Ethan Lu slightly opened his eyes to see the giggling Lexi who was trying to restrain her laughing by covering her lips with her fist. At first, he was slightly awestruck as it was his first time seeing this kind of genuine reaction from her.
Granting that she was smiling and laughing throughout the party, Ethan knew that it was her business smiles. But right now, the Lexi before her wasn't the proud and uptight young miss of the Yang family but a woman with grace and undeniable beauty. It was as if her beauty shone that brief moment which made Ethan Lu in awe.
Snapping from his reverie, Ethan Lu smiled brighter than he could before. "Miss Yang, I know I offended you in somewhat someways and I am truly regretful with that."
"Director Lu, I appreciate your thought but you don't have to do this." After recomposing her posture, Lexi got back on her usual front alas, she was now less repellant like the usual. Granting that she was displeased earlier, Lexi wasn't that stubborn to not accept a sincere apology from someone. After all, it was rare for the people that were part of the top social ladder to admit their wrongs.
She knew that well as she had that kind of perspective before as a child. However, as she grows up and matures, with the help of her parents on disciplining her, she changed bit by bit. One of the reasons the grave disappointment of her parents when she forgot the principle she was thought by being blinded by a one-sided love.
"No, I -- You know, Miss Yang I wanted for us to start with the right foot."
"Huh?"
"Let's be friends." Ethan Lu declared without going through circles. Indeed, with the short encounters he had with Lexi, Ethan's respect towards the woman gradually rose from scratch. He too didn't expect anything from her.
On their first encounter, he dragged Lexi along with him to Morris Liu's office just for his entertainment and also annoy his buddy. He had the knowledge of Lexi being a spoiled brat that does whatever she wants without using her head. But to his surprise, the expectation of her causing chaos that very day turned out to be the complete opposite.
She wasn't a person who would wage a losing war. She knew when to stop and when to admit defeat. She was mature and not a brat just like what the rumors say. Ethan hooked up with many to count socialites of young misses hence, his understanding of them was all the same.
Thus, to unravel Lexi's nature, he asked her to eat out. Since he was well-versed of the wealthy young misses, he deliberately took her to a small restaurant that he was fond of with the expectation that she was going to a full beast mode.
Alas, to Ethan's surprise, though she showed her reluctance at first, Lexi actually liked home-cooked style noodles that couldn't par the top chefs cooking for her. What's more? He saw her going back to the place alone and genuinely enjoying the food he introduced to her.
Which made him a little interested to his best friend's ex-fiance. He could not understand why Morris was too vexed with just her presence alone. In his opinion, Lexi wasn't that bad with a good social standing and achievements. Well, he'll probably would never understand his friend's thought process.
All he wanted to do now is be friends with Lexi -- nothing more, nothing less.
"Friends? Director Lu, I don't think --"
"Ethan." Without letting her continue her obvious rejection, Ethan interrupted her with a full blinding smile. Alas, his smile gradually dissipated as he took glanced behind her.
"Uh, is this some kin--" Again, Lexi's words were forcefully interrupted by the next second as Ethan abruptly pulled and spun her. So now, Lexi's back leaned against the side of a parked car while Ethan closed in front of her with his hands placed both of her sides.
"What --!"
"Shhh… calm down. Just calm down for a sec." Ethan who had a shocked and slightly anxious expression hushed her which for some reason she abides. When Lexi calmed down, Ethan moves his gaze passed the top of the car and saw a few figures who hid their guns on their backs. Just then, he immediately retracted his eyes from those unknown groups as one of the men turned his attention to them.
Seeing that there's a two couple who seemed to be in their passionate time, they heed them no mind.
"Where's your car?" Ethan whispered to Lexi who was still slightly disoriented by his unusual words. Hearing his inquiry, Lexi raised her head and was more speechless by the half-palm size distance between their faces. If one of them would recklessly move forward, their lips would surely meet.
The lower of her lips trembled as she stuttered and pointed the direction to where her car was parked. "A - across the other lane."
Ethan nodded before shifting his gaze back to the retreating group of scoundrels. He waited for a little longer for the group to walk far away from them before he heedlessly grabbed Lexi's hand and dragged her towards her car as if their life depended on it.
"Let's go."
Reaching the car, just as Ethan thought they were safe, both of them froze. Apparently, the van next to Lexi's car had unconscious bodies laying on the concrete ground with three men moving them inside. Though they don't seem dead, it still shocked Lexi to the core.