Lian Que was woken up by the loud and continuous buzzing of his cellphone.
He groaned softly as he blindly reached out for the bedside table, hoping to grasp his phone in the process.
His long eyelashes flattered slowly, adjusting to the dim lighting of the room as he eventually got his phone and looked at the screen.
It was quite early in the morning, an hour earlier than he woke up so he wondered who could be troubling him so early in the morning.
A small frown that grew deeper as he read the messages adorned his forehead and Lian cursed under his breath once he saw the main cause of the buzz.
His ashen grey eyes glared at a photo of him and the red haired heiress that he had attended dinner with.
The angle at which the photo had been taken was enough for anyone to think that there was something going on between them.
Lian seethed with anger.
He had been used and he was going to make the cunny heiress pay for whatever game she thought she was playing.
Panic flashed through his eyes as he thought of whether or not Lisa had seen the photos.
He cared less about the entire world seeing the photos but he certainly did not want Lisa to see them. He did not want her to believe all the rumours that were spreading out as wild as a wildfire.
Words that suggested that he was close and romantically interested in the Huo heiress.
Lian swiftly dailed a number on his phone as he hurriedly got dressed. He had to take immediate action to repair any possible damage that could have been done.
"Get rid of all those photos and kindly make haste Caleb." His authoritative voice filled the room once the receiver on the other end picked up.
"What photos?" A man's voice on the other end of the call asked nonchalantly and Lian could feel his blood boil.
"You know WHAT photos I am talking about. Now is not the time for games,Caleb." Lian replied, trying to keep himself from venting his frustration onto his dear old friend Caleb.
"Fine." Caleb relented, his voice sounding bored and Lian sighed.
"You are no fun to tease Lian." Caleb remarked as he searched for his equipment in order to handle his friend's crisis. He had found it in his good heart to help out a friend because in all the years he had been friends with Lian, it was the first time he had heard the man sound so tense.
"That is nothing new." Lian replied matter of factly and Caleb groaned.
"Like you have said a thousand times Mr. Grumpy pants." He commented and Lian couldn't help the small smile that adorned his lips.
"Good bye, Caleb." He hang up on his friend knowing well how much it could irk him. Caleb disliked being left hanging.
He had been friends with Caleb since he was nine and they were really close.
While he had pursued business, Caleb had done computer science and was one of the best Internet hackers that Lian knew.
Caleb had helped him get rid of a few Internet scrambles and he trusted his skills.
After he was fully dressed, Lian headed down stairs and was not at all surprised to see his father waiting for him at the dinner table.
"Sit down." His dad beckoned him and Lian swallowed as he took his seat opposite his old man.
Lian was still angry and his dear old papa was partially to blame for the events that had unfolded.
The pair sat in silence for a while before Senior Que, like he preferred to be called spoke.
"Lian, I am not getting any younger." He stated as his eyes met those of his son.
"I know that, dad." Lian agreed and his old man sighed as he broke their eye contact and looked at a photo frame that hang up on one of the walls.
It was a photo of his parents, when they were both much younger.
"I meet your mom when I was about your age. She was the most lively soul I ever met." Senior Que said his voice holding sentiment and Lian felt his heart ache.
He missed his mom and though it was surprising that his dad was speaking of her, he could feel that he missed her too.
Senior Que had never really spoken about his wife since she died and Lian strangely understood why he did not.
Maybe it hurt so much to admit that she was gone.
"The point I am trying to make son is that you should put yourself out there and get a chance of settling down with a woman that you love and besides, I want to see some grandchildren. Soon." Senior Que stressed out the last word and Lian glared at him.
"But, Lyra already gave you two beautiful grand children." Lian complained and Senior Que waved his hand to dismiss his complaint.
"Don't change the topic and bring your younger sister into this. We are talking about you. I want to see some grandchildren from you." Senior Que said seriously and Lian knew there was no convincing his dad to stop setting him up unless he told him about Lisa.
"Actually, I already have a woman that I love." He announced and Senior Que looked at him skeptically.
"And why am I hearing of this now?" Senior Que asked and Lian gulped softly. His dad could be really intimidating sometimes.
"It's complicated, dad." Lian replied, starting to feel suffocated under his dad's watchful gaze.
"I hope you are not lying to me Lian." Senior Que stated and Lian smiled slightly.
"There is no reason to." He said convincingly but Senior Que was not buying it. He knew his son very well.
Lian could do anything to get off the hook. The young man hated being setup on dates.
"Fine." Senior Que relented and yet Lian did not sigh in relief. He could feel a 'but' coming in.
"But...I want to see this woman that has managed to steal your heart soon." Senior Que added and he smirked in triumph when he saw his son freeze.
"How soon?" Was all Lian managed to ask.
"How about next week during family dinner?" Senior Que asked but Lian knew too well that there was no negotiation to be involved. The date was set in stone and he now had a task of convincing Lisa to come with him to the family dinner his dad held every weekend.
Lian could feel a few cold droplets of sweat trickle down his neck.
What if she rejected him?