The quiet night was starless, with just a few specs of light here and there. The moon was covered by murky looking clouds that blended in with the rest of the dark sky.
Standing across an abandoned bus station Sera howled, her eyes darting around the unlit road ahead with apprehension. Her hands holding the phone shivering ever so lightly.
"Xav? Where are you? I've been waiting here.."
Sera had asked the driver to drop her here, and she was waiting for Maya and Xav for the past three minutes or so.
A velvety smooth but manly voice reached Sera, almost startling her. She turned around to find Xav with his starry eyes glaring at her small face. A subtle smile crept up his red lips that was dazzling as ever.
"Hey gorgeous lady.."
Smiling like an harmless little girl, Sera dissed the man in a sweet voice that only hit right on the spot for Xav.
"Hi Tardy Xav.."
Clutching his chest Xav reacted a bit dramatically, no, exaggeratedly would be the right word.
"Ouch! That really hurt thou.."
Almost rolling her pair of chocolate brown eyes out of her gorgeous head full of luscious hair, Maya emerged between Sera and Xav. Rowdily, she pushed her brother away and hugged her bestfriend into a warm embrace. She pulled back in a flash and led her precious friend towards their car that was parked a couple of steps away.
"Enough with the act you two! Sera, my darling.. Let's go"
Staring at the backs of his sister, Maya and the angelic Sera, Xav hissed in an irritated manner. His eyes spitting fire.
"Evil sister..!"
Not bothering to dart a look at her incensed, stupid brother, Maya threw her words casually as she made her way towards the car along with Sera who giggled softly. It was always a treat spending time with these quirky duo.
"I heard that.."
Sprinting, Xav shouted in a hoarse voice that was heard by the girls in the quietude of the night. It was a nearly deserted highway with only a few vehicles driving around.
"Whatever.. I'm driving!!"
Throwing the car keys to Xav who easily caught them, Maya hooked Sera's arms and skipped forward.
"Be my guest.."
The trio embarked on their journey to the neighboring city which was only a few hundred kilometers away. Singing a happy tune with cheery smiles on their beaming faces. Bickering and teasing each other, they seemed to have a whale of a time.
- - -
Lee Holdings
A desolate looking figure was perched on the black leather chair buried neck deep in files and documents. Donning a crisp white shirt and black pants with hair styled to the T, Ethan Lee was so engrossed that he failed to notice Assistant Chen's arrival.
Shaking his head, Assistant Chen made his way towards the cluttered desk, he was holding a brown folder in his hands. He placed it on the glass table and cleared his throat.
"CEO, it's already past 9 and you're still here.."
With a slight concern, Assistant Chen said in a low voice that earned a minor reaction from Ethan. He raised his head to glare at the bespectacled man before lowering his eyes back to the files in his hand.
It was the esteemed Government project under Lee Holdings, which was originally a joint collaboration between Zhang Constructions and the Lee's.
Assistant Chen's face turned red, he was used to being ignored by his boss but still, it was embarrassing for him. He cleared his throat and swiftly diverted the topic after seeing Ethan's lack of interest on his earlier remarks.
"The scandal of Mr Liu, it's just as you had predicted earlier.. Mr Lucifer was behind it.."
Apparently, Ethan has been dead busy with the government project. Now that the Zhang's are bankrupt, Zhang Hongmin is nowhere to be found. As though, his existence has been wiped away from the face of the earth. As Ethan Lee is in need of new partners, the man has been attending consecutive meetings with different business associates and officials every day.
And Lucifer too was pretty tied up off late with Sera, Liu Chenmin, ROSE and other trivial things. Thus the two friends seldom had any chance to communicate and share things between them, Ethan missed his friend especially. It's been more than a week since they last met.
The last time Ethan caught a glimpse of Lucifer was at the C Corporation's welcome party of Callista, the impostor Callista.
Seeing how Ethan was lost in thought while holding the pen in his hand, Assistant Chen continued to report his findings with a blank expression.
"Also, there seems to be some clashes between Mr Liu and Mr Lucifer these few days.. I don't know much, but things seem quite grave"
All of a sudden, Ethan raised his hand to stop Assistant Chen and interjected in his usual detached, cold voice. The latter bowed his head before leaving the room soundlessly.
"It's okay.. You can stop looking into this matter and carry on with other stuff"
Glaring at the closed glass door and Assistant Chen's diminishing back, Ethan's perfect image crumbled. He ran his fingers through his short, black hair and muttered angrily, under his breathe.
'Why didn't this bastard call me? Did he forget about me? His brother?!'