Chapter 190 - She's A Great Girl

The sun was shining brightly outside, it was a sunny day with no signs of gloominess in the sky unlike the fortuitous situation that had taken place.

"Brother?", Sera looked at his receding figure disheartened.

"I'm sorry..", she glanced at the disquiet Maya with an apologetic smile before dashing towards Lu Jinan.

Maya subconsciously raised her hand and wiped the little drop of tear that was on the verge of flowing out of her already misty chocolate brown eyes.

Nescient to the miserable feeling in her chest right now Maya chuckled softly, it was painful to the extent that she wanted scream in agony. Finding her bearings back she heaved a sigh and walked to her car in steady strides, revved up and drove away.

- - - - -

Inside the study Lu Jinan stood leaning against the desk, his deep black eyes gazing out of the window.

He finally closed his eyes after seeing that the yellow sports car had disappeared from his sight.

"What am I doing!", he muttered in an agitated tone, his forehead had creases as he frowned in unhappily.

Sighing he reached to his coat's pocket after pinching a cigarette in between his thin lips, he was looking striking albeit the dim eyes. The shining silver lighter with ROSE's signature on it was revealed.

He was about to light his cigarette when he heard footsteps followed by Sera's voice, it was dull, he could sense her mood which wasn't good.

Stumbling, he hurriedly tried to hide the lighter when Sera strolled in, peering at him from the door.

Lu Jinan hurriedly hid the lighter in his fist at the back feigning surprise, he looked at her inquiringly.

"Brother! Why did you react that way? Maya.. she must've felt so bad..", she trailed off, her eyes staring at him accusingly.

Lu Jinan inwardly thanked his stars, she didn't see the lighter and his actions weren't suspicious to her too.

"Come here..", smiling with a gentle gaze directed at her Lu Jinan said softly.

Sera abidingly went forward and stood across him, her glistening eyes were laden with moist tears that made her appear gentle and lovely, like a little harmless lamb.

"I'm sorry.. Brother is really sorry..", he gently moved his hand to her head and apologized, his voice was soothing as he coaxed her.

"But.. you should have told me if you wanted something like that, right? You know that brother is your bestfriend? He will never let you down..", he looked into her eyes, tears were falling as she listened to his words.

It was true that ever since she remembered Lu Jinan was the only one who supported her even her parents and grandma Lu forbade her from looking into ROSE, they even forced her to quit painting at one point.

At that time she was feeling really forlorn, as a result she became depressed. Her studies were affected, her healthy started deteriorating and she even suffered from insomnia.

During such difficult circumstances only Lu Jinan helped her overcome the darkness and stood by her side as a pillar of support.

Thus Sera loves and respects Lu Jinan. She is very close to her brother and always listens to his words of advice. It was Lu Jinan who encouraged Sera to realize her dream of owning an art gallery.

Lu Jinan wiped her cheeks and hugged her, his face was devoid of any anger from before ws he gazed at a distance blankly. Sera too returned his hug, sniffling against his shoulder as she apologized.

After a long while they had calmed down from their emotional outbursts, steady breathing could be heard as Sera stopped crying.

"Brother.. It wasn't me, it was Xav who sent this as a return gift for the last time..", she mumbled appearing wronged.

"You remember the gifts I sent last tie that you had delivered?", she asked lifting her head and looking at his face, he was trying to understand the situation and felt stupid for acting so rashly earlier.

"Hmm.. Convey my apologies to your friend !", his eyes flashed with remorse remembering Maya's dejected face.

"Uh-huh.. Alright!", she squeaked beaming at him and hugged him back.

- - - - -

Ethan Lee and Lucifer were lazily plopped on the couch with a glass of wine each after they had their lunch at Lucifer's penthouse.

He generously cooked for them, both breakfast and lunch much to Ethan's delight who was over the moon just after the first bite.

Watching the television with disinterest as Ethan browsed through different channels from entertainment to finance. He rarely watched the idiot-box in his free time.

Thinking about something a dainty figure flashed past Lucifer's eyes.

Straightening up Lucifer sat properly with his back ramrod. Sipping on his glass of wine while his eyes surveyed Ethan's countenance with keen attention.

"I saw Xia Ruo Lan outdoors..", Lucifer's sharp gaze was narrowed on Ethan's face trying to catch a change in his expression. Na da, there was none.

Ethan looked at him sideways blankly, his eyes leaving the television screen and landing on Lucifer's face.

"When I went to gather ingredients from the convenience store nearby..", he continued gauging his reaction which unfortunately didn't give him anything substantial.

