"I see. An irony indeed." She nodded in agreement. "So you've known all this time that those people were fakes? Yet you didn't told me anything until now?"

"You were good at hiding, Thea. I didn't know that my best friend, Theodora, was Lillie Bai."

​​

"And you call yourself a Reaper." Lillie shook her head.

"Come on," He whined. "At least give me some credit. I was just a low ranking Reaper at that time, so you can't expect me to know everything yet."

At that time? So that means his rank is higher now?

"Furthermore, we Reapers can't dig into just about anyone's personal information without risks." He said. "Your family, the Bai, are of blue-blooded descent that has been here since the ancient times. The regime highly values you, hence why your family's under heavy protection."

"They weren't that good at their job, as you've figured by now." Lillie lightly scoffed.

"That's why this time, I want you to know that I'll be able to protect you from now on." Wei Fang smiled at her softly.

Lillie frowned. "I appreciate your concern, Mr. Wei, but I'm capable to protect myse—"

"I know, I know." Wei Fang laughed, shading his eyes with his hand. "Gosh, your stubbornness is still hard to crack, just as I remember."

"I don't need your protection." Lillie reiterated in a firm undertone. She had forever cut ties with him and doesn't want to associate herself with him any longer than necessary.

There's nothing he could do to change that. Disclosing this crucial information with her and volunteering himself to be her protector wouldn't stir her to change her mind.

She's adamant and made herself perfectly clear.

Picking her purse, Lillie pushed her chair and stood up. "That's all I wanted to hear, Mr. Wei. Thank you for indulging me with your secrets and for answering my queries. Rest assure that everything we talked about tonight wouldn't leave this room."

Wei Fang stood up and offered his hand for a handshake. "It's me who should be thankful for allotting your time to me, and for promising to keep my secret. So, thank you, Thea."

Lillie shook his large, calloused hand, seeing as there's nothing wrong with a handshake.

"And just as I've promised, I won't bother you about our past anymore. This will be the last time."

"I appreciate it."

"Let me escort you back to your car?" He lifted his arm, gesturing her to clung onto it. "You would allow me this honor at least once, right? Come on, please?"

"Once." Lillie sighed and wrapped her arm around his firm biceps.

He's been under rigorous training, she could tell.

Walking back to the lounge, Lillie and Wei Fang gave their keys to the valets and waited by the entrance for their car.

"Take care, Thea. I'll see you soon."

"En." But not too soon.

Slamming her door shut, Lillie drove her car away until it disappeared from Wei Fang's view.

Wei Fang's car arrived just a few seconds after hers. The valet returned his keys to him and bowed his head.

Feeling generous, Wei Fang gave the young valet a tip for his service, to which the latter responded with a grateful smile and another bow.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wei. Take care and I hope you visit our restaurant again soon."

Wei Fang smiled at the young valet and patted his shoulder before jumping into his car and drove off.

As he was driving along the quiet highway, his car's infotainment—that was connected to his phone—displayed a call.

Ring...ring...ri—

"Hm? Is that so? That's good to hear. Be sure she's one hundred percent healed before you bring her back in public. I don't want a deranged woman messing up my plans." Wei Fang dropped the call after that.

Hair shadowing his eyes, Wei Fang's shoulders shook. His lips then slowly curled into a grin.

"Heh," It started with a snort, then a snicker, until it gradually turned into a full blown laughter.

A wicked and cynical laughter.

"Ahh~ Thea, Thea, Thea..." His gentle eyes were gone, left with nothing but a pair that's glinting with insanity.

His face was a picture of insanity. A crazy grin coupled with a pair of crazy, red eyes.

"You should've accepted my protection, Thea. Now, who else could protect you from me?"

***

Ethan's heart was pounding wildly from worry. He tried to contact Lillie for nearly an hour now, and she wasn't answering.

Usually, she would answer him after three rings. Or when she's busy, she would text him that he can't answer his call.

And knowing his wife is now carrying their baby, Ethan unease has blown off the roof.

[Mr. Li, what can I do for you?]

He has no other choice but to call her secretary, Elliot Anderson.

"Is Lillie still at the office? She hasn't been answering my calls for an hour now."

[I'm sorry?]

That definitely sounded ominous.

"Lillie isn't home yet. If she's not there, where is she?"

[Miss Bai was in a meeting with Mr. Wei two hours ago. I had the impression Miss Bai would be home by now, as the meeting only took them an hour. She was driving when she called to inform me that the meeting was over.]

She called her secretary about instead of him?

Doesn't she realized how bad that would affect his heart and sanity?

"By Wei, you mean Wei Fang?"

[Yes, sir. He stormed in the building unannounced and pestered Miss Bai to have dinner with her.] Elliot reported truthfully and without hesitation. [I heard from Miss Bai that they'll talk about what he knows of 'that' incident.]

Ethan instantly knew what he's pertaining to.

"Thank you for informing me, Elliot." Ethan sucked up his pride and thanked him.

[I'm happy to be of assistance, Mr. Li. As for Miss Bai's whereabouts, would you like me to locate her?]

"That would be unnecessary, I'll do it myself. Good night." Ethan ended the call before Elliot had the chance to reply.

Without wasting any seconds more, he paced towards his desk and opened his laptop.

"Ai, where's mommy?"