I should go too." When Victoria Tang entered, Lexi moved her gaze to Kevin Woo, who was also staring at the entrance of the establishment. 

"Ahh... " nodding his head, Kevin Woo was momentarily speechless. He wanted to say something to her but to no avail, he could only watch Lexi head back to the driver's seat. 

"Wait—!" When Lexi opened the door of the driver's seat, Kevin Woo finally mustered his courage and jogged towards her. 

"Hmm?" Blinking her eyes more than once, Lexi tilted her head to the side as she patiently waited for whatever he wanted to say. 

"I — how was she?" Despite knowing that Lexi might not answer him or she might be enrage, Kevin Woo still asked about Mia Chen out of curiosity. 

"You..."

"I know, it's shameless of me to ask you but..." Assuming that Lexi was mad, Kevin Woo heaved a heavy sigh. "... I just want to know if she was doing fine. Sorry." He might have slightly moved on from the incident but he could not just magically erase her in his heart. 

There were still questions he sought for answers. Yet, he didn't want to disappoint his friends further by meeting her. 

"Why are you saying sorry? Kevin, why don't you find answer yourself?" Smiling, Lexi set her eyes on Kevin Woo's pair of curious eyes. "All we did was to secure our lives without her threat, but we won't take away your right to have answers for your questions." She added with a smile before patting his shoulder. 

"I'll see you around." Lexi said before she entered the driver's seat and Kevin Woo took a step back and watched her speed away.