"Oh!", Ethan returned back to the lame singing show on the television paying no mind to him.

Lucifer was agitated beyond words because of his lukewarm response.

He was on the brink of losing all his sanity and lashing out at the dumb and oblivious friend of his when Ethan abruptly spoke up, his eyes still glued to the screen.

"Well.. She's a great girl", Lucifer's eyes twitched at his vague words and looked at him flabbergasted.

Lucifer then smiled faintly perceiving that his efforts weren't in vain and waited patiently for him to speak.

However Ethan didn't continue speaking after spewing a few words out of mere kindness rather than interest in the topic. A vien popped on Lucifer's forehead in annoyance.

'Was that all he wanted to say to him?', Lucifer cursed Ethan madly in his head while gritting his teeth.

"Everything was going great I still don't know why you..", Ethan unexpectedly continued with his usual nonchalance but was cut off harshly by Lucifer's words with urgency.

"Shut up!!", he bellowed, his eyes looking at Ethan like he was an idiot devoid of anger but disappointment unlike his raging voice.

Ethan turned around at his loud voice, his eyes sharp as he stared at Lucifer before heaving a sigh exasperatedly. He shook his head somewhat helplessly.

"I'm just saying that Xia Ruo Lan deserves happiness..", Ethan's voice was firm as he spoke each word clearly for Lucifer to hear.

"What about you then!", Lucifer muttered absentmindedly in his irritation.

"Why don't you find your happiness?", he continued unable to bite his tongue and stop himself for making it worse.

Ethan's eyes widened at his words that were weirdly vague. They were sounding extremely backhanded to him as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Why are you bringing me up in this? How is this even related to me!", he asked incredulously.

Ethan's innocent face riddled with confusion urged Lucifer to smack his head hard.

Lucifer laughed softly which wasn't exactly a normal laughter as he tried controlling the strong urge to strangle Ethan.

"Why are you laughing now?", Ethan was still not able to understand his odd-ball friend's behavior.

"You're annoying!", Lucifer glared at him scowling in extreme anguish.

Lucifer walked away sputtering his words savagely at the flummoxed Ethan who looked at his receding figure.

Shortly after Lucifer came back and looked at Ethan who was watching the girl on stage sing with a gleeful expression

His eyes darkened, displeasure etched on his perfectly carved sculpture of a face and he strolled towards the couch with an overbearing manner.

"Get out!!", Lucifer shouted, his legs hardly kicking Ethan out of the room.

"What's wrong with you? Aren't you acting unreasonably right now.. Man-period?", Ethan guffawed, he was standing in front of the door refusing to leave.

"Ha ha funny!", Lucifer mocked with zero amusement. He was in no mood to entertain his idiot friend who lacked intelligence and self-awareness.

"At least I'm not blind.. Just get out of here you brainless dimwit!!" he threw him out, his coat and car keys were also mercilessly thrown out before slamming the door shut.

"What's wrong with this!", Ethan mumbled looking at the closed door, the car keys and coat were lying on the dusty ground.

"I'll get you for this.. bastard!!", Ethan uttered a loud cry standing at the door.

Turning back he picked up the car keys and his dirty coat, dusting it off with an ugly expression Ethan walked to his car and drove of in petulance.

Inside the living room a dead beat Lucifer closed his eyes, his legs hanging down the couch lifeless as he massaged his throbbing head with his slender fingers.

"I shouldn't have started it.. That pea-brained moronic fool!", he mumbled groggily drifting to sleep feeling extremely weary from all the cooking and cleaning he had to do today.

*ring* *ring*

Lucifer jolted awake when his cellphone rang, he looked around and found it under the cushion on the couch. Lifting his eyes to see the person breaking his peace Lucifer was stunned to his bones.

"Sera?", he was turning red-faced as he called out the name on the screen. His hands shaking along with the tremors inside him.

Lucifer was so nervous to pick up her call and listen to her euphonious voice, he was not ready to acknowledge his special feelings called 'love' for Sera.

After whatever happened to his family, Sandra, Alex Chung, Li Jing and Mia Chung, Lucifer no longer had the courage to love or yearn for a perfect family. His head was already muddled from his interaction with Ethan earlier and now this, he felt awfully gloomy.

As he kept struggling within him whether to answer her call or not, the phone stopped ringing.

Disappointed, he gazed at the dark screen with his gray eyes in pain that he wasn't even aware of himself.

Throwing the phone on the couch he stood up, picking up the car keys from the round coffee table he zoomed out in irritation